Dish of Beef Chili Hunan
(click to enlarge)

Beef Chili Hunan


China, Hunan   -   Tu dou wei niu rou

Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
4 w/rice
***
Note-5
Yes
Beef and potatoes with a distinctly Hunan chili sauce. This dish has been quite successful at buffet parties. We give three cooking methods, none "authentic" (see Cooking).

1-1/4
1
1-1/2
3
2
1
1/2
tt
2-1/2
1
2
1/2
1/2
ar

#
#
in
T
T
in


c
T
T
T
t
t

Beef, stewing (1)
Potatoes, waxy
Ginger root
Oil
Chili Bean Paste (2)  
Cassia Bark (3)
Star Anise
Chilis, dry (4)
Water
Soy Sauce, dark
Soy Sauce, light
Rice Vinegar
Salt
Oil for deep fry

Prep   -   (20 min)
  1. Cut BEEF into 1 inch cubes. Put in a pot with water to cover and bring quickly to a boil for about 1 minute. Rinse to remove all scum and drain thoroughly.
  2. Peel POTATOES, cut into 1 inch cubes and hold immersed in cold water.
  3. Slice GINGER ROOT thin.
Run   -   (1-3/4 hour)
  1. Preheat oven (if using - see below) to 300°F/150°C.
  2. Heat Oil in spacious sauté pan or wok and fry Chili Bean Paste stirring until fragrant, then add Ginger, Cassia and Star Anise. Fry stirring until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the Chilis for just a few seconds, then stir in Beef and fry stirring over highest heat until all exuded liquid has evaporated,
  4. Add Water and bring to a boil, then stir in Soy Sauces, Rice Vinegar and Salt.
  5. Select:
    • Continue in a tri-ply sauté pan on a well regulated burner with heat spreader.
    • Pour the hot stew into a tightly coverable casserole and slide into the preheated oven.
    • Pour hot into a slow cooker.
    Times given may vary depeinding on cut of beef.
    MethodBeefPotato
    Sauté pan1-1/2 hr15 min
    Oven 300°F2 hr25 min
    Slow Cooker high   3 hr45 min hr
    Slow Cooker low6 hr1-3/4 hr
  6. While the beef is cooking, drain Potatoes well, heat Oil and fry until light golden (don't over-brown), Stir into the stew when the time is right and cook covered until you reach full beef time.
  7. This stew can stand on its own or be served with rice.
NOTES:
  1. Beef:

      Use a stewing cut that includes some fat, up to and including short ribs. I tend to go on the lean side with Chuck Roast or similar
  2. Chili Bean Paste:

      Sichuan style pastes made from fava beans and pastes made from soy beans are both used in Hunan. I prefer the Sichuan.
  3. Cassia Bark

      This is what is generally sold as "Cinnamon" in the US.
  4. Chilis, dry:

      Sichuan chili bean paste is pretty hot, so for a general audience maybe no chilis, or or just a few Japons. More if you like spicy or if your bean sauce is too mild. For details see our Thai Chilis page.
  5. Cooking:

      We suggest three cooking methods - none of which is "authentic". The "authentic" method is to cook in a covered iron pot buried in hot wood embers. For a single or double recipe, a carefully controlled stovetop works fine. A double recipe is minimum for a 4-1/2 qt slow cooker, which is exactly filled by a triple recipe, that being the minimum for a 5 quart.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch
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