Red-Braised Beef

A deeply savoury Chinese red-braised beef with tender beef, soy sauce, aromatics and warm spices simmered until glossy and fork-tender.

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Red braising, or hong shao, builds flavour slowly with soy, sugar and aromatics. This beginner-friendly version explains each stage so the sauce becomes rich without turning overly salty or sweet.

Ingredients

• 900 g beef chuck or brisket (cut into 4 cm cubes)
• 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 1.5 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar
• 30 g fresh ginger (sliced)
• 4 spring onions (cut into 5 cm lengths)
• 5 garlic cloves (lightly crushed)
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick (5 cm piece)
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 750 ml hot water or unsalted beef stock
• 2 carrots (cut into chunks)
• 0.25 tsp white pepper
• salt (to taste)
• 2 tbsp spring onion greens (sliced for serving)

Step-by-step method

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the beef cubes and boil for 2–3 minutes, then drain and rinse under warm water. This removes surface impurities and helps the finished sauce stay clean-tasting rather than cloudy.
2. Heat a heavy pot over medium heat and add the oil. Add the sugar and stir gently for 1–2 minutes until it melts and turns amber. Do not let it become very dark or it can taste bitter.
3. Add the drained beef carefully and turn the pieces in the caramel for 3–4 minutes. Let the surfaces pick up some colour before adding the ginger, spring onions, garlic, star anise and cinnamon.
4. Pour in the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Stir for about 1 minute so every piece of beef is coated and the alcohol smell begins to cook away.
5. Add the hot water or stock. The liquid should nearly cover the beef. Bring to a boil, skim away any foam, then reduce the heat to the lowest steady simmer and cover with the lid slightly ajar.
6. Simmer for 75–90 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes. Add the carrots for the final 25–30 minutes. The beef is ready when a fork slides in easily but the pieces still hold their shape.
7. Remove the lid and simmer for another 10–20 minutes until the sauce is glossy and lightly coats the beef. Taste before adding salt because the soy sauces are already salty. Finish with white pepper and spring onion greens, then rest for 5 minutes before serving.