Skip to content

Braised Beef Recipe

Braised Beef

Homemade braised beef is nutritious and flavorful, making it an excellent choice for both a main dish or a side. Beginners can typically complete this in about 10 hours.

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Beef shank
  • Bay leaves
  • Ginger
  • Green onions
  • Dark soy sauce
  • Cinnamon stick
  • Rock sugar
  • Sichuan peppercorns
  • Cooking wine
  • Light soy sauce
  • Salt
  • Star anise
  • Soybean paste

Measurements

Per batch:

  • Beef shank: 2000g
  • Bay leaves: 1 leaf
  • Ginger: 3 slices
  • Green onions: half a stalk
  • Dark soy sauce: 15ml
  • Cinnamon stick: 1 piece
  • Rock sugar: 7-8 pieces
  • Sichuan peppercorns: 15 grains
  • Cooking wine: 30ml
  • Light soy sauce: 15ml
  • Salt: 8g
  • Star anise: 4 pods
  • Soybean paste: 15ml

Instructions

  • Clean the beef shank thoroughly and soak it in cold water for 1 hour to remove blood.
  • Pierce the surface of the beef shank with a toothpick or fork. Add cooking wine, Sichuan peppercorns, and ginger slices. Wrap the container tightly with plastic wrap and marinate for 4-6 hours.
  • Cut the beef shank into chunks approximately 8cm in size, no larger than 10cm.
  • Place the beef shank in a pot and add cold water until the meat is submerged. Bring to a boil and start timing. Skim off the foam. After 3 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the beef, and rinse it with warm water.
  • Transfer the cleaned beef shank to a clay pot or stew pot. Add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add all other ingredients except salt.
  • Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes. Then add salt.
  • After adding salt, continue simmering on low heat for another 90 minutes. (Note: Check the water level every 30 minutes to ensure it covers at least 80% of the meat.)
  • After cooking for 180 minutes, remove the beef shank. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.
  • Once chilled, slice the beef against the grain and serve. For the remaining beef shank, it is recommended to store it whole in the refrigerator rather than slicing it.

Additional Notes

  • During cooking, monitor the water level. If it drops below 2/3 of the ingredients, add hot water to cover them again (check approximately every 30 minutes).
  • Wrapping the beef tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerating it for several hours helps keep the sliced meat firm and intact.
  • Piercing the surface of the beef with a toothpick or fork helps break down the fascia, allowing the flavors to penetrate better.

References

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement while following this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull request.