Red Braised Beef Short Ribs Sichuan-Style

Name: Red Braised Beef Short Ribs Sichuan-Style (Hong Shao Niu Rou)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.3kg beef short ribs (3lb); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (20ml); 5cm (2 inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced; 5 cloves garlic, crushed; 3 green onions, white and green part cut into 4cm (1 1/2 inch) lengths; 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns; 2 tablespoons Sichuan Pixian doubanjiang (chilli bean paste) (40ml); 1 tablespoon crushed yellow rock sugar; 1/3 cup Shaoxing wine (80ml); 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (40ml); 1 tablespoon Chinese dark soy sauce (20ml); 6-12 small dried red chillies, halved; 2 star anise; 1 stick cassia or cinnamon bark; 2 brown cardamom pods, halved; 2 fresh bay leaves, bruised; 3 cups boiling water (750ml); Steamed jasmine rice, for serving; Stir-fried vegetables, for serving

Beef short ribs are a firm cut of meat that needs to be cooked low and slow until tender; in Western cuisine, this often involves braising in red wine and beef stock. In China, soy sauce, sugar and Shaoxing wine are often combined to make a braising liquid that imparts a wonderful mahogany sheen to the meat (thus the name ‘red braised’). This homestyle Chinese recipe, hong shao niu rou, uses the classic technique of red braising (hongshao) combined with spicy Sichuan flavours. In the southwestern province of Sichuan, the sweet red braising liquid is given a spicy kick from dried red chillies, mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns and doubanjiang (also written toban djan), a fermented paste of chilli and broad beans. The best doubanjiang is from Pixian in Sichuan province, so find one with ‘Pixian’ on the label if you can. There, artisanal producers ferment local broad beans and chillies, ageing the paste in earthenware pots for years. My preferred wine pairing for these beef ribs – La Petite Mort VMR Qvevri – is also aged in clay, in a Georgian-style amphora called a qvevri. Sichuan food is notoriously hot, so adjust the number of chillies to suit your taste – 6 chillies will give a gentle heat, while 12 will provide a more authentic Sichuan experience for true chilli lovers. Red braising can be used to flavour poultry too, in dishes like my Chinese red braised chicken salad – and the leftover braising liquid from these beef ribs makes an excellent Sichuan beef noodle soup.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1.3kg beef short ribs (3lb)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (20ml)
5cm (2″) piece ginger, peeled and sliced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 green onions, white and green part cut into 4cm (1½″) lengths
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
2 tablespoons (40ml) Sichuan Pixian doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
1 tablespoon crushed yellow rock sugar
⅓ cup Shaoxing wine (80ml)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (40ml)
1 tablespoon Chinese dark soy sauce (20ml)
6–12 small dried red chillies, halved
2 star anise
1 stick cassia or cinnamon bark
2 brown cardamom pods, halved
2 fresh bay leaves, bruised
3 cups boiling water (750ml)
Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Stir-fried vegetables, for serving (see video below)

Method

Pat the ribs dry and use a cleaver or heavy chef’s knife to chop them in half crossways so they’ll fit in the pan better.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based lidded saucepan over high heat.
Working in batches if necessary, add short rib pieces in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes or so each side, until well-coloured. Remove to a plate.
Drain the oil from the pan. Return 1 tablespoon (20ml) and discard the rest.
Return pan to a medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, green onion, and Sichuan peppercorns and stir for about 2 minutes, until peppercorns are fragrant.
Push the ingredients to one side of the pan and add doubanjiang and sugar.
Stir the doubanjiang and sugar for a minute or so, until the oil turns bright red and is aromatic.
Add Shaoxing, increase heat to high and stir for about 30 seconds, scraping the base of the pan to remove any cooked on bits.
Stir in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, dried chilli, star anise, cassia, cardamom and bay.
Pour in the boiling water.
Return the short ribs and any juices to the pan. If the ribs are not almost completely submerged, top up with a little extra boiling water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2½–3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Stir occasionally if necessary to ensure all the meat spends time submerged in the braising liquid.
Lift the ribs out of the pan into a serving bowl.
Spoon a little of the cooking liquid over them; reserving the rest as a tasty Asian beef stock for soups or sauces.
Serve with steamed rice and stir-fried vegetables.