Chinese Braised Beef Brisket with Daikon

Ingredients

• 2 lb Beef Niunan (or beef shank, ribs, silver‑skin trims) (cut into bite‑size pieces; keep silver skin for gelatinous texture)
• 3.5 L Water (2.5 L for blanching, 1 L for braising)
• 5 stalks Scallions (tied into a knot, no need to cut)
• 5 cm Ginger (crushed; about 2 inches)
• 5 cloves Garlic (crushed)
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 Star Anise
• 4 slices Baizhi (Angelica root) (optional, strong aromatic)
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil (for sautéing aromatics)
• 1.5 tbsp Sichuan Doubanjiang (spicy fermented bean paste)
• 4 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 0.5 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce (for color)
• 1 tbsp Char Siu Sauce (adds sweetness and umami)
• 1 medium Daikon Radish (peeled and cut into large chunks; carrot can substitute)

Instructions

1. Blanch the Beef

   Place the bite‑size beef pieces in a pot, add 2.5 L water, bring to a rolling boil, skim off the foamy scum, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set the beef aside.

   Time: PT10M

2. Prepare Aromatics

   Tie the 5 scallions into a knot. Crush 2 inches of ginger and 5 garlic cloves. Gather bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, and optional baizhi slices.

   Time: PT5M

3. Preheat the Clay Pot

   Place the clay pot over medium heat and let it warm for about 1 minute.

   Time: PT1M

4. Sauté Aromatics

   Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil, then toss in the tied scallions, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise, and baizhi. Stir until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium heat

5. Add Beef and Seasonings

   Return the blanched beef to the pot. Stir for a couple of minutes, then add 1.5 tbsp doubanjiang, 4 tbsp light soy sauce, 0.5 tbsp dark soy sauce, and 1 tbsp char siu sauce. Mix well.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium heat

6. Add Braising Liquid

   Pour in 4–5 cups (≈1 L) water, ensuring the beef is fully submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting.

   Time: PT5M

7. Long Simmer

   Let the pot simmer gently for about 3 hours, checking occasionally that the liquid stays just covering the meat.

   Time: PT3H

   Temperature: low

8. Prepare Daikon

   About 40 minutes before the end, peel the daikon radish and cut it into large chunks (or use carrot if unavailable).

   Time: PT5M

9. Add Daikon and Finish

   Remove the whole aromatics and spices, then add the daikon chunks to the pot. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes until the radish is tender and has absorbed the broth.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: low

10. Serve

    Check seasoning, adjust with a pinch of salt if needed, and serve the braised beef and daikon over steamed white rice or noodles, ladling generous broth on top.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

28 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

2 g