{"id":7817,"date":"2020-02-05T11:59:32","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T11:59:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redhousespice.com\/?p=7817"},"modified":"2022-06-09T13:57:18","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T13:57:18","slug":"sichuan-boiled-beef","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redhousespice.com\/sichuan-boiled-beef\/","title":{"rendered":"Sichuan boiled beef (Shui Zhu Niu Rou, \u6c34\u716e\u725b\u8089)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Succulent beef and crispy vegetables seasoned with generous amounts of spices, Sichuan boiled beef is super flavoursome!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is Sichuan boiled beef <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you must have noticed my passion for Sichuan cuisine. Today’s recipe Sichuan boiled beef (Shui Zhu Niu Rou\/水煮牛肉<\/em>) is another classic dish on my Sichuan list. It’s truly irresistible so you must give it a try!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chinese name for this dish is “Shui Zhu Niu Rou\/水煮牛肉”, literally meaning water boiled beef. Sounds plain and mild, right? In fact, it’s super pungent and exciting. It’s a sister dish of Sichuan Boiled Fish<\/a> which is one of the most popular recipes on my blog. It also shares some similarities with Sichuan Fish with Sour Vegetables<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Succulent beef slices and crispy vegetables are seasoned with generous amounts of dried chilli, Sichuan peppercorn<\/a>, chilli bean paste<\/a>, ginger, garlic, etc. Hot, numbing and aromatic, it creates a mini party on your tastebuds<\/strong>!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Six cooking steps<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s firstly talk about the workflow of cooking Sichuan boiled beef. The following six steps outline the methods and sequence required:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Marinate the beef:<\/strong> Combine beef slices with rice wine, soy sauce, egg, cornstarch and water. Coat with a thin layer of sesame oil.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Fry the spicy topping:<\/strong> Fry dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns with a little oil then chop small.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Fry the vegetables:<\/strong> Fry crispy vegetables until they lightly wilt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Prepare the broth:<\/strong> Fry ginger, garlic, Sichuan chilli bean paste and chilli powder until fragrant. Then pour in stock\/water. <\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Cook the beef:<\/strong> Add marinated beef piece by piece. Simmer until fully cooked. Add to the vegetables.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Sizzle & garnish:<\/strong> Place garlic & chopped spicy topping over the beef. Pour hot oil over. Garnish with coriander.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Please refer to my tutorial video<\/strong> (in the recipe card below) to see how I cook it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    How to make the beef succulent<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The most important part of cooking Sichuan boiled beef is to make sure the beef is tender and succulent. Tough, chewy beef would ruin the enjoyment of the dish even if you’ve got the flavour right. Here are four tips to help you succeed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Choose the right cut of beef<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Different cuts of beef have quite different textures. Based on the availability and your budget, choosing the right cut of beef is the first decision you need to make. Tendre cuts with a little fat are preferable<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    To be honest, I don’t have much in-depth knowledge of beef cuts (still learning every day). But I found some good online resources on this matter. “The Complete Guide to Beef Cuts<\/a>” explains the standard cuts in the UK, whereas “Learn Where the Cuts of Beef Come From<\/a>” shows a list of American primal cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I use “Thick Rib”<\/strong> bought from British mainstream supermarket (I believe it’s the equivalent of Cross-Rib Chunk in the US). It’s an inexpensive cut, yet very flavourful and tender enough for this dish when marinated properly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    2. Slice the beef the right way<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    For Sichuan boiled beef, you need to cut the beef into thin slices, ideally around 2mm in thickness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n