Satay Beef Pot
A hearty Chinese comfort dish featuring tender beef brisket slowly braised with potatoes in a rich satay sauce, infused with aromatic spices like star anise and bay leaves.
Story
This classic Chinese home-style dish brings together melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket with comforting potatoes in a deeply flavorful satay sauce. The beef is first blanched to remove impurities, then braised low and slow until perfectly tender.
Ingredients
beef brisket
600g, cut into 3cm cubes
potatoes
3 medium, peeled and quartered
satay sauce
4 tablespoons
cooking wine
2 tablespoons
ginger
5 slices
garlic
3 cloves, smashed
star anise
2 pieces
bay leaves
2 leaves
soy sauce
2 tablespoons
dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon (for color)
sugar
1 teaspoon
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
water
enough to cover ingredients
Instructions
1
Blanch the beef
Place beef brisket in a pot with cold water, add ginger slices and cooking wine. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Remove beef, rinse briefly, and set aside.
2
Start the aromatics
Heat vegetable oil in a clay pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add star anise and bay leaves, cook briefly until aromatic.
3
Sear the beef
Add the blanched beef brisket to the pot. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the edges are slightly browned and干香 (dry-fragrant). This step adds depth of flavor.
4
Add sauce and water
Pour in the satay sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Stir everything together to coat the beef evenly. Add fresh water to cover the beef by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil.
5
Braise until tender
Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for about 1.5 hours. The beef should become melt-in-your-mouth tender. Add the potatoes during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
6
Finish and serve
Once the potatoes are soft and the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove from heat. Serve hot over steamed rice, garnished with fresh cilantro if desired.
