Sichuan Boiled Beef (水煮牛肉)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
357 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Sichuan Boiled Beef (水煮牛肉)
Description
This Sichuan Boiled Beef recipe starts by marinating thinly sliced flank steak in wine, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch to tenderize and coat the meat. The soup base combines smashed garlic, sliced ginger, scallions, spicy fermented chili bean paste (doubanjiang), Shaoxing wine, chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauce, creating a deep, savory broth. Chinese broccoli or other greens are cooked in the soup to add texture.
The beef is quickly cooked in the boiling broth to retain tenderness. The dish is served with a topping oil heated with dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, which are finely chopped and come with grated garlic and scallions to add heat and fragrant aromas. The result is a layered flavor profile combining numbing spice, garlic pungency, and tender, flavorful beef.
This dish is typically served hot and makes a striking main course in Sichuan meals. The spicy and numbing characteristics complement the mild bitterness of greens and the umami-rich broth. It pairs well with plain steamed rice to balance the intensity.
Save the broth leftover after cooking—it can be reused for cooking vegetables, tofu, or meat slices to absorb the flavors. Removing chili seeds reduces heat, allowing control over spiciness. Grinding the fried chili and peppercorn mixture coarsely preserves texture and aroma.
Ingredients
Beef marinade
- 1 lb flank steak beef
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Topping
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil , divided (or other neutral oil)
- 1/2 cup dried chili peppers halved (seeds removed for a less spicy dish, Chinese variety
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn
- 6 cloves garlic , grated
- 1 scallion , sliced
Soup base
- 4 cloves garlic , smashed
- 1 " ginger , sliced
- 3 scallions , cut into 1" (2.5 cm) pieces
- 3 tablespoons doubanjiang
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon (or to taste) (Optional)
- 6 to 8 heads Chinese broccoli , sliced to large bite-size pieces (or bok choy, yu choy, or other vegetables you prefer)
Slurry
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
Prepare the fish fillets
- Cut the beef flank steak along the grain into two pieces. Then slice against the grain by tilting your knife to 45° and slicing the beef into 1/4" (1/2 cm) thick pieces. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the marinade ingredients except the cornstarch. Gently use your hand to mix the beef until the ingredients are absorbed. Then add the cornstarch and mix again until the beef is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Prepare the topping spices
- Heat a medium-sized wok over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil until hot. Add the dried chilis and Sichuan peppercorns, turn to medium-low heat. Cook and stir until fragrant and darker, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a plate to cool slightly, reserving the oil in the pan. Turn off the heat.
- Add the fried spices into a small food processor or blender. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside.
Prepare the soup base
- Reheat the same wok over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallions. Cook and stir until fragrant, 1 minute or so.
- Add the doubanjiang. Stir for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn to low heat if the paste starts to stick to the pan too much. You can also pour a bit of water into the pan to release the paste.
- Pour in the Shaoxing wine and use a spatula to lift as much of the brown bits from the bottom as possible. Add the chicken stock and keep scraping the bottom.
- Add the sugar and soy sauce. Cook over medium-high heat until brought to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Use a mesh strainer to remove the solid spices and discard them. Taste the broth. It should be slightly salty by itself. Add chicken bouillon to adjust flavor if needed.
Finish up
- Prepare a large heat-proof bowl, enough to hold most of the broth, the vegetables, and the beef. (*Footnote 1)
- Add the Chinese broccoli to the broth and blanch until cooked to your desired texture, about 2 minutes. Remove it from the broth and place it on the bottom of the big bowl.
- Bring the broth back to a simmer. Cook the beef slices in two batches if needed so they don’t crowd the pan. Add the beef and immediately use a pair of chopsticks or tongs to stir and separate the pieces. Poach for a minute, or until the beef is just cooked through. Transfer the beef into the big serving bowl, on top of the Chinese broccoli.
- Bring the broth to a boil again. Stir to fully dissolve the cornstarch slurry and pour it into the broth, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute, until the broth is slightly thickened. Then pour the broth into the serving bowl, until the beef slices are mostly covered. Set aside the remaining broth if there is any left. (*Footnote 1)
- Spread the prepared topping spices - the fried and ground up chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorn, over the broth. Spread out the sliced scallions and the grated garlic.
- Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium heat in a small pot or saucepan until just smoking. Carefully drizzle the spices over the serving dish. The oil will spatter a bit but shouldn’t cause a mess. Serve hot as a main dish.
Notes
- Save the broth after cooking for reuse with vegetables, tofu, or meat slices for additional flavor.
- Remove chili seeds to control the spiciness according to preference.
- Pulse fried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns coarsely to preserve their texture and aroma in the topping.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 357 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 357kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 4% |
| Protein | 27.4g | 55% |
| Fat | 21.5g | 33% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.1g | 16% |
| Cholesterol | 80mg | 27% |
| Sodium | 1047mg | 44% |
| Potassium | 377mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 0.2g | 1% |
| Sugar | 7.6g | 15% |
| Calcium | 33mg | 3% |
| Iron | 16mg | 89% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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