Red-Braised Beef

A classic home-style dish with melt-in-your-mouth beef and a rich, savory soy-based sauce. Best served with rice and optional vegetables like potatoes, mushrooms, or daikon. Two methods are provided—one with blanching, one with dry-frying.

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 minutes
  
• 🍳 Cook time: 90 minutes
  
• 🍽️ Serves: 3–4

Ingredients

• 500g beef, cut into chunks
• 4–5 slices of ginger
• 2 scallions, cut into sections
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rock sugar or white sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2 star anise
• 1 small piece of cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsaoko (black cardamom)
• (Optional) dried hawthorn slices, dried tangerine peel
• Water as needed
• (Optional) potatoes, mushrooms, or daikon, chopped

Instructions

Method 1: Blanching Method

1. Soak beef in cold water for 30 minutes to remove blood, then drain. Add beef to a pot of cold water—enough to cover it.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Skim off scum, remove beef, and rinse clean with warm water.
3. In a clean pot, heat a small amount of oil. Sauté ginger and scallion until fragrant, then add the beef.
4. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and all the spices (including optional ones). Pour in the filtered broth from blanching.
5. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 1–1.5 hours, until beef is tender and easily pierced with chopsticks.
6. Add potatoes, mushrooms, or daikon. Simmer another 20 minutes.
7. Season with salt, add sugar and dark soy for color. Reduce sauce until thick and glossy, then serve.

Method 2: Dry-Frying Method

1. Soak beef in cold water, then drain thoroughly.
2. In a heated pot with oil, sauté ginger and scallions, then add beef. Stir-fry until water is released and evaporates.
3. Add light soy sauce, then pour in hot water to cover the beef. Add all spices (including optional ones).
4. Bring to a boil, skim off scum, then simmer for 1–1.5 hours until beef is soft.
5. Add optional vegetables and simmer 20 more minutes. Season with salt, sugar, and dark soy sauce.
6. Reduce the sauce until thickened and serve with rice.

Both methods lead to the same delicious end—choose your prep style based on preference.