The beef broth carries a subtle hint of pepper, the beef is tender and falls apart easily, and the radish is refreshing and light.
In Cantonese cuisine, there are both braised beef brisket with radish in soy sauce and clear soup versions. Cantonese cooking emphasizes quality ingredients—a single dish may use many sauces and seasonings, but sometimes just two or three of the most common ones can create an incredibly fresh flavor. Of course, in the latter case, the ingredients themselves must be of very high quality, and clear soup beef brisket with radish is a perfect example. Beef brisket is best for this dish, with its layers of tendon, fat, and meat, giving the most wonderful texture; if brisket isn't available, you can also use the flank cut. Additionally, the seasonings for this dish have special requirements—white peppercorns are essential, use them generously, and do not substitute with ground white pepper. The broth of clear soup beef brisket with radish carries the unique, fragrant aroma of whole white peppercorns, which ground pepper simply cannot replicate.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
700 g (about 1.5 lbs) beef brisket
High-quality beef brisket or short ribs work well, preferably with a bit of fat attached.
Additional Ingredients
White radish, to taste
Seasonings
15 g white peppercorns
Salt to taste
to taste
Scallion and ginger, to taste
Always use whole white peppercorns, not ground white pepper.
Instructions
Instructions
Preparation
Step 1: Soak the whole beef brisket in water for 2 hours, then discard the blood-soaked water and set aside (Image 2). Step 2: Wash the daikon radish, cut into large chunks, and set aside (Image 3).
*Do not cut the beef; cook it whole to lock in more flavor and prevent the beefy taste from escaping too much. If the beef is cut into small pieces, the flavor will end up in the broth or dissipate into the air, leaving the meat itself bland.
*Cut the radish into larger chunks by splitting it in half, then make two or three casual cuts.
Simmer the beef until tender.
②Add the beef to a pot of cold water with a little scallion and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until the beef is about 40-50% cooked through. Remove and set aside (Image 4).
*The water in the pot should cover the beef; using a smaller pot helps, otherwise too much water will make the final broth thin and bland.
③ Strain the beef broth and pour it into a clay pot. Add the beef, along with scallions, ginger, Shaoxing wine, and white peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Next, turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and slow-cook for about 3 hours (Figure 5).
*After the beef broth comes to a boil, first cook over medium-low heat with the surface barely simmering for 20 minutes, then reduce to the lowest heat. Although the beef has been blanched, it is not fully cooked and still contains a small amount of blood; if you switch to the lowest heat too early, the broth will easily turn dark and its flavor will be affected.
After simmering over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, reduce to the lowest heat, cover with a lid, and keep the water surface barely moving. If the heat is too high, the soup will quickly reduce and dry out.
Simmer white radish until tender.
Step 4: About 1 hour before the beef is done, add the white radish to the pot and continue simmering until both the beef and radish are completely tender (Figure 6).
*During the braising process, you can test the tenderness of the beef with chopsticks; if they can easily pierce through the meat, it's done.
