Chinese Beef Stew

Get ready to experience the ultimate comfort food that brings together tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef and aromatic Asian spices. This Chinese beef stew isn’t just dinner – it’s a warm hug in a bowl that’ll make your whole house smell amazing.

The magic of this recipe lies in its perfect balance of savory soy sauce, warming spices like star anise and cinnamon, and that impossibly tender beef that comes from slow cooking. The potatoes and carrots soak up all that rich, flavorful broth, making every bite absolutely incredible.

Ingredients

For the meat and seasonings:

• 1 beef chuck roast (2 to 3 lbs / 1 to 1.3 kg), cut into 1.5″ chunks
• 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Aromatics and spices:

• 6 dried chili peppers
• 1 thumb ginger, sliced
• 3 green onions, halved crosswise
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick

Vegetables:

• 2 medium waxy potatoes, cut into 2″ pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut into 2″ pieces

Steps

1. Place beef in dutch oven, cover with 4 cups cold water. Bring to gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce to medium heat, boil 10-15 minutes while skimming foam until broth is clear.
3. Add Shaoxing wine, both soy sauces, sugar, pepper, and salt. Stir well.
4. Add all aromatics and spices, ensuring they’re mostly submerged.
5. Simmer covered 40 minutes for chuck roast (60 minutes for brisket).
6. Remove and discard aromatics and spices.
7. Add potatoes and carrots, simmer uncovered 20-30 minutes until tender.
8. Serve hot over rice or noodles.

Smart Swaps

• Use sweet potato instead of regular potato for extra nutrients
• Substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce (use 25% less) to make it gluten-free
• Replace Shaoxing wine with dry sherry or chicken broth

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Omit sugar completely or use monk fruit sweetener (1 teaspoon)
• Replace potatoes with daikon radish (reduces carbs by 15g per serving)
• Add extra carrots and celery for bulk without carbs
• Serve over cauliflower rice instead of regular rice (saves 30g carbs per serving)
• Eat with protein-rich sides to slow glucose absorption

Pro Tips

• Pat beef dry before browning for better color
• Don’t skip the foam-skimming step – it ensures a clear, clean-tasting broth
• Let it rest 10 minutes before serving to let flavors settle
• Store leftovers in broth to keep meat moist