Chinese (Cantonese) Braised Beef Stew
User Reviews
4.8
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
3 hrs
-
Total Time
3 hrs 15 mins
-
Servings
8
-
Calories
345 kcal
-
Cuisine
Chinese
Chinese (Cantonese) Braised Beef Stew
Description
This braised beef stew begins by blanching beef pieces to remove impurities, then cooking aromatic spices like ginger, star anise, cloves, and bay leaves in vegetable oil to release their fragrances. The beef is browned to develop flavor before adding Shaoxing wine, light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, and water with sugar. The stew simmers covered on low heat for 90 minutes to two hours until the beef becomes tender. Daikon radish, peeled and cut into large chunks, is added to absorb the flavors and soften during the final stage. Scallions provide a fresh contrast near the end of cooking. Optionally, a cornstarch slurry can thicken the broth.
The stew has a deeply savory and slightly sweet broth enriched by the fermented sauces and spices. The beef is tender yet substantial, and the radish offers a mild sweetness and textural contrast. This stew is well suited for cool days, served over rice or noodles to soak up the sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef flank steak cut into 1½- to 2-inch/4-5cm pieces; can substitute well-marbled chuck, which will take less time to cook, rough
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 7 lices ginger
- 5 cloves
- 3 pieces star anise
- 3 bay leaf
- 1 cup Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce light
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 pounds daikon radish (peeled and cut into 1½- to 2-inch/4-5cm pieces)
- salt (to taste)
- 3 scallions (cut on a diagonal into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water, optional)
Instructions
- Add the beef to a large pot, and add enough water to cover the beef. Place over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook the beef for 1 minute. You will see scum and foam rise to the top of the water. Remove from heat, drain, and rinse the beef chunks clean. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other thick bottomed pot over medium heat, and add the ginger, cloves, star anise, and bay leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Increase the heat to high, and add the beef back to the pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the pieces of beef are lightly browned around the edges.
- Stir in the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the water and sugar.
- Cover the pot, and bring it to a boil once again. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how tough your beef is! The liquid should be at a slow bubble. Stir the pot occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
- Then gently stir in the daikon, and continue cooking for another 45 minutes, until the daikon is tender. Season with salt to taste, and add the scallions just before serving.
- You also have the option of thickening the sauce before serving. If you’d like to thicken the sauce, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the bubbling sauce, and stir until the sauce thickens slightly and has a glossy appearance. Add more slurry if the sauce is still too thin for your liking. Serve with steamed rice!
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 345 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 345kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 105mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 732mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 873mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 49IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 26mg | 29% |
| Calcium | 55mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
You'll Also Love
