Chinese Braised Beef Shank & Master Stock (酱牛肉)
User Reviews
5
Chinese Braised Beef Shank & Master Stock (酱牛肉)
Description
The Chinese Braised Beef Shank recipe involves marinating boneless beef shank with soybean paste, fermented bean curd, light and dark soy sauces, which provide a robust, umami-driven base. The beef is then cooked slowly in a master stock containing Shaoxing rice wine, ginger, scallions, sugar, and an array of spices including star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf, fennel seeds, Sichuan pepper, and cloves. This slow simmering breaks down the meat fibers, making the beef tender while the spice blend gently flavors the cooking liquid and meat. The resulting dish features tender meat with a complex, savory taste, balanced by the fermented ingredients in the marinade.
This braised beef is versatile; it can be served sliced on its own, dressed with chili oil and chopped scallions, or used as a flavorful topping for noodles and other dishes. The master stock can also be enjoyed as a broth or used for soups, offering multiple ways to enjoy the dish.
Notes suggest soaking the beef before marinating to reduce blood content, replacing soybean paste with hoisin or sweet flour sauce if unavailable, and adjusting saltiness during cooking. The cooking time may vary depending on the beef size and heat source, so checking doneness is important for ideal tenderness.
Ingredients
For marinating the beef
- 1500 g beef shank 53oz, boneless, aka beef shin
- 4 tablespoon soybean paste see note 1 for substitutes
- 1 big piece fermented bean curd or 4 small pieces, see note 2, aka Fu Ru/腐乳
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce light
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
For seasoning the stock
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 5 lices ginger
- 2 talks scallions cut in sections
- 12 g rock sugar or 1 tablespoon regular sugar
- 4 star anise
- 1 piece cassia cinnamon
- 4 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan pepper
- 1 tablespoon white pepper or black pepper, whole
- 8 cloves
- 1 black cardamom optional, aka Tsao-ko/草果
- 2 pieces dried sand ginger optional, aka 沙姜
- 4 dried chili
- salt to taste
For serving (optional)
- Chilli oil Chinese style
- scallions finely chopped
Instructions
Soak the beef (optional)
- Wash beef shank then cut each piece lenghthways once.
- Put into a large bowl. Pour in water (enough to cover the meat completely). Leave to soak for 1 hour then drain (this is to extract excess blood).
Marinate the beef
- Add soybean paste, fermented bean curd, light soy sauce & dark soy sauce to a bowl. Mash the bean curd with a spoon and mix well.
- Pour the marinade onto the drained beef. Rub to coat evenly. Leave to rest for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Cook the beef
- Put the beef, along with the marinade sauce, into a pot. Top with about 750 ml/3 cups of water (It should be enough to cover the meat completely. Please feel free to adjust).
- Add Shaoxing rice wine, scallions, ginger, sugar and all the spices.
- Bring it to a full boil then turn the heat to the lowest. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for about 1½ hours (see note 3).
- Halfway through, taste the stock to check the saltiness. If it’s on the salty side, the beef should be just right. Otherwise, add a little salt.
- To check the doneness, poke the centre of the biggest piece of the beef with a chopstick. You should be able to insert it through with a little resistant.
- Let the beef cool down in the stock naturally. Then transfer the beef to a container. Refrigerate until completely firm.
- Use a sieve to drain the stock (discard the spices) and keep in the fridge for later use.
Serve the beef (see note 4 for more options)
- Cut the beef into thin slices then lay on a plate. Heat up a little stock in a saucepan. Pour it over the beef. Add chilli oil and scallions. If you wish to serve it warm, steam the sliced beef for about 3 mins or so.
- This recipe makes about 4 platefuls. Store the rest of the beef chunks in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before using.
How to reuse the stock
- The beef stock can be reused as a master stock for braising meat, boiled eggs, tofu, kelp, etc. Add more water, seasonings & spices if necessary.
- After each use, drain the stock very well and remove all the solid pieces left in the liquid. Store in the fridge or freezer for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before using.
Notes
- Soak beef shank for 1 hour to remove excess blood before marinating.
- If soybean paste is unavailable, substitute with sweet flour sauce or hoisin sauce, adjusting salt accordingly.
- Adjust cooking time depending on beef size and heat intensity for desired tenderness.
- This braised beef is excellent sliced for noodle toppings or sandwich fillings.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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