Spicy Cold Beef Tendon Salad

Name: Spicy Cold Beef Tendon Salad
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: 500g beef tendon (牛腱子); 2 medium cucumber; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 small piece rock sugar; 2 pieces star anise; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns; 4 slices ginger; 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine; 3 tbsp chili oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds; for garnish cilantro, chopped

Tender braised beef tendon sliced thin and tossed with a bold, numbing chili oil dressing, resting on a crisp cucumber base. This refreshing cold appetizer delivers satisfying texture contrast and layers of warm, aromatic flavor.

3 hours

Medium

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Story

This dish showcases the art of Chinese cold plate preparation—slow-braised meat that absorbs deep savory notes, then served chilled with a vibrant, tongue-tingling sauce. The trick is letting the beef rest in the braising liquid until cool; this ensures every fiber is plump with flavor.

Ingredients

beef tendon (牛腱子) 500g

cucumber 2 medium

light soy sauce 3 tbsp

dark soy sauce 1 tbsp

rock sugar 1 small piece

star anise 2 pieces

bay leaves 2

Sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp

ginger 4 slices

Chinese cooking wine 2 tbsp

chili oil 3 tbsp

garlic, minced 2 cloves

rice vinegar 1 tbsp

sesame oil 1 tsp

roasted sesame seeds 1 tsp

cilantro, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Braise the beef tendon

Place beef tendon in a pot with cold water, add ginger slices and 1 tablespoon cooking wine. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes—skim off any foam that rises. Drain and rinse the tendon clean.

Return to a clean pot with fresh water (enough to cover). Add the remaining cooking wine, light and dark soy sauces, rock sugar, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours until fork-tender. Turn off heat and let the tendon cool completely in the liquid—this step is essential for maximum flavor absorption.

Prepare the cucumber base

While the beef cools, wash the cucumbers. Lay them flat on a cutting board and gently press with the palm of your hand to crack them open—not too hard, you want them to stay in large pieces. Cut into diagonal segments about 3 inches long. Arrange them in a single layer on a serving platter.

Slice and dress the beef

Lift the beef tendon from the braising liquid and pat dry. Slice thinly against the grain—almost translucent, about 3mm thick. Lay the slices over the cucumber in an overlapping pattern.

In a small bowl, combine chili oil, minced garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a spoonful of the strained braising liquid. Whisk until emulsified. Drizzle this dressing generously over the beef. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately at room temperature or chilled.