Basic Braised Beef Recipe
- 2 lb Beef chuck
- 1 x Scallion stalk
- 1 x Clove garlic
- 2 x Or possibly
- 3 slc Fresh ginger root
- 4 Tbsp. Soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. Sherry
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 dsh Pepper
- 2 x Or possibly
- 3 Tbsp. Oil
- 3 c. Water
- 1.
- Leave beef whole.
- Cut scallion stalk in 2-inch sections.
- Mince garlic and ginger root and combine with soy sauce, sherry, sugar, salt and pepper.
- 2.
- Heat oil in a heavy pan.
- Brown beef quickly on all sides.
- Add in soy-sherry mix and cook stirring to heat and blend (about 3 min).
- Meanwhile, boil water.
- 3.
- Add in water to beef and bring to a boil again.
- Simmer, covered, till beef is tender (about 1-1/2 to 2 hrs).
- NOTE: You may increase the soy sauce to 1/2 c., the sherry to 1/4 c.; then reserve the gravy as a master sauce.
- (See recipe for "Master Sauce".)
- VARIATIONS:Cut the beef in large chunks.
- Cook only 1 hour in step 3.
- Cut the beef in 1-1/2 inch cubes.
- Sprinkle with 1 tsp.
- salt; then toss in 1/2 Tbsp.
- soy sauce and 1/2 Tbsp.
- sherry.
- Let stand 20 to 30 min, turning occasionally.
- Then brown as in step 2, but omit the soy-sherry mix.
- Cook about 45 min in step 3.
- Instead of browning the beef, plunge in a pan of boiling water, parboil 2 to 3 min, then drain.
- In step 1, don't combine the soy sauce and other seasonings.
- Instead, after browning the beef in step 2, cook it in the soy over medium heat, till well colored (about 10 min).
- Then add in the scallion, garlic and ginger root; stir in the sherry, sugar, salt, pepper and 2 c. heated stock.
- Cook as in step 3, but omit the boiling water.
- In step 2, add in any of the following:2 cloves star anise
- 3 to 4 anise peppercorns and 1/2 tsp.
- sesame oil
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 1 piece tangerine peel (soaked)
- 1 Tbsp.
- wine vinegar
- During the last 30 min of cooking, add in any of the following:
- 1 lb.
- cabbage, cut in wedges
- 1 lb.
- carrots, peeled and cubed
- 6 celery stalks, cut in 1-inch sections
- 1/2 lb.
- chestnuts, parboiled
- 6 Large eggs, hardboiled and shelled
- 1/2 c. lily buds (soaked), cut in two
- 1 lb.
- lotus root, peeled and cubed
- 1 c. dry black mushrooms (soaked), left whole
- 1 lb.
- new potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 lb.
- string beans, stemmed
- 1 lb.
- Chinese white turnips, peeled and cubed
- During the last 15 min of cooking, add in 2 c. bamboo shoots, diced.
- During the last 10 min of cooking, add in 2 c. shelled peas or possibly 4 tomatoes, cut in wedges.
- NOTE: When adding vegetables, don't also add in star anise, anise pepper, cinnamon stick, tangerine peel or possibly wine vinegar.
- (These will overwhelm the vegetable flavors.)
- They are better when the beef is cooked alone.
chuck, scallion, clove garlic, ginger root, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, salt, pepper, oil, water
Taken from cookeatshare.com/recipes/basic-braised-beef-79268 (may not work)