Red Braised Beef Noodles

Hong Shao Niu Rou Mian (红烧牛肉面)

Indulge in a classic, comforting bowl of soup noodles with flavorful chunks of red braised beef, a flourish of fresh cilantro, and a silky-smooth, nourishing broth – the ultimate Sichuan soul food.

Red Braised Beef Noodles are one of the most popular Sichuan Noodle Dishes, combing a rich Broth, fresh Noodles, and a generous portion of tender Red Braised Beef. Red Braised Beef Noodles are in fact a Sichuan dish, though they are often associated with Taiwan. Sichuan refugees, fleeing mainland China, brought this dish with them to Taiwan and slightly adapted it to their new locale. While today Sichuan Red Braised Beef Noodles and Taiwanese Red Braised Beef Noodles are different, they both share a common origin and similar ingredients.

There are naturally a variety of ways to prepare Red Braised Beef Noodles. I’ve attempted in the following recipe to encapsulate the most common aspects of good Red Braised Beef Noodles. These components are a Salty-Umami Base, Advanced Stock (高汤), Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉), and fresh alkaline Noodles. Each one of these aspects can have countless variations among restaurants and can be customized to make your perfect bowl of Noodles.

These core components provide innumerable variations among Sichuan noodle restaurants. While I prefer to use a thin, round alkaline Noodle like ramen (拉面), some restaurants will use flat Gua-Mian (挂面) or Thick Round Noodles (粗面). Knife-Cut Noodles with Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉刀削面) is also a popular variation. Aside from Noodles, restaurants also vary when it comes to the Salty-Umami Base, the Red Braised Beef, and the Advanced Stock. There will obviously be slight variations in the ingredients of these components. But there will also be differences in their ratios as well as the order in which they’re added to the bowl. My ideal ratio for a large bowl of Noodles is 1 cup of Red Braised Beef with 1/2 cup of its Sauce to 2 cups of Advanced Stock with the Salty-Umami Base. I also prefer to keep my Noodle Toppings simple with only a generous handful of chopped Cilantro.

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 10 min.

Total Time: 20 min.

Serving: 2 people

Ingredients

2 cups of Red Braised Beef with about 1 cup of Sauce (1 cup of Meat and about 1/2 cup of Sauce per Bowl – this ratio can be adjusted – the amount of meat is what’s considered a double portion or heavy portion at most noodle restaurants)

Red Braised Beef Seasonings (Amount per 2 cups of Meat)
3 – 4 cloves of Garlic
1 2-inch block of Ginger
2 Tbsp. Sichuan Chili Bean Paste
1 1/2 – 2 cups of Water
2 Tbsp. Light Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Red Chili Powder
1 tsp. Sichuan Pepper Powder
1 tsp. Chicken Bouillon Powder

4 cups of Advanced Stock: Pork Bone Broth (高汤:骨头汤) (2 cups per Bowl)

Salty-Umami Base (Per Bowl)
1 tsp. Light Soy Sauce
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. MSG
1/4 tsp. Chicken Bouillon Powder
1/8 tsp. White Pepper

1 handful of Baby Bok Choy, Baby Spinach, or Water Spinach

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

400 grams of fresh alkaline Noodles (Such as Ramen 拉面 OR Gua-Mian挂面; 200 g. per Bowl)

Condiments (Per Bowl; All are Optional)
1 Tbsp. Chinkiang Black Vinegar (To Taste)
1 Tbsp. Oil Chili Flakes 油辣子 OR 1 Tbsp. Chili Oil with Chili Flakes

Directions

1.) Prepare the Red Braised Beef:

• Snip the Red Braised Beef into bite-sized cubes or leave them in large chunks depending on preference.
• Peel and mince the Garlic and Ginger, setting them aside in a small bowl.
• Heat a seasoned wok on medium heat and add 1/4 cup of Peanut Oil.
• When the Oil is nearly smoking, pull the wok away from heat and add the Garlic and Ginger along with the Sichuan Chili Bean Paste, stir-frying everything just a few seconds until fragrant and the Chili Bean Paste has combined with the Oil.
• Add the Red Braised Beef, return the wok to heat, and stir-fry the Beef until it has combined with the fragrant-spicy Oil.
• Finally, add the Water along with the Light Soy Sauce, Chili Powder, Sichuan Pepper Powder, and Chicken Bouillon.

(These instructions only apply when using my Red Braised Beef recipe. Many restaurants will use these ingredients when preparing the Red Braised Beef and so they would not be needed here. I prefer to make a more neutral and versatile Red Braised Beef that can be flavored at this stage. Regardless, keep the Red Braised Beef simmering in its sauces while preparing the other ingredients. The Red Braised Beef can also be transferred to a smaller pot for convenience).

2.) Pour the Pork Bone Broth into a pot, place on a back burner, and allow to heat up and simmer while preparing the other ingredients.

3.) Add the Salty-Umami Base (Soy Sauce, Salt, MSG, Chicken Bouillon, and White Pepper) to each large noodle bowl.

4.) Wash the Baby Bok Choy, cut them in half, and set them aside in a bowl for later.

(Nearly any leafy green vegetable can be used here, so choose your favorite and prepare it for boiling).

5.) Prepare the Garnishes by cutting the Scallion into 1/4-inch pieces and roughly chopping the Cilantro. Set them aside in a bowl or on a small plate.

6.) Fill a large pot with about 3 Liters of Water and heat it on high until boiling. Add the Baby Bok Choy and blanch them for about 30 seconds until the stems have just softened. Remove them with a wire strainer and set aside them aside in an empty bowl for later.

(Do Not add the Bok Choy to the noodle bowl at this point. The Baby Bok Choy can also be cooked along with the Noodles, but I prefer to cook them first so that I have more control over the doneness of both the vegetables and Noodles).

7.) Add one serving of Noodles to the boiling water and cook them until they’re about 90% done. Remove the Noodles with a wire strainer and place them in one of the noodle bowls. Repeat with the next serving of Noodles.

(DO NOT fully cook the Noodles! The Noodles will continue to cook even after they’re removed from the boiling water. They will also continue to cook after the hot soup is added. If your timing is good, there is no need to rinse the Noodles in cold water to stop the cooking process. The Noodles can be added directly to the bowl because the hot soup will be added soon afterwards. However, if you are worried about the timing or you are cooking dried Noodles, you can rinse the first batch of cooked Noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process. This will prevent the first batch of Noodles from sticking together in a large clump while the other Noodles are cooking. If you are skilled at separating Noodles into equal servings, you can also cook both servings of Noodles at the same time).

8.) Pour a hearty amount (about 2 cups) of Pork Bone Broth over the Noodles and quickly top them with 1 cup of the Red Braised Beef and plenty of its sauce. Lay the Baby Bok Choy along one side of the bowl on top of the Noodles.

9.) Add the Garnishes to the Noodles along with any other Noodles Toppings. Serve the bowls of incredible Red Braised Beef Noodles immediately along with Condiments such as Black Vinegar and Oil Chili Flakes.

 

Contribute to Sichuan Soul

Sichuan Soul is funded in part thanks to generous contributions by fans like you! Your donations supply Sichuan Soul with the funding needed to provide quality recipes and photos. All donations are processed safely and securely through PayPal. You can donate any amount using the 'Donate' button below. Thank you for your support.

 

Privacy Policy