Description
This Chinese Braised Beef with Ginger recipe features tender chunks of beef shin slow-cooked in a fragrant, rich sauce infused with traditional Chinese spices such as five-spice powder, star anise, and soy sauce. Aromatic ginger and garlic paste combined with a touch of muscovado sugar and tomato purée creates a deeply savory and slightly sweet dish. Finished with crispy fried ginger and served over fragrant jasmine rice, this hearty meal is perfect for warming family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 1¼ kg beef shin or brisket, cut into very large chunks
- 2–3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil, divided
- 2 onions, very roughly chopped
- 50 g fresh ginger, plus a thumb-sized chunk shredded into matchsticks
- 3 garlic cloves
- Small bunch coriander (including 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 cover the beef in the pot
For Frying Ginger
- 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
To Serve
- Cooked jasmine rice
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat a little of the vegetable or sunflower oil in a large flameproof dish or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks in batches to avoid overcrowding, frying each batch until well browned on all sides. Transfer browned beef to a separate plate.
- Make Aromatic Paste: Roughly chop the onions, 50g fresh ginger, garlic cloves, and coriander stalks. Place them in a food processor and blend into a coarse paste.
- Sauté the Paste: Wipe out excess oil from the beef-browning dish. Return the aromatic paste along with a good splash of water to the dish. Gently fry over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits from the beef, until the paste becomes fragrant and softens. Add more water if the paste begins to stick to the pan.
- Add Spices and Sauces: Stir in the Chinese five-spice powder, star anise, and black peppercorns. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices. Then add the dark brown muscovado sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and tomato purée. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Braise the Beef: Return the browned beef along with any accumulated juices to the dish. Pour in enough beef stock to just cover the beef pieces. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.
- Cook in the Oven: Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan)/Gas mark 3. Cover the dish with a lid or foil and place it in the oven. Cook for about 2½ hours until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
- Reduce the Sauce: Remove the beef from the sauce to a warm dish and keep warm. Place the sauce over medium-high heat and boil until it is reduced by about half and thickened to a rich consistency.
- Fry the Ginger: While the sauce reduces, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable or sunflower oil in a small pan. Fry the shredded thumb-sized chunk of ginger until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Serve: Return the beef to the thickened sauce. Spoon the braised beef and sauce over bowls of cooked jasmine rice. Scatter the crispy fried ginger on top for added texture and zing.
Notes
- Use a heavy flameproof dish or Dutch oven for best heat retention and even cooking.
- Browning the beef in batches ensures a deep, caramelized flavor in the finished dish.
- Keep the coriander stalks in the paste for extra flavor depth.
- Adjust stock quantity to keep the beef just covered while braising to prevent drying.
- Frying ginger until crispy adds a pleasant contrast and enhances the ginger aroma.
- This dish improves in flavor if made a day ahead and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Chinese braised beef, beef shin recipe, ginger beef, five-spice beef, slow-cooked beef, savory beef stew, Chinese comfort food
