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Chinese Spiced Braised Beef
This comforting dish features tender beef shanks slow braised in a rich spice blend that brings out deep savory flavors with a gentle heat from the Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers. The combination of aromatic herbs like ginger cinnamon star anise black cardamom and bai zhi creates a warm fragrant broth that makes it perfect […]
- Prep
- 5m
- Cook
- 1m
- Total
- 6m
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Spice
- 1/5
- Cuisine
- Chinese
IngredientsWhat you'll need for Chinese Spiced Braised Beef
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beef shank | 4 as needed |
| Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili peppers | to taste |
| Braising spice mix | 200–300 |
| Chili oil | to taste |
| Ginger | 1 as needed |
| Bay leaves | 3–4 |
| Cinnamon stick | 1 as needed |
| Star anise | 2 as needed |
| Black cardamom | 1 as needed |
| Angelica root (bai zhi) | 2–3 |
| Rock sugar | to taste |
| Cilantro and scallions | 3 each |
| Dark soy sauce | to taste |
| Cooking wine | to taste |
| Salt | a pinch |
- Beef shank4 as needed
- Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili peppersto taste
- Braising spice mix200–300
- Chili oilto taste
- Ginger1 as needed
- Bay leaves3–4
- Cinnamon stick1 as needed
- Star anise2 as needed
- Black cardamom1 as needed
- Angelica root (bai zhi)2–3
- Rock sugarto taste
- Cilantro and scallions3 each
- Dark soy sauceto taste
- Cooking wineto taste
- Salta pinch
Cooking StepsHow to cook Chinese Spiced Braised Beef step by step
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Step 1The braising spice pack contains three components: chili oil, braising liquid, and a dried chili & Sichuan peppercorn packet. For every 4 jin of beef shank (plus 8 small chicken drumsticks if you like — I add them because I’m lazy and the pot is big enough to braise everything together), use 300 g braising liquid + 200 g chili oil (adjust to taste; this is moderately spicy) + dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns to taste.
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Step 2Soak the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in hot water for 10 minutes beforehand.
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Step 3Prepare the remaining aromatics: sliced ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, black cardamom, and angelica root.
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Step 4Prepare 4 jin of beef shank.
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Step 5Optionally add 8 small chicken drumsticks to the pot.
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Step 6Place the meat in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat to draw out the blood. Skim off the foam thoroughly. Do not boil for too long.
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Step 7Add all the prepared ingredients to the pot: the soaked chilies and Sichuan peppercorn water, braising liquid, chili oil, dark soy sauce, and salt.
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Step 8Place everything into the pressure cooker.
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Step 9Add enough water to reach about two-thirds of the way up the ingredients (no need to fully submerge when using a pressure cooker).
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Step 10Select the beef/lamb program. For a fall-apart tender texture, cook about 50 minutes. For a firmer bite, choose the standard setting for about 40 minutes.
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Step 11After cooking, let the meat soak in the braising liquid for 30 minutes for deeper flavor. The leftover braising liquid can be reused for another round. Once cooled, the beef can be refrigerated and used later in stir-fries.
-
Step 12If not using a pressure cooker, follow the stovetop timing shown in the reference chart.
Chinese Spiced Braised Beef
This comforting dish features tender beef shanks slow braised in a rich spice blend that brings out deep savory flavors with a gentle heat from the Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers. The combination of aromatic herbs like ginger cinnamon star anise black cardamom and bai zhi creates a warm fragrant broth that makes it perfect […]
Ingredients
- 4 as needed Beef shank
- to taste Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili peppers
- 200–300 Braising spice mix
- to taste Chili oil
- 1 as needed Ginger
- 3–4 Bay leaves
- 1 as needed Cinnamon stick
- 2 as needed Star anise
- 1 as needed Black cardamom
- 2–3 Angelica root (bai zhi)
- to taste Rock sugar
- 3 each Cilantro and scallions
- to taste Dark soy sauce
- to taste Cooking wine
- a pinch Salt
Instructions
-
The braising spice pack contains three components: chili oil, braising liquid, and a dried chili & Sichuan peppercorn packet. For every 4 jin of beef shank (plus 8 small chicken drumsticks if you like — I add them because I’m lazy and the pot is big enough to braise everything together), use 300 g braising liquid + 200 g chili oil (adjust to taste; this is moderately spicy) + dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns to taste.
-
Soak the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in hot water for 10 minutes beforehand.
-
Prepare the remaining aromatics: sliced ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, black cardamom, and angelica root.
-
Prepare 4 jin of beef shank.
-
Optionally add 8 small chicken drumsticks to the pot.
-
Place the meat in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat to draw out the blood. Skim off the foam thoroughly. Do not boil for too long.
-
Add all the prepared ingredients to the pot: the soaked chilies and Sichuan peppercorn water, braising liquid, chili oil, dark soy sauce, and salt.
-
Place everything into the pressure cooker.
-
Add enough water to reach about two-thirds of the way up the ingredients (no need to fully submerge when using a pressure cooker).
-
Select the beef/lamb program. For a fall-apart tender texture, cook about 50 minutes. For a firmer bite, choose the standard setting for about 40 minutes.
-
After cooking, let the meat soak in the braising liquid for 30 minutes for deeper flavor. The leftover braising liquid can be reused for another round. Once cooled, the beef can be refrigerated and used later in stir-fries.
-
If not using a pressure cooker, follow the stovetop timing shown in the reference chart.
