Tomato Beef Brisket Stew
A classic Chinese comfort dish where tender beef brisket is slowly braised in a rich, tangy tomato sauce. The meat becomes melt-in-your-mouth soft, and the savory-sweet broth is perfect over steamed rice.
Ingredients
16 items- Beef brisket 500g (1.1 lbs)
- Tomatoes 3 large (about 500g)
- Ginger 4-5 slices
- Scallions 2 stalks
- Cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) 2 tablespoons
- Light soy sauce 2 tablespoons
- Dark soy sauce 1 teaspoon
- Sugar 1 teaspoon
- Tomato paste 1 tablespoon
- Star anise 2
- Bay leaves 2
- Cinnamon stick 1 small piece
- Salt to taste
- White pepper a pinch
- Cooking oil 2 tablespoons
- Hot water about 1000ml (4 cups)
Nutrition
Steps （9 steps）
Cut the beef brisket into 3cm chunks. Place them in a pot of cold water with 2 slices of ginger and 1 scallion section, and add 1 tablespoon of cooking wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove the beef and rinse with warm water. Drain and set aside.
Score an 'X' on the bottom of each tomato. Blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds until the skin curls, then transfer to cold water. Peel off the skins and cut into wedges. Set aside 1/3 of the tomato wedges for later; reserve the rest for cooking.
Prepare the spices: place star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the ginger slices and scallion sections, sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the reserved 2/3 of the tomatoes, increase the heat to high, and stir-fry, pressing the tomatoes with a spatula, until they soften and release their juice, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the blanched beef brisket to the pan and stir to combine with the tomatoes. Add the tomato paste (if using), light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking wine. Continue stir-frying for 1 minute until the beef is evenly coated with the sauce.
Pour in enough hot water to submerge the ingredients by 3-5 cm. Add the star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beef is very tender. Check occasionally and add more hot water if needed to keep the beef submerged.
When the beef is fork-tender, add the reserved 1/3 of the tomatoes, stir gently, and continue to cook for 10 minutes to allow the tomatoes to keep their shape and freshness.
Season with salt and white pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thin, increase the heat and boil until the sauce reduces and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3-5 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Transfer the Tomato Beef Brisket to a serving bowl, garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro, and serve hot.
Tips
1. Choose beef brisket with some fat and connective tissue for the best tenderness after slow cooking. 2. Peeling the tomatoes gives a smoother sauce, but you can keep the skin if you prefer texture. 3. Maintain a low simmer throughout the braising so the beef gradually absorbs the tomato flavor. 4. Don't reduce the sauce too much; leave some to spoon over rice—it's the best part!
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