Name: Chinese Braised Beef with Ginger Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 – 3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil; 1¼ kg beef shin or brisket, cut into very large chunks; 2 onions, very roughly chopped; 50 g ginger; 3 garlic cloves; small bunch coriander stalks; 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder; 6 whole star anise; 1 tsp black peppercorns; 100 g dark brown muscovado sugar; 50 ml light soy sauce; 50 ml dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp tomato purée; beef stock, enough to just about cover beef in the dish; thumb-sized chunk ginger, shredded into matchsticks; 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil (for frying ginger); cooked jasmine rice

Ingredients

2 – 3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

1¼ kg beef shin or brisket, cut into very large chunks

2 onions

50g ginger

3 garlic cloves

Small bunch coriander

2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

6 whole star anise

1 tsp black peppercorns

100g dark brown muscovado sugar

50ml light soy sauce

50ml dark soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato purée

Beef stock (enough to just cover the beef)

Thumb-sized chunk ginger, shredded into matchsticks

1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil (for frying ginger)

Cooked jasmine rice, to serve

Instructions

Step 1: Heat a little of the oil in a large flameproof dish. Add the beef chunks in batches and fry until browned. Transfer the browned beef to another dish and set aside.

Step 2: Roughly chop the onions, 50g ginger, garlic, and coriander stalks. Place them in a food processor and blend into a coarse paste.

Step 3: Wipe out any remaining oil from the dish used for browning the beef. Add the paste along with a splash of water and gently fry, scraping up any browned bits, until the paste is fragrant and softened. Add more water if needed to prevent sticking.

Step 4: Stir in the Chinese five-spice powder, star anise, and black peppercorns. Cook for 1 minute, then add the muscovado sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and tomato purée.

Step 5: Return the beef and any juices to the dish. Pour in enough beef stock to just cover the beef. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove.

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) or gas mark 3. Cover the dish and place it in the oven. Cook for about 2½ hours until the beef is very tender.

Step 7: Remove the beef from the sauce and keep warm. Boil the sauce on the stove until it has reduced by about half and thickened slightly.

Step 8: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan and fry the shredded ginger until golden and crispy.

Step 9: Return the beef to the reduced sauce and gently coat it. Serve the beef spooned over cooked jasmine rice, scattered with the crispy fried ginger.

Tips & Variations

For a deeper flavor, marinate the beef chunks in soy sauce and five-spice an hour before cooking.

If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the onions, ginger, garlic, and coriander stalks by hand.

Try substituting beef shin with brisket or chuck for similar tenderness.

Add a few dried red chilies to the sauce for a spicy kick.

FAQs

Can I use other cuts of beef for this recipe?

Yes, cuts like brisket, chuck, or even short ribs work well as they become tender during slow cooking. Avoid lean cuts as they may dry out.

What if I don’t have star anise or five-spice powder?

Star anise adds a distinctive licorice flavor, and five-spice powder balances sweet and savory notes. If unavailable, you can omit star anise and substitute five-spice with a mix of cinnamon, cloves, and ground pepper, though the flavor will be different.