How to Make Chinese Braised Beef Brisket

Chinese braised beef brisket is a dish commonly found on the tables of homes and small restaurants throughout China. The recipe combines thickly sliced beef brisket with typical Chinese ingredients like dark soy sauce, ginger and star anise, as well as flavors borrowed from Thai and Indonesian cooking, such as galangal and lemon grass. Braised beef brisket is considered something of a Chinese comfort food, and it makes a hearty meal on a cold winter night, especially when served with a bowl of steamed white rice and a crisp, dry Chinese beer.

Things You'll Need

• 1 ¾ lb. beef brisket, sliced
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 1/3 cups water
• 3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. MSG
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1 tsp. star anise
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 4 slices ginger
• 2 slices galangal
• 2 stalks lemon grass, crushed
• Large clay cooking pot
• 1 lb. iceberg lettuce leaves, washed and separated
• Spring onions or shallots, chopped (to garnish)

Instructions

1. Combine the water, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, MSG, sugar, vinegar and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Place the sliced beef brisket in a shallow baking dish and pour the contents of the bowl over the brisket. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for two hours.

2. Heat the cooking oil in a large clay pot until extremely hot. Add the garlic, star anise, shallows, ginger, galangal and lemon grass and fry for two to three minutes over high heat.

3. Remove the beef from the refrigerator and add it to the clay pot. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat for 12-14 minutes. Cover and simmer over low heat for 90 minutes or until beef is tender and thoroughly cooked.

4. Place two lettuce leaves on each individual serving platter and top with the braised beef brisket. Garnish with spring onions or shallots if you wish.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the beef regularly during the braising process. You want the beef to be soft and tender, but you do not want to cook it to the point that it falls apart and begins to lose flavor. If you do not have a clay pot, you can use an earthen-ware dish, or any dish made to go from the oven to the table.

References

• Chinese Recipes

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Chinese Food Recipes