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Chinese Red-Cooked Irish Beef

Food blogger Shu Han Lee’s Chinese red-cooked Irish beef recipe is the perfect winter warmer, with tender braised beef shin braised in soy sauce, star anise, rice wine and sugar for an intense finish. Pop the bones from the beef shin into the stew along with the diced meat – the bone marrow will lend the dish a deliciously rich finish.

Chinese Red-Cooked Irish Beef
  • 1.5kg beef shin, including the bones, meat trimmed and cut into 4cm large chunks
  • sea salt, a few big pinches
  • 1l water
  • 250ml of soy sauce, Shu used Kikkoman regular
  • 125ml of Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry if you can‚Äôt get hold of it
  • 60g of light brown sugar
  • 1 knob of ginger, 1 inch in length, smashed
  • 1 bunch of spring onions, white parts only, smashed
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 Mandarin orange, peel only
  • 4 star anise
  • 2 tsp dried chilli flakes

To serve

  • 400g of wheat noodles, Chinese, dried
  • 3 bunches of pak choi, washed and halved lengthways
  • 1 bunch of spring onions, green parts only, finely chopped
  • 1 handful of coriander, chopped
  • 1.5kg beef shin, including the bones, meat trimmed and cut into 4cm large chunks
  • sea salt, a few big pinches
  • 1l water
  • 250ml of soy sauce, Shu used Kikkoman regular
  • 125ml of Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry if you can‚Äôt get hold of it
  • 60g of light brown sugar
  • 1 knob of ginger, 1 inch in length, smashed
  • 1 bunch of spring onions, white parts only, smashed
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 Mandarin orange, peel only
  • 4 star anise
  • 2 tsp dried chilli flakes

To serve

  • 400g of wheat noodles, Chinese, dried
  • 3 bunches of pak choi, washed and halved lengthways
  • 1 bunch of spring onions, green parts only, finely chopped
  • 1 handful of coriander, chopped
Copy Text

Step 1

Pat the beef dry then season all over with salt. In a large pan, heat the oil over a high heat. Spread the beef out and sear on both sides until lightly browned. Be patient and do this in batches to ensure the beef browns nicely and doesn’t stew in the pan.

Step 2

Add the water, stock, soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, ginger, spring onions, garlic, mandarin peel, star anise, and chilli flakes. Bring to the boil.

Step 3

Cover, reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer gently until the meat is very tender, for about 3 hours. After this time, turn off the heat and let the meat stand in cooking liquid, for at least 1 hour*. When ready to serve, bring it back up to the boil.

Step  4

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling water until tender, for about 7 to 10 minutes depending on packet instructions. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop them cooking – this also gives the noodles a nice springy texture. Divide between bowls.

Step 5

Blanch the pak choi in salted boiling water until bright green and just wilted. This will only take seconds! Drain and divide between the bowls, arranging them over the noodles.

Step  6

Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, topping with plenty of beef. Finish by sprinkling with the spring onions and coriander.

* This is a dish that really benefits from being cooked in advance, as the flavours really develop You can even do this up to 3 days in advance, making this a perfect make-ahead dish.

 

Recipe courtesy of www.greatbritishchefs.com 

Copy Text

Step 1

Pat the beef dry then season all over with salt. In a large pan, heat the oil over a high heat. Spread the beef out and sear on both sides until lightly browned. Be patient and do this in batches to ensure the beef browns nicely and doesn’t stew in the pan.

Step 2

Add the water, stock, soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, ginger, spring onions, garlic, mandarin peel, star anise, and chilli flakes. Bring to the boil.

Step 3

Cover, reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer gently until the meat is very tender, for about 3 hours. After this time, turn off the heat and let the meat stand in cooking liquid, for at least 1 hour*. When ready to serve, bring it back up to the boil.

Step  4

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling water until tender, for about 7 to 10 minutes depending on packet instructions. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop them cooking – this also gives the noodles a nice springy texture. Divide between bowls.

Step 5

Blanch the pak choi in salted boiling water until bright green and just wilted. This will only take seconds! Drain and divide between the bowls, arranging them over the noodles.

Step  6

Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, topping with plenty of beef. Finish by sprinkling with the spring onions and coriander.

* This is a dish that really benefits from being cooked in advance, as the flavours really develop You can even do this up to 3 days in advance, making this a perfect make-ahead dish.

 

Recipe courtesy of www.greatbritishchefs.com