Soy-Braised Beef Tendon
超级下饭菜---酱烧牛蹄筋 · pan chinese cuisine
Beef tendon is prized in Chinese home cooking for its springy, gelatinous texture once braised low and slow. This version builds flavor from a caramelized sugar base, soybean paste, and whole spices. A pressure cooker greatly shortens the cooking time; slow braising works but takes hours.
Maggie TranSecond-gen Vietnamese, first-gen meal prepper. I batch-cook pho broth monthly and I'm not sorry about the freezer situation. Ask me about fish sauce brands.Nutrition & allergens
Contains:SoyWheat
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
35.27 oz
as needed
as needed
5.0 slice
2.0 piece
2.0 piece
Dried chiles干辣椒
as needed
as needed
as needed
soybean paste (yellow soybean paste)黄豆酱
0.63 oz
to taste
cilantro香菜
as needed
salt盐
to taste
Techniques you'll use
- Blanching (chao shui) ↗
Par-cook in boiling water to clean, tighten, or prep ingredients.
- Sugar caramelizing (chao tang se) ↗
Melt sugar into amber caramel to color and flavor braises.
- Stir-frying ↗
Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.
- Simmering (dun) ↗
Gentle low-heat cooking in liquid until flavors merge and meat softens.
Steps
Cut the beef tendon into chunks. Place in a pot with cold water, add a little cooking wine, and blanch. Remove the tendon and set aside.
✅ Done when: The tendon is blanched and ready once it has gone into the boiling water and been skimmed and removed.
- 2
Step 2
Prepare the aromatics and whole spices.
✅ Done when: All spices are gathered and ready at the stovetop.
Make the caramel: use only a little oil in the pan. Add a handful of rock sugar, crushed, over low heat, stirring constantly. Once foam appears, cook a little longer until bubbles start to form, then add a bit of boiling water, stir to combine, and set aside.
✅ Done when: The caramel foams and bubbles, then becomes a smooth liquid after the boiling water is stirred in.
Add a little oil to the pan and stir-fry a heaping tablespoon of soybean paste until fragrant.
✅ Done when: The paste smells toasty and aromatic.
Add the aromatics and spices and stir-fry until fragrant.
✅ Done when: The spices release their aroma into the oil.
Add the blanched beef tendon and stir-fry, drizzling cooking wine around the edge of the wok.
✅ Done when: The tendon is evenly coated and the wine's raw aroma has cooked off.
- 7
Step 7
Add another drizzle of light soy sauce around the pan (the author used braising soy sauce), then pour in all of the prepared caramel.
✅ Done when: The tendon is evenly coated in the dark sauce and caramel.
- 8
Step 8
After stirring evenly, add enough boiling water to cover.
✅ Done when: The tendon is fully submerged in the braising liquid.
Transfer everything to a clay pot. A pressure cooker is best here: 35-40 minutes at pressure is enough. Otherwise braise over low heat — the author simmered 6 hours (a bit too soft); check tenderness after 2-3 hours and add time if it is still firm. When the texture is right, reduce the sauce and season with salt, chicken bouillon, and cilantro.
✅ Done when: The tendon yields tenderly when tasted, and the sauce has reduced to a glossy consistency.
- 10
Step 10
Serve — the finished dish is springy, tender, and full of flavor, perfect over rice.
✅ Done when: The tendon is glossy, tender, and springy, ready to plate.