The beef shank is the meat located above the knee joint on the thigh. It is wrapped in a membrane, contains tendons, has moderate hardness, and has a regular grain, making it most suitable for braising. Beef is the second most consumed meat in China, following pork. It is high in protein and low in fat, making it delicious and popular, earning the title of “the pride of meat.”
Braised Beef (Beef Shank) Recipe
Ingredients: 2.5 kg beef shank
Seasonings: 200g soy sauce, 50g yellow soybean paste, 50g salt, 10g sugar, 10g spice mix (star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, sand ginger, Sichuan pepper, bay leaves, fennel made into a spice bag)
Method:
1. Soak the beef shank in cold water for 3 hours, changing the water to rinse off the blood;
2. Dilute the yellow soybean paste with water, stir, and strain to remove residue;
3. In a large pot, add water, soy sauce, diluted yellow soybean paste, salt, sugar, and the spice bag. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam;
4. Place a rack at the bottom of the pot, add the cleaned beef shank, pressing it down with the rack so that it is submerged in the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 6 hours. After turning off the heat, let it soak for 1 hour;
5. Remove and let cool before slicing;
Note: 2.5 kg of shank yields 1.25 kg of braised beef.
Lazy Version of Roasted Beef Shank
Ingredients: 0.5 kg beef shank, garlic, cumin powder, thirteen spices, Sichuan pepper powder, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, white sesame, five-spice powder, barbecue powder (any skewering powder will do)
Method:
1. Thaw the beef, cut it into strips when it is not fully thawed but firm enough to cut. This makes it easier to slice. If you want to cut along the grain, it will shred easily; if you cut against the grain, it will be easier to chew, depending on your preference.
2. Slice the garlic and add it to the beef strips, along with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, thirteen spices, Sichuan pepper powder, cumin powder, barbecue powder, and five-spice powder. You can also add star anise or similar spices if available. Use more light soy sauce and oyster sauce. Do not add dark soy sauce, as the color will be sufficient after roasting. Mix well and marinate for at least two hours. I usually thaw in the morning, cut at noon, and start roasting in the evening. I roast 0.5 kg at a time, which is enough for two trays.
3. Line the baking tray with parchment paper, arrange the beef strips, and fill the tray as they will shrink after roasting without affecting each other. Roast at 220 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the beef, place it in a container, and you can add more cumin powder or other seasonings to adjust the flavor to your liking. Mix well.
5. It tastes better when cooled, with a very good texture.
Soy Braised Beef Shank
Ingredients: 800g beef shank, 1/4 onion, 1 small piece of ginger, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 4 tablespoons red braising soy sauce, 2 tablespoons yellow soybean paste, 15g rock sugar, 5g salt, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 piece each of cinnamon and star anise, 5g of other spices like angelica, and 2 dried chili peppers.
Method:
1. Clean the beef and set aside. Mix 2 tablespoons of yellow soybean paste, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon of red braising soy sauce to make the sauce.
2. In an electric pressure cooker, add enough water to cover the beef, then add the sugar, spices, and sauce.
3. Close the lid, select the beef and lamb setting, and set the pressure to 70 to cook the beef, which takes about 40 minutes.
4. Once the beef is cooked, release the pressure, pour the beef and broth into a pot, add 3 tablespoons of dark soy sauce and salt, and simmer over medium heat.
5. When the broth thickens, turn off the heat, remove the beef, let it cool, and slice it.
Spicy Beef Shank
Ingredients: 20g green onion segments, 15g ginger slices, doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), 1 bag of Man Han Quan Xi braised dish seasoning (3g).
Method:
1. Cut the beef shank into large pieces and soak in clean water to wash.
2. In a pot, add 4000g of clean water, add the beef shank, and gradually heat to a boil, blanching thoroughly before removing.
3. In the pot, add enough clean water, all the seasonings, and the spice bag, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the blanched beef shank and simmer on low heat until tender.
Secret Braised Beef
Seasoning bag:
12g angelica, 0.3g bay leaves (about 2-3 leaves), 2.5g star anise (about 2-3 pieces), 6g cinnamon, 7.5g nutmeg (about 2-3 pieces), 6.5g Sichuan pepper, 10g astragalus, 1.5g white cardamom (about 4-6 pieces), 2g grass fruit (about 1 piece), 7g fennel, 2g fragrant sand (about 6 pieces, can be omitted), 8g ginger, about 50g green onion (half a stalk cut into sections), about 70g garlic (one head), about 17g ginger (sliced), 100g dark soy sauce, 100g white wine, 35g sugar, 85-95g salt.
Method:
1. Blanch 4-6 pieces of front shank in boiling water for 5 minutes;
2. Place in a pot, add water to just cover the meat by about 5cm, and add the seasonings;
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 2-3 hours (until easily pierced with a chopstick);
4. After cooking, remove and slice, pouring the braising liquid over it to serve; or leave whole, poke 5-6 holes with chopsticks, and soak in the braising liquid for 12 hours (this may result in uneven flavor but keeps the shape intact);
5. The broth can be diluted with water to make beef noodle soup.
Tomato Beef Soup
Ingredients: 400g beef shank, 300g carrots, 1 tomato, 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, 3 slices of ginger, salt, MSG, and cooking wine to taste.
Method:
1. Blanch the beef shank in boiling water, then cut into large pieces. Blanch the tomato in boiling water, peel, and cut into pieces.
2. In a pot, add 5 bowls of water, the beef pieces, tomato pieces, green onion segments, and ginger slices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about an hour. Add carrots, salt, MSG, and cooking wine, and continue to simmer for about half an hour, then sprinkle with chopped green onion before serving.
Garlic Beef
Ingredients: 1 beef shank, 1 green onion, 2 slices of ginger, 1 green garlic stalk, 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic.
Seasonings: ① 1 pot of braising liquid; ② 4 tablespoons braising sauce, 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
Method:
1. Blanch the beef shank to remove blood, then boil in clean water with green onion and ginger for 40 minutes until tender;
2. Place in the braising liquid for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and soak until the liquid is slightly reduced before removing and slicing;
3. Slice the green garlic, soak in clean water for 10 minutes, then drain and add to the beef;
4. Mix the seasonings (2) with minced garlic, drizzle over the beef, mix well, and serve on a plate.
Mixed Shank Salad
Ingredients: 250g cooked beef shank, 25g cucumber, 25g bamboo shoots, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard (prepared), MSG, cooking wine, sesame oil to taste.
Method:
1. Cut the beef shank into strips; wash and cut the cucumber into strips; blanch the bamboo shoots in boiling water, then cool in cold water and drain;
2. Arrange the prepared ingredients on a plate and drizzle with the mixed sauce to serve.
Tomato Potato Beef Shank Soup
Ingredients: 1 beef shank heart, 150g potatoes, 2 tomatoes, 30g ginger, 700cc water, 1 teaspoon salt.
Method:
1. Cut the beef shank into small pieces, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, then set aside.
2. Peel and wash the potatoes, cut into chunks, blanch in boiling water, then cool in cold water and drain.
3. Wash the tomatoes, cut into chunks; peel and slice the ginger.
4. Place all ingredients, water, and seasonings from steps 1-3 into an electric cooker, press the “cook rice” or “soup” button, and cook until the switch pops up. Remove the ginger slices before serving.
North Astragalus and Dangshen Stewed Beef Shank
Ingredients: 1 whole beef shank, 8 pieces of dangshen, 8 slices of astragalus, a handful of goji berries, 10 slices of yam, 4 slices of ginger, 2 teaspoons rice wine, salt to taste.
Method:
1. Blanch the beef shank in boiling water for 5 minutes, then remove and wash before placing in a stewing pot.
2. Wash the goji berries, yam, dangshen, and astragalus, and add them to the stewing pot.
3. Add ginger and rice wine, fill with hot water, and stew on low heat for 6 hours.
4. Add salt to taste, remove the beef shank, and slice to serve.
Related Tips
1. Adding a hawthorn, a piece of orange peel, or a bit of tea leaves while cooking can make the beef tender.
2. Using beer to stew the shank can make the meat tender, and the bitterness of the hops can eliminate the fishy taste of the meat.
3. Clear stewed beef can better preserve nutritional components.
4. Drinking concentrated beef broth can treat chronic diarrhea caused by weak stomach.
5. The night before cooking tough beef, coat it with mustard, rinse with cold water the next day, and then cook. Adding some wine and vinegar during cooking will make the tough beef easier to tenderize, resulting in a better color, flavor, and aroma.
6. When braising beef, adding a little snow cabbage can enhance the flavor.
7. Beef has coarse fibers and a lot of connective tissue, so it should be cut against the grain to avoid tough chewing.
8. Beef exposed to air can turn black and spoil, so proper storage is essential.
Read the original text to get more related technical materials on beef.