Red-Braised Beef with Carrots and Potatoes (Hong Shao Niu Rou)
By Maggie ZhuPublished on October 23, 2025
Time
3½ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
The beef browns quickly after it’s added to the caramel in step 3, so be ready to turn the beef as needed. If tien tsin chiles are unavailable, arbols or other small medium-hot dried chiles can be used; use half the amount for a less spicy dish. Dark soy sauce is made from soybeans that have been fermented longer than those used to make soy sauce, and it sometimes also contains sugar. It’s darker, more viscous, and less salty than soy sauce and worth seeking out; if unavailable, substitute 1½ teaspoons regular soy sauce.
Instructions
- Place 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces, in large pot and fill with cold water until beef is completely submerged. Bring to gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent beef from sticking to bottom of pot. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain beef in colander, rinse clean, and drain well.
- Combine 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons sugar in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok. Cook over medium-low heat, gently swirling wok occasionally (do not stir), until sugar is dissolved and amber in color, about 6 minutes.
- Using spider skimmer, carefully add blanched beef to sugar in wok. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon table salt. Working quickly, turn beef to coat in sugar, then increase heat to medium and cook, flipping beef occasionally, until beef is browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add 1 small finely chopped white onion; 6 dried tien tsin chiles; 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, halved lengthwise; 4 smashed and peeled garlic cloves; 4 bay leaves; 1 star anise pod; and 1 cinnamon stick and cook, stirring often until fragrant and onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 3 cored and chopped tomatoes and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook until tomato is softened, tossing and stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup Shaoxing wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup soy sauce and 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add just enough water to cover beef (about 4 cups, depending on your wok) then bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until beef is tender, 1¾ to 2 hours.
- Discard ginger, bay leaves, star anise pod, and cinnamon stick. Stir in 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces, and 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces. Increase heat to medium and bring to simmer. Simmer, covered, stirring frequently, until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, until vegetables are fully tender and sauce thickens to coat back of spoon, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve.
Time
3½ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Red braised beef (hongshao niurou) is a classic Chinese dish featuring meat slowly cooked until succulent in a savory-sweet liquid seasoned with whole spices, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and lightly caramelized sugar. As the beef braises in the wok, the glossy sauce thickens and clings to the meat. Simmering the short ribs briefly in water before braising them removed impurities and excess fat. In a step known as chao tang shai, we caramelized sugar in oil, making sure to use medium-low heat for better control of the process and swirling the wok occasionally so that the sugar would cook evenly. Chopped fresh tomatoes stirred into the sauce contributed brightness and enhanced its umami flavor. Potatoes and carrots added at the end of braising made for a satisfying one-pan meal.
Before You Begin
The beef browns quickly after it’s added to the caramel in step 3, so be ready to turn the beef as needed. If tien tsin chiles are unavailable, arbols or other small medium-hot dried chiles can be used; use half the amount for a less spicy dish. Dark soy sauce is made from soybeans that have been fermented longer than those used to make soy sauce, and it sometimes also contains sugar. It’s darker, more viscous, and less salty than soy sauce and worth seeking out; if unavailable, substitute 1½ teaspoons regular soy sauce.
Instructions
- Place 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces, in large pot and fill with cold water until beef is completely submerged. Bring to gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent beef from sticking to bottom of pot. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain beef in colander, rinse clean, and drain well.
- Combine 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons sugar in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok. Cook over medium-low heat, gently swirling wok occasionally (do not stir), until sugar is dissolved and amber in color, about 6 minutes.
- Using spider skimmer, carefully add blanched beef to sugar in wok. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon table salt. Working quickly, turn beef to coat in sugar, then increase heat to medium and cook, flipping beef occasionally, until beef is browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add 1 small finely chopped white onion; 6 dried tien tsin chiles; 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, halved lengthwise; 4 smashed and peeled garlic cloves; 4 bay leaves; 1 star anise pod; and 1 cinnamon stick and cook, stirring often until fragrant and onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 3 cored and chopped tomatoes and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook until tomato is softened, tossing and stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup Shaoxing wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup soy sauce and 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add just enough water to cover beef (about 4 cups, depending on your wok) then bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until beef is tender, 1¾ to 2 hours.
- Discard ginger, bay leaves, star anise pod, and cinnamon stick. Stir in 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces, and 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces. Increase heat to medium and bring to simmer. Simmer, covered, stirring frequently, until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, until vegetables are fully tender and sauce thickens to coat back of spoon, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve.
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