Braised Beef is the ultimate Chinese stew. The beef is braised until tender and packed with flavor, in a rich, glossy sauce infused with star anise and cinnamon. A handful of fresh cilantro at the end adds a refreshing touch. Whether served with rice or noodles, it’s absolutely irresistible.
🌴 Ingredients:
· 500g beef brisket (cut into chunks)
🌴 Aromatics:
· 4 slices of ginger
· 1 stalk of scallion (cut into segments)
· 2 star anise
· 1 small piece of cinnamon stick
· 2 bay leaves
· 2 dried chilies (optional)
· 1 small bunch cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
🌴 Seasonings:
· 3 tbsp light soy sauce (about 30ml)
· 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (about 10ml, for color)
· 2 tbsp cooking wine (about 20ml, for blanching)
· 1 small piece of rock sugar (about 15g, for color and flavor)
· Salt, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed
🌴 Instructions:
- Blanch the Beef
Place the beef in a pot of cold water with ginger, scallion, and cooking wine. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, and rinse the beef with warm water. ⚠️ Note: Never rinse with cold water, or the meat will contract and become tough. - Caramelize the Sugar
Heat a little oil in a pan, add the rock sugar, and stir over low heat until it melts and turns a dark amber color. Immediately add the beef and stir-fry to coat each piece. ⚠️ Note: Never use high heat to caramelize the sugar, as it burns easily and turns bitter. I’ve tried it, and the sugar burned instantly, ruining the whole dish. - Add Ingredients and Simmer
Add the ginger, scallion, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and dried chilies, and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and cooking wine, and mix well. Pour in hot water to cover the beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours. ⚠️ Note: Always use hot water; cold water will toughen the beef. - Reduce and Serve
Once the beef is tender, season with salt to taste. Turn to high heat to reduce the sauce until thickened and coating the beef. Turn off the heat, plate, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. ⚠️ Note: Add salt at the end; adding it too early will toughen the beef.
💡 More Tender and Flavorful Beef Dishes:
If you enjoy this braised beef, you should also try my [Sichuan Boiled Beef] for another incredibly savory and satisfying dish.
Want to explore more? Check out my full [Main Dishes] category!
💡 Tips:
The key to Braised Beef is “tender meat, rich sauce, glossy color.” Blanch the beef in cold water and rinse with warm water. Caramelize the sugar over low heat to prevent burning. Use hot water for braising. Add salt at the end so the beef becomes tender. Garnish with cilantro for a fresh finish.
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