Chinese-style braised beef one-pot

Method 1

Ingredients

olive oil

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

fresh root ginger, peeled and shredded

spring onions, sliced

red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

1kg braising beef, cut into large pieces (we used ox cheek)

plain flour, well seasoned

Chinese five-spice powder

star anise (optional)

light muscovado sugar (or use whatever you've got)

Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry

dark soy sauce, plus more to serve

500ml beef stock (we used Knorr Touch of Taste)

steamed bok choi and steamed basmati rice, to serve

STEP 1

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, shallow casserole. Fry the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Tip onto a plate. Toss the beef in the flour, add 1 tbsp more oil to the pan, then brown the meat in batches, adding the final tbsp oil if you need to. It should take about 5 mins to brown each batch properly.

STEP 2

Add the five-spice and star anise (if using) to the pan, tip in the gingery mix, then fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant. Add the sugar, then the beef and stir until combined. Keep the heat high, then splash in the wine or sherry, scraping up any meaty bits. Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.

STEP 3

Pour in the soy and stock (it won’t cover the meat completely), bring to a simmer, then tightly cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 4 hrs, stirring the meat halfway through. Allow 6 hrs for the meat to cook if using a slow cooker. The meat should be very soft, and any sinewy bits should have melted away. Season with more soy. This can now be chilled and frozen for up to 1 month.

STEP 4

Nestle the cooked bok choi into the pan, then bring to the table with the basmati rice straight away and tuck in.

RECIPE TIPS

BRAISING BEEF

When stewing, look for meat marbled with

good streaks of fat and sinew throughout –

these will break down during slow cooking

and give you the most tender meat. If you

can get it, ox cheek is fantastic value and

rich in flavour – perfect for this dish.

Method 2

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs beef (cut into cubes)

- 3 tbsp soy sauce

- 2 tbsp oyster sauce

- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 tbsp oil

- 4 slices of ginger

- 3 cloves of garlic (minced)

- 2 star anise

- 1 cinnamon stick

- 2 cups beef broth

- Green onions (chopped for garnish)

- Optional: vegetables like carrots, potatoes, or bok choy

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, marinate the beef cubes with soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon stick, and sauté until fragrant.

3. Add the marinated beef cubes to the pot and brown them on all sides.

4. Pour in the beef broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and let it braise for about 1.5-2 hours or until the beef is tender.

5. Add vegetables if desired and cook until they are tender.

6. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve hot garnished with chopped green onions.

Comments

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