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–+ servings
Chinese beef stew close up

Chinese Beef Stew with Potatoes (土豆炖牛肉)

4.88 from 8 votes
The beef is braised in a rich savory broth with potatoes and carrots until super tender and flavorful. An easy make-ahead recipe that requires little prep and you’ll have delicious dinners for the next couple of days. Freezer and meal-prep friendly. {Gluten-Free adaptable} To make this dish gluten-free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine. And replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Meal prep
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 lbs / 1.3 kg) beef chuck roast , cut into 1.5” (3 cm) chunks
  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 6 dried chili peppers
  • 1 thumb ginger , sliced
  • 3 green onions , halved crosswise
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or soy sauce) (*Footnote 1)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 carrots , cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium waxy potatoes (or 1 large russet potato, quartered) (*Footnote 2)

Instructions

  • Place the beef in a 4-quart (3.78-liter) dutch oven and add 4 cups of cold tap water so the water just covers the beef. Heat the pot over medium-high heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Stir occasionally to prevent the beef from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn to medium heat. Let it boil gently for 10 to 15 minutes. While boiling, skim the foam from the top of the broth and discard it until the broth is clear.
  • Add the Shaoxing wine, chili peppers, ginger, green onion, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, sugar, and ground black pepper. Turn to medium-low heat. Let simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.
  • Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and salt. Stir to mix well. Continue simmering uncovered for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the beef turns tender but not to the point of falling apart.
  • Add the carrots and potatoes. Simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes or so, until the veggies get tender.
  • Serve hot as a main over steamed rice or boiled noodles.

Notes

  1. Dark soy sauce adds beautiful brown color to the sauce. You can use soy sauce to replace it. The color of the dish will look lighter but it doesn't affect the taste.
  2. If you prefer to let the potato melt into the broth, use russet potato instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 468kcal, Carbohydrates: 12.8g, Protein: 31.3g, Fat: 31.6g, Cholesterol: 117mg, Sodium: 541mg, Fiber: 1.9g, Sugar: 3.4g