Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉)

This red braised beef (hóngshāo niúròu – 红烧牛肉) is a savory, delicious dish that’s also very simple to make! As the weather cools, make a big pot of this Chinese beef stew to serve over rice, with a veggie of your choice!

What Is Red Braising, or Red Cooking?

Red braising is most often associated with Shanghainese hóngshāo ròu, which is made with pork belly. But you can red braise or red cook many different ingredients, from various proteins and eggs, to tofu and vegetables.

At its most basic, the technique involves braising food in a mixture of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar to create a reddish, dark brown sauce that coats the ingredients.

It doesn’t necessarily take a long time to make a red braised dish. (We cook this beef for about 1 hour.) However, the combination of soy sauce, wine, and sugar creates a deliciously savory, intense flavor that tastes like you cooked the dish way longer than you actually did!

Regional Variations

This cooking technique is popular throughout different regions of China, and you may also see regional variations according to local tastes and available ingredients.

Red Braised Beef in particular, for example, has been adapted by many home cooks, transforming and evolving according to their individual know-how and personal preferences. A Cantonese cook might add star anise and mandarin orange peel to theirs, while a Sichuan cook may add spicy bean sauce. Some cooks may also include vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or peppers.

This particular version allows the beef to stand on its own, delivering the ultimate savory beef flavor to achieve the true essence of the dish. I would limit the use of vegetables in order to deliver an intense, savory beef flavor, and serve vegetables on the side. However, if you want to add vegetables, root vegetables like potatoes and carrots are best.

Choosing a Cut of Beef

Select beef with some fat and/or connective tissue. We like using boneless beef short ribs or well-marbled beef chuck (like what you would make pot roast with). If using beef chuck—make sure there’s a good amount of marbling, or the beef will come out dry.

beef chunks soaking — *In addition to blanching the beef, you can also soak it in water for 30 minutes or so. This is completely optional, and not a written step in the recipe.*

Red Braised Beef Recipe Instructions

Place the beef chunks in a pot with enough cold water to cover the beef and 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, rinse the beef clean in a colander, drain, and set aside.

blanching beef — Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉) 85

Preheat your wok over medium heat, and add the oil and rock sugar. Cook until the rock sugar melts.

rock sugar in wok — Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉) 86

Then add the beef, ginger, and garlic. Still over medium heat, stir-fry the beef for 3 to 4 minutes, until the beef chunks are lightly browned around the edges.

beef chunks in wok — Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉) 88

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine, and cook for another minute. Next, add the light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 more minute.

adding soy sauce to beef chunks in wok — Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉) 90

Now add the oyster sauce, scallion whites, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, dried red chili (if using), and 6 cups of water.

scallions, aromatics, and beef chunks in wok — Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉) 92

Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the meat is fork tender. The liquid should be simmering with small bubbles during this hour of cooking. Check periodically to prevent sticking. If the beef is still not tender after 1 hour, add more water and cook a bit longer.

Once the beef is tender, it’s time to reduce the sauce. Turn up the heat to medium-high or high, and keep stirring the beef to reduce the sauce until the consistency is to your liking.

Red Braised Beef (Hong Shao Niu Rou) in wok — Red Braised Beef (红烧牛肉) 94

Serve with a sprinkle of scallions on top!