Chinese Recipes
Braised Beef with Potatoes and Carrots
Tender chunks of beef slowly braised with potatoes, carrots, and aromatic spices in a rich savory sauce. This comforting one-pot meal is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for family dinners during cooler weather.
- Total
- 2 Hours
Quick Recipe Summary
- Cuisine
- Chinese
- Category
- Chinese Recipes
- Method
- Stir-fry
- Total Time
- 2 Hours
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Main Ingredient
- Beef Chuck
About This Recipe
Tender chunks of beef slowly braised with potatoes, carrots, and aromatic spices in a rich savory sauce. This comforting one-pot meal is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for family dinners during cooler weather.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Uses a steady cooking method that helps the ingredients absorb flavor gradually.
- Breaks the method into manageable steps instead of assuming you already know the technique.
- Good for learning how seasoning and simmering build flavor over time.
- Shows a practical way to cook meat with clear preparation and cooking cues.
- Gives the dish a clear savory flavor profile without making the method feel complicated.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Beef Chuck
- 1 medium Potato
- 1 Carrot
- 1 large piece Ginger
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- as needed Water
- 1 tbsp Yellow Bean Paste
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- to taste Salt
- 2 Dried Red Chili Peppers
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3 Star Anise
- 1 stalk Scallion
Ingredient Notes
These notes explain the role of the main ingredients so the recipe is easier to adjust.
Beef Chuck
This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.
medium Potato
This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.
Carrot
Vegetables bring texture and freshness; cut them evenly so they cook or ferment at a similar pace.
arge piece Ginger
Ginger adds clean aroma and helps balance meat, seafood, tofu, and fermented flavors.
Ingredients & Techniques Used in This Recipe
These guides explain the key sauces, ingredients, and cooking techniques used in this recipe, so you can understand the dish instead of only following steps.
Sauce
Dark Soy Sauce
Used in small amounts for darker color, gloss, and deeper soy flavor.
Sauce
Light Soy Sauce
The everyday soy sauce for salt, umami, marinades, and stir-fry seasoning.
Sauce
Sesame Oil
A finishing oil that adds nutty aroma to soups, noodles, fillings, and cold dishes.
Technique
How to Stir Fry Properly
Learn heat control, ingredient order, sauce timing, and quick wok cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Peel the potato and cut it into large chunks.
Step 2
Peel the carrot and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3
Cut the beef into large cubes and rinse well.
Step 4
Place the beef in a pot with water, ginger, and scallion. Bring to a boil and blanch until impurities rise to the surface. Drain and rinse clean.
Step 5
Prepare the aromatics and spices, including star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and dried chilies.
Step 6
Heat a little oil in a pot and stir-fry the spices until fragrant.
Step 7
Add the blanched beef and stir-fry for several minutes.
Step 8
Add the dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Stir until the beef is evenly coated.
Step 9
Add the yellow bean paste and enough water to cover the beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until the beef is tender.
Step 10
Add the potato and carrot chunks.
Step 11
Continue simmering until the vegetables are tender and have absorbed the flavors of the sauce.
Step 12
Season with salt to taste and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve hot.
Cooking Tips
- Choose well-marbled beef chuck or brisket for the best texture. Add the potatoes and carrots near the end of cooking so they hold their shape. Adjust the braising time according to the size and cut of the beef.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it with steamed rice when you want a simple Chinese home-cooked meal.
- Add a light soup or cold vegetable side if the stir-fry is salty, spicy, or saucy.
- Keep rice or noodles ready before cooking because stir-fries are best served immediately.
Recipe Card
Tender chunks of beef slowly braised with potatoes, carrots, and aromatic spices in a rich savory sauce. This comforting one-pot meal is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for family dinners during cooler weather.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Beef Chuck
- 1 medium Potato
- 1 Carrot
- 1 large piece Ginger
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- as needed Water
- 1 tbsp Yellow Bean Paste
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- to taste Salt
- 2 Dried Red Chili Peppers
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3 Star Anise
- 1 stalk Scallion
Method
- Peel the potato and cut it into large chunks.
- Peel the carrot and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the beef into large cubes and rinse well.
- Place the beef in a pot with water, ginger, and scallion. Bring to a boil and blanch until impurities rise to the surface. Drain and rinse clean.
- Prepare the aromatics and spices, including star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and dried chilies.
- Heat a little oil in a pot and stir-fry the spices until fragrant.
- Add the blanched beef and stir-fry for several minutes.
- Add the dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Stir until the beef is evenly coated.
- Add the yellow bean paste and enough water to cover the beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until the beef is tender.
- Add the potato and carrot chunks.
- Continue simmering until the vegetables are tender and have absorbed the flavors of the sauce.
- Season with salt to taste and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve hot.
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