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Hong Shao Niu Rou Mian {红烧牛肉面} or Red Braised Beef Noodle Soup is a classic Taiwanese food, extremely popular in Southeast Asia. It features juicy yummy beef chunks that have this iconic sweet spiciness.
What gives the Taiwanese Red Braised Beef the iconic flavor?
Other than the usual suspects of Shaoxing Wine, soy sauce, ginger, onion, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaves. There are a few ingredients I’d like to highlight, including Pi Xian Doubanjiang, Sichuan pepper {Hua Jiao}, and garlic.
Pi Xian Doubanjiang, a classic Sichuan chili fermented bean paste is a popular condiment in Chinese cooking. It is behind numerous classic dishes such as Ma Yi Shang Shu {ants climbing up the tree or glass noddles and minced pork stir fry}, Hui Guo Rou {Twice Cooked Pokr}, Yu Xiang Qie Zi {Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce}, etc.
I also like it in Asian Fusion Stir stir-fried rice and Braised Mackeral.
How to make a Juicy & Yummy Taiwanese Red Braised Beef for Niu Rou Mian?
Tip No.1 is to Marinate the Beef Properly Before Cooking
For the cut of the beef, I like Beef Chuck for making Taiwanese Red Braised Beef {Hong Shao Niu Rou}. It has marbled beef fat which is great for a juicy braised beef.
Cut the beef across the grain into bite-size chunks, soak in cold water for about 30 minutes, and change the water 2-3 times along the way. This helps get rid of the trapped blood and juicy up the beef too.
Beef is infamously unforgiven when it comes to cooking and the meat can tough up easier compared to meat such as pork or chicken. Therefore it is important to properly marinate the beef before cooking for a juicy and tasty braised beef or beef stir fry.
First, use a tiny bit of baking soda to relax the meat, and then use cooking wine, soy sauce, and a tiny bit of Zhenjiang vinegar. Don’t forget to use the arrowroot flour to wrap the beef and finally use the oil to seal the moisture and flavor.
Read here for more details on how to prepare and marinate beef for a juicy braised beef or beef stir fry.
Tip No.2 is to Sear the Beef first before Braising
Sear one pound of beef at a time in a 12-inch hard anodized frying pan using 1 tbsp avocado oil. I recommend heating the pan on medium heat for 2 minutes before adding the oil and marinated beef. Sear the marinated beef for 2 minutes on one side and then 1 minute on the other side and then flip again. This should cook the marinated beef.
Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.
Tip No.3 is to braise the seared Beef properly for a juicy tasty Red Braised Beef
I usually use a Dutch oven or cast iron wok for the braising step. Both have superb heat retention capabilities.
Simmer the previously pan-fried beef in a Dutch for 1 hour. Then turn the heat back to medium-high, and turn and toss the beef with the remaining juice in the pot for 5 minutes. This enhances the caramelization of the beef.
What kind of noodles are best for Niu Rou Mian?
Homemade Egg Noodles or Homemade Noodles Without Eggs are no doubt the best. But you can pretty much use any of your favorite noodles.
How to Make a Bowl of Niu Rou Mian Quick & Easy?
You can whip out an authentic yummy Niu Rou Mian quickly as long as you have two things prepared in advance. The Red Braised Beef and the broth. For broth, beef broth is the best, but chicken broth will do too.
Shanghai Bok Choy works great for Beef Noodle Soup, but you can use other green leafy vegetables too, including broccoli.
Add the boiling broth to a bowl, along with a pinch of salt (1/4 tsp each bowl to start) and white pepper (1/8 tsp each bowl to start). Mix well and then add a handful of freshly cooked noodles. Fold the noodles into the broth, and add several scoops full of Red Braised Beef (along with the braising juice), and a few blanched Bok Choy. Garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy!
Niu Rou Mian {Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup}
Niu Rou Mian {Red Braised Beef Noodle Soup} is an iconic Taiwanese food. It features juicy yummy beef chunks that have this classic sweet spiciness in a naturally delicious broth soup.
Ingredients
For Red Braised Beef
- 2 lb beef, chuck or top round
- -- For Marinate the Beef:
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or sake
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp Zhenjiang vinegar
- 2 tsp cane sugar
- 1 tbsp arrowroot flour
- 2 tbsp cooking oil, such as avocado oil
- -- For Browning the Beef:
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 (half) red onion, or 2 green onions, chopped
- -- For Braising the Beef:
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 1 tbsp Pi'Xian Doubanjiang
- 1/2 tsp red yeast rice, optional, for enhancing the red color
- 1/4 tsp star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Sichuan Pepper {Hua Jiao} powder, freshly ground
For Homemade Egg Noodles:
- 660 g {4 cups} all purpose flour, organic unbleached, additional 1/4 cup for dusting
- 4 large eggs
- 25 g avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
- 90-120 g, see notes
For Homemade Noodles Without Eggs:
- 660 g {4 cups} all-purpose flour, organic unbleached, additional 1/4 cup for dusting
- 25 g avocado oil
- 225 g water
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
For Homemade Broth:
- 2 lb beef or chicken, or bones. If using bones, then need to double the volume and need to use a bigger stockpot
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine. Use 1/2 cup when using bones
- a small piece of ginger, thin sliced
For Noodle Soup:
- 1 lb Shanghai bok choy
- a small bunch of cilantro, chopped, optional
- 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
Instructions
Cook the Red Braised Beef:
- Cut the beef across the grain into bite-size chunks, soak in cold water for about 30 minutes, and change the water 2-3 times along the way. This helps get rid of the trapped blood and juicy up the beef too.
- Marinate the beef. First, use a tiny bit of baking soda to relax the meat, and then use cooking wine, soy sauce, and a tiny bit of Zhenjiang vinegar. Don’t forget to use the arrowroot flour to wrap the beef and finally use the oil to seal the moisture and flavor. Read here for more details about how to marinate the beef to tenderize the beef for braised beef.
- Sear the beef. Sear one pound of beef at a time in a 12-inch hard anodized frying pan using 1 tbsp avocado oil. I recommend heating the pan on medium heat for 2 minutes before adding the oil and marinated beef. Sear the marinated beef for 2 minutes on one side and then 1 minute on the other side and then flip again. This should cook the marinated beef. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside and repeat for the other half of the marinated beef.
- Add everything under "For Braising the Beef" to a Dutch Oven, turn the heat to medium-high, stir to bring it to a boil, and turn to simmer. Add the previously seared beef, fold it into the braising juice, cover the lid, and let it cook for 1 hour. Use a pair of bamboo spatula to toss and mix the beef with the braising juice halfway through.
Make Homemade Noodles:
Homemade Broth:
- Add the 2 lb beef or chicken to a large stockpot, or 4 pounds of beef or chicken bones along with 6 qt {1.5 gallons} tap water, and bring it to boil. Remove the foams on the top using a ladle.
- Alternatively, you use water sufficiently to cover the meat/bones and bring it to a boil. Wash the meat using hot water and wash the pots, and then add 6 qt of water to the pot bring it to a boil, and add the previously blanched/cleaned meat/bones.
- Add 1/4 cup of Shaoxing wine if you use the beef/chicken meat, or 1/2 cup if you use the bones, as well as thinly sliced ginger. Bring it to a boil and then turn to a simmer and cook for 2 hours.
Blanch the Shangahi Bok Choy:
- Add 4 qt water to a saucepan or stockpot, and bring it to a boil.
- While waiting, prepare the bok choy and cilantro. Separate the leaves of bok choy, and wash and rinse the bok choy and cilantro a few times respectively. Trim the bottom if needed.
- When the water reaches a boil, add the bok choy, use a stainless steel spider strainer to push down the bok choy, and fold them into the boiling water. When the water reaches a boil again, use the strainer to scoop out the bok choy, gently shake your wrists to drain the water place it on a plate, and set it aside.
Assembly a Bowl of Niu Rou Mian:
- Add about 2 cups of boiling broth to a bowl, along with 1/8 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper, mix well, and then add a handful of freshly cooked noodles, and fold the noodles into the broth.
- Add a few spoonfuls of Red Braised Beef along with the juice to the bowl, as well as blanched bok choy and some chopped cilantro. Enjoy a bowl of naturally yummy and nutritious Niu Rou Mian.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size One BowlAmount Per Serving Calories 905Total Fat 38gSaturated Fat 8.1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 29.9gCholesterol 238mgSodium 1520mgCarbohydrates 74gFiber 3.2gSugar 5.4gProtein 65g
Nutrition calculation is provided by"NutritionValue.org" to the best of my knowledge. Nevertheless, I use lots of homemade, all natural, unprocessed, unrefined raw & wholesome ingredients which are not always readily available in the referenced source. Therefore the calculation may not always be accurate.