Spicy Stewed Beef and Potatoes

Tudou Shao Niurou (土豆烧牛肉)

Tender chunks of beef, alongside delightfully soft cubes of potato, are stewed in a spicy, aromatic sauce until saturated with delicious Sichuan goodness.

Beer, aromatics, and chilies - what more needs to be said? Just the aroma will make your mouth water uncontrollably. Also, there's a lot of freedom in the ingredients used for this dish. Naturally, Spicy Stewed Beef and Potatoes is a staple not only in restaurants but also in homes. It's easy to prepare and can be made with various cuts of Beef, enhanced with numerous Aromatics, and seasoned with various Spices.

Spicy Stewed Beef and Potatoes is quite flexible as to the specific cut of Beef. However, one of the best cuts for Spicy Stewed Beef and Potatoes is definitely boneless Beef Rib, which has good marbling, isn't too expensive, and can be cooked for long periods of time. The Chinese name for this dish specifically is Stewed Beef Rib and Potatoes (土豆烧牛腩). Cuts of Beef from the chuck or loin can also be used. Look for cuts without too much connective tissue and with good marbling. Avoid cuts of Beef such as brisket, plate, and flank which have more connective tissue and are denser. Slow-cooking is always an option for any cut of Beef, but specifically those with more connective tissue.

In the following recipe, Aromatics such as Garlic, Ginger, and Pickled Red Chilies are irreplaceable. However, Spices like Star Anise, Cassia Bark, Bay Leaf, and Sichuan Peppercorns can be substituted with 1/2 teaspoon of good Chinese Five-Spice Powder or Chinese Thirteen-Spice Powder. The Powder would be added toward the end of the cooking process along with other Seasonings. Other Five-Spice ingredients, like Fennel Seeds or Cloves, could be used with the whole Spices for increased flavor. Bell Pepper can be added for more of a homestyle (家常) version to enhance the color and add more Aromatic flavor at the end of the cooking process.

Spicy Stewed Beef and Potatoes highlights some of the intricacies of Sichuan cooking. The Beef is first boiled, then stir-fried, and finally stewed – all of this before the Potatoes are even added. Nevertheless, each step is quite simple. This is a 'Stewed' dish, so while easy to prepare, it does require some time. However, because of its hands-off nature, Spicy Stewed Beef and Potatoes can be prepared alongside other dishes. My advice, start the Beef early and slow cook it for several hours. About 30 minutes before meal time, add the Potatoes and focus on preparing other dishes. This will allow you to cook multiple dishes with ease.

For more information on Stewed (烧) Dishes, check out the following article: The Ultimate Guide to Stewed and Red Braised Dishes.

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 65 min

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min

Serving: 2 - 4 people

Ingredients

400 - 500 grams of Beef (Chuck, Rib, or Loin)

2 Potatoes (about 500 grams)

Aromatics and Spices
5 - 10 Pickled Red Chilies (Fresh if Pickled Unavailable AND/ OR a few Dried Red Chilies)
4 cloves of Garlic (about 15 grams)
1 2-inch block of Ginger (about 15 grams)
1 Star Anise
1 Bay Leaf
1 2-inch stick of Cassia Bark
1/2 tsp. Green Sichuan Peppercorns

Boiling Ingredients
1/4 cup of Shaoxing Rice Wine
2 4-inch white stalks of Big Scallion (大葱)
1 2-inch block of Ginger

1/4 cup Peanut Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. Sichuan Chili Bean Paste
1 can of Beer (500ml) OR 2 3/4 cup of Water mixed with 1/4 cup Shaoxing Rice Wine

Garnishes
1 small bunch of Cilantro
1 green stalk of Small Scallion (小葱)

Seasonings
1 Tbsp. Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp. White Sugar
1/2 – 1 tsp. Salt (to taste)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. Ground White Pepper

Brightening Oil
1/2 tsp. Sesame Oil OR Scallion Oil

Directions

1.) For best results, wash the Beef and soak it for up to an hour prior to preparation to remove unwanted blood. Then, cut the Beef and set the pieces aside in a bowl:

• Slice the Beef into about 1.5-inch-thick slices.
• Cut these slices into strips about 1.5-inches thick
• Finally, cut the strips into large 1.5-inch cubes.

(The size of the cubes should be slightly larger than 1-inch because the Beef will shrink while cooking. The maximum size would be 2-inches i.e., large chunks 大块. I personally like to cut the Beef into diamonds because they look nice, but the shape is not important).

2.) Wash, peel, and cut the Potatoes, placing the pieces in a large bowl filled with water:

• Cut the Potatoes into 1-inch-thick slices.
• Then, cut the slices into 1-inch-thick strips.
• Cut the Potato strips into 1-inch or 1.5-inch cubes.

(When cutting the Potato strips into cubes, you can cut at an angle to create diamond shapes instead of squares. The Potatoes can also be cut into wedges if in a hurry. The wedges will cook slower and a bit more unevenly than cubes, but they’re commonly prepared this way in China).

3.) Prepare a bowl for all of the Aromatics and Spices

• Cut the Pickled Red Chilies into 1-inch pieces and place them in the bowl.
• Peel and slice the Garlic and Ginger. Place them in the bowl.
• Add the Spices like Star Anise, Bay Leaf, Cassia Bark, and Sichuan Peppercorns on top.

4.) Place the Beef cubes in a large pot and fill the pot with at least 3 liters of Water. Add the Boiling Ingredients (Rice Wine, Scallion, and Ginger) and heat the pot on high heat. As the water heats, skim the scum off the surface so that, once the water reaches a rolling boil, it’s mostly clear. Remove the Beef cubes, discard the water, and allow the Beef to drip dry in a wire strainer.

5.) Add 1/4 cup of Oil to a seasoned wok and heat on medium-high. When the Oil is hot, pull the wok away from heat, add the Aromatics and Spices, and stir-fry them just a few seconds until fragrant. Immediately, add the Beef cubes, return the wok to heat, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir-fry the Beef for about 2 minutes or until all the excess moisture has evaporated.

6.) Add the Chili Bean Paste, quickly stirring and mixing until the oil coating the Beef is bright red. Then, pour in 1 can of Beer, increase the heat to high, and bring the sauce to a boil.

7.) Once the sauce has reached a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer the Beef for at least 40 minutes until the soupy sauce has reduced considerably.

(You can also slow cook the Beef until ultra-tender by simmering it for a few hours – preferably transferring it to a heavy-bottomed pot, clay pot, slow cooker. Just be sure to keep an eye on the water level. The soupy sauce should reduce considerably, but there should still be around 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sauce at all time. Only add the Seasonings after this long simmering period).

8.) While waiting for the sauce to reduce, prepare the Garnishes by roughly chopping the Cilantro and finely slicing the Scallion. Set them aside in a bowl for later.

9.) After 40 minutes, add the Seasonings (Soy Sauce, Sugar, Salt, and White Pepper), mixing them thoroughly with the Beef.

10.) Drain the cubes of Potatoes and add them to the wok. Cover the wok with a lid and simmer everything on medium-low heat for at least 20 minutes or until the Potatoes have reached your desired level of softness.

(The Potatoes can be a bit firm or super soft and practically crumbling. For softer Potatoes, simmer them for around 30 minutes. Also, don't forget about the water level and add more water if necessary).

11.) Remove the lid and continue to cook the Beef and Potatoes for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.

(This dish can be a bit soupy or have very little sauce depending on one’s preference. Usually, when I order this dish in China, it will have a nice amount sauce but not be soupy. A similar dish called Spicy Stewed Beef and Radish (萝卜烧牛肉), however, is usually quite soupy).

12.) Mix in a splash of Brightening Oil and pour the Spicy Stewed Beef and Potatoes into a large heated clay pot or casserole dish. Garnish with plenty of Cilantro and Scallion and serve with individual bowls of rice.

 

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