Hand-Beaten Beef Meatballs
Chaoshan-style hand-beaten beef meatballs, pounded repeatedly for a bouncy texture and rich beef flavor, each bite bursts with juice.
Ingredients
11 items- Beef leg (shank) 500g
- Salt 1 tsp
- Granulated sugar 1 tsp
- Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Cooking wine 1 tbsp
- White pepper powder 1/2 tsp
- Ice water 50ml
- Vegetable oil as needed
- Spring onion 1 stalk
- Ginger 3 slices
- Water or broth 1 liter
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Trim 500g beef leg, cut into 2cm cubes, freeze for 30 minutes until surface hardens.
Remove frozen beef, chop on a board with two knives for about 10 minutes until the meat becomes sticky and paste-like.
Put the meat paste into a bowl, add salt, sugar, soy sauce, cooking wine, white pepper and 20ml ice water. Stir in one direction until water is absorbed.
Grab the paste and throw it forcefully back into the bowl for 5 minutes, until the paste becomes shiny and very elastic.
Add broth or water with ginger slices to a pot, bring to a boil then reduce to low heat, keeping a gentle simmer.
Grease hands with oil and water, squeeze the meat paste between thumb and forefinger to form balls, scoop off with a spoon into the simmering liquid. Repeat.
Cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, the meatballs will float and expand. Skim off foam, remove.
Immediately transfer the meatballs to ice water, soak for 5 minutes, drain. Serve with dipping sauce.
Tips
1. Freezing the beef until semi-firm makes it easier to chop and form a paste. 2. Slapping the meat paste is crucial for the bouncy texture, do not skip. 3. Plunging the cooked meatballs into ice water firms them up. 4. You can add chopped water chestnuts for extra crunch.
You May Also Like
More recipes you might enjoy
Sichuan Boiled Shrimp Balls (Shui Zhu Xia Hua)
This mouthwatering Sichuan dish features tender, bouncy shrimp balls floating in a blazing red broth. With crisp bean sprouts and celery, every bite is a thrilling combination of numbing spice and savory depth. Easy to make at home with bold flavors that rival restaurant versions!
Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce
A classic Cantonese dish, Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce is beloved for its rich, savory black bean aroma and tender, juicy pork. The gentle steaming method preserves the natural flavors of the ribs, while the aromatic sauce infuses every bite. Perfect with steamed rice.
Dry-Fried Green Beans (Sichuan Style)
Classic Sichuan dry-fried green beans with a charred, chewy texture and spicy, numbing flavor. The beans are blister-fried until wrinkled and tender, then tossed with dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns for an irresistibly addictive dish.
Lanzhou Lamian (Lanzhou Pulled Noodles)
A signature of Northwest Chinese cuisine, Lanzhou Lamian features hand-pulled noodles with a chewy texture, served in a clear and savory beef broth topped with fragrant chili oil. Known for its 'five elements'—clear soup, white radish, red chili, green herbs, and yellow noodles—it's an iconic comfort food.