Spiced braised beef shin
Beef shin takes on soy and warm spices during a slow braise, then chills until firm enough to slice thinly.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 hr
- Rest / wait
- 8 hr
- Total
- 10 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 4 platefuls
Your new skill: Practise timing and combining the separate parts.
Beef shin takes on soy and warm spices during a slow braise, then chills until firm enough to slice thinly. Make it ahead rather than rushing the cooling stage.
Your ingredients
Get ready: Large bowl, lidded saucepan, shallow cooling containers, sieve, knife and thermometer.
- Marinating the beef: 1500 g boneless beef shank
- Marinating the beef: 4 tbsp soybean paste
- Marinating the beef: 1 big piece fermented bean curd
- Marinating the beef: 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- Marinating the beef: 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- Seasoning the stock: 2 tbsp unsalted stock, instead of cooking wine
- Seasoning the stock: 5 slices ginger
- Seasoning the stock: 2 spring onions, cut in sections
- Seasoning the stock: 12 g rock sugar
- Seasoning the stock: 4 star anise
- Seasoning the stock: 1 piece cassia cinnamon
- Seasoning the stock: 4 bay leaves
- Seasoning the stock: 1 tsp fennel seeds
- Seasoning the stock: 1 tbsp Sichuan pepper
- Seasoning the stock: 1 tbsp whole white pepper
- Seasoning the stock: 8 cloves
- Seasoning the stock: 1 Tsao-ko, optional
- Seasoning the stock: 2 pieces dried sand ginger, optional
- Seasoning the stock: 4 dried chillies
- Seasoning the stock: Salt, to taste
- Serving, optional: Chinese chilli oil
- Serving, optional: Scallions, finely chopped
- About 750 ml water, or enough to cover the beef
Let’s make it
-
Marinate in the fridge
Mix soybean paste, mashed fermented bean curd and both soy sauces. Coat the beef, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Skip the source’s optional raw-meat soak.
-
Start the braise
Put beef and marinade in a snug saucepan. Add about 750 ml water, or enough to cover, plus stock in place of wine, ginger, spring onions, sugar and spices. Bring to a boil.
-
Simmer until tender
Cover and simmer gently for about 90 minutes, allowing longer for thick pieces. Check liquid halfway and add hot water if needed. Beef should be fully cooked and easily pierced, with a little resistance.
-
Cool promptly
Lift beef into shallow containers and divide the broth separately to cool faster. Refrigerate within 1–2 hours rather than leaving a large hot pot out. Chill beef until firm, at least several hours.
-
Slice and serve
Slice chilled beef thinly across the grain. Serve cold with a little freshly heated broth, spring onion and optional chilli oil, or reheat portions until steaming hot throughout.
What to try next
For another kitchen idea, explore Garlic pak choi and Egg fried rice.
Keeping it: Cool promptly, put in a covered fridge container within 1–2 hours and use within 48 hours. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.
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