How to make the Best Cantonese Beef Brisket with Radish (Chu Hou Braised Beef Belly)

daikon radish

🥗Healthier: turnips

💰Cheaper: regular radishes

Turnips are lower in calories and similar in texture.

Fill your wok with cold water just enough to cover the beef pieces and bring it to a boil.

Blanch the beef for 20 minutes and scoop out any scum. Remove the beef and put in a colander.

While the beef is boiling, slice the radish and place white peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, fennel seeds, cardamom, and orange peel into a spice bag. Set aside.

Warm up your oil in the wok and brown the beef pieces on all sides. Set aside again.

If there’s too much oil left from the browning, remove some and leave about 2 tbsp in the pan. Stir fry your ginger on low until fragrant. Then add in your scallion and garlic and stir fry till fragrant again.

Add in your Chu Hou sauce and fermented red tofu. Cook it till the sauce is bubbling and fragrant.

Splash your Shao Xing wine to the edge of the wok. Add the beef back in. Coat it with the sauce and add in your rock sugar. Stir fry it around.

Add in enough water till it just covers the beef. Turn up the heat until it boils.

Add in your soy sauce and oyster sauce, as well as your spice bag.

Turn the heat down to simmering and close the lid. Cook for 1 hour.

Add your radish pieces, cook for 20 more minutes or until cooked through.

Turn off the heat to let the radish and meat absorb the flavors. Let it sit for 30 minutes. You can leave it overnight for even better flavor.

To finish it off, turn the heat back on to medium and thicken the sauce for about 20 minutes.

Give it a taste, and add extra soy sauce and oyster sauce to your liking.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens