Teochew cuisine is characteristically bold and flavourful. Here, beef cheeks are braised in a richly seasoned stock that is mildly spicy from the sweet and savoury spices and chilies and a bit of heat from the galangal. Serve the beef with stock spooned over hot cooked rice, rice noodles or other noodles.
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Teochew-Style Simmered Beef Cheeks
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3.5 hours
- Yield: Serves 4 1x
Ingredients
Beef and Beef Stock
1½ lb (750 g) Beef Cheeks
2 tbsp (30 mL) whole Sichuan peppercorns
3-inch (8 cm) cinnamon stick
5 EACH whole star anise and cloves
5 dried chili peppers (er jin tiao chili), stemmed
3 slices (¼ inch/0.5 cm thick) galangal
2 tbsp (30 mL) EACH granulated sugar and peanut or canola oil
½ cup (125 mL) light soy sauce
3 tbsp (45 mL) Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp (30 mL) dark soy sauce
2 large green onions, Welsh onions, or small leeks (see Note*), trimmed
1 head garlic, cloves separated (unpeeled)
Garlic Vinegar Dip
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh facing heaven (chao tian jiao) or Thai chili peppers, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) EACH granulated sugar and salt
¼ cup (60 mL) rice vinegar
Garnish
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60 mL) loosely packed coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Beef and Beef Stock: Cut each beef cheek with the grain into 2 equal-sized pieces. Place in a large pot and add water cover by about 3 inches (8 cm). Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and boil for 5 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises to the top. Drain, discarding liquid, and rinse beef well under cold, running water; drain again. Set beef aside. Clean and dry the pot.
- Enclose Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, chili peppers and galangal in a cheesecloth bundle, a tea filter bag or spice infuser. Set aside.
- Set a sieve that fits well over the pot, an oven mitt and 1 cup (250 mL) of water beside the stove.
- Combine sugar and oil in the cleaned pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until caramelized to a deep golden brown. Immediately remove the pot from the heat, place the sieve over the pot and put the oven mitt on your pouring hand. Stand back and carefully pour the water through the sieve into the caramel (it will sputter and boil furiously; the sieve acts as a screen to reduce splashing and prevent burns).
- When sputtering subsides, return the pot to medium-high heat to make the Stock. Add the beef, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, large green onions, garlic, spice bundle and 9 cups (2.25 L) water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours, checking occasionally and maintaining the liquid level by replenishing with water as necessary and skimming off any scum that rises to the top, until the beef is fork-tender
- Garlic Vinegar Dip: Meanwhile, combine garlic, chili peppers, salt, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Set aside.
- To serve, discard the spice bundle, large green onions and garlic from the Stock. Transfer meat to a cutting board with tongs; cut across the grain into ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thick slices and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle with some of the Stock and garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serve immediately with Garlic Vinegar Dip in small bowls for dipping. Reserve extra stock for your immortal Stock, see Note**.
Notes
* For the stock, the “large green onions”, also called large scallions, look similar to a regular green onion or a small leek but are thicker and have a larger portion of white to green; Welsh onions are also called bunching onions or Japanese onions and have hollow leaves and a small white portion. Both are available at Asian grocery stores; small leeks can be used for the braise, as well. For the Garnish, use regular green onions.
** Store any extra stock in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze or for up to 6 months.
Traditionally, the liquid used to braise the beef—known as an “immortal stock”—is reused continually, with additional seasonings and water added as needed to maintain its flavour. Each time it’s used, deeper and richer flavours develop, making it even more delicious over time. After each use, the liquid is strained, cooled, and stored for future use. These stocks are often considered prized possessions and are carefully guarded and passed down through generations as family heirlooms. Some restaurants reportedly have been using the same stock for over fifty years.
