This Twice-Cooked Beef (回锅牛肉) is simple and deeply flavorful. The beef is tender with a satisfying bite, coated in a savory, slightly spicy sauce with that signature Sichuan taste. My family absolutely loves this so much that the moment it hits the table, it’s gone. The idea behind this dish goes back to ancient Chinese traditions. Families would simmer large cuts of meat as offerings during ancestral rituals and festivals. After the ceremony, nothing was wasted—the meat was cooked again and transformed into everyday meals. Over time, that practical habit evolved into what we now call “twice-cooked” dishes. What’s really interesting is that while many people know that twice-cooked pork or beef means the meat is cooked tweic, very few know that after the meat is pre-cooked, it can be easily made in various dishes other than twice-cooked beef, such as stir fried noodles, salads, or sandwich the meat into steamed-buns, and even the braising broth can be turned into hearty soups. Think of it as meal-prepping wisdom from our ancestors.
Ingredients for cooking the beef for the first time
500g / 1.1 pound of beef brisket or other stew meat 2 liters / 8⅓ cups water 30-45g / about 2-3 inch of ginger, crushed 45g / about 3 scallions 3g / 1½ Tbsps whole Sichuan peppercorn 1.6g / 2 star anise 1.5g / 3 dried red chilies 5.7g / 1 tsp of salt
Ingredients for cooking the beef the second time
2-3 Tbsp of cooking oil 100g / about 4 garlic shoots, diced into 1.5-inch stalks, and separate the green and white parts 15g / about 5 cloves garlic, diced 15g / 1 inch of ginger, smashed and diced 4g / 8 dried red chilies, cut into short pieces and seeded 16g / 1 Tbsp Sichuan dou ban jiang 18g / 1 Tbsp oyster sauce 16.6g / 1 Tbsp soy sauce 30-45g / 2-3 Tbsps water 30g / about 1 small green chili pepper 30g / about 1 small red chili pepper
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Video Summary
AI Generated
Mandy from Souped Up Recipes demonstrates how to make Twice Cooked Beef (Hui Guo Niu Rou), a Sichuan classic. The process involves an initial braising stage to tenderize the meat and remove gamey flavors, followed by a high-heat stir-fry with aromatic spices and fermented bean paste to create a savory, spicy, and tender dish.
Hi everyone, I'm Mandy. Welcome to Souped Up Recipes.
Today we're making twice cooked beef, hui guo niu rou. It's easy and so delicious that I guarantee
you're gonna love it. So the root of this dish goes back to ancient Chinese traditions when
families would boil large cuts of meat as offerings during the ancestral rituals and festivals.
After the ceremony, the meat will be cooked again to eat so nothing goes to waste.
Over time, this simple practice evolved into the dish that we know today.
You can use any cuts of beef as long as it's good for braising.
Cut the meat into big chunks and place it in a stock pot along with 2 liters of water.
Turn the heat to medium and bring this to a boil, uncovered.
Once it comes to a boil, skin off all the scum by using a fine sieve. This helps to get rid of
the gamey, beefy flavor so the soup will come out with a clean look and taste.
Now we can add 2 to 3 inches of ginger, crushed, 3 scallions, I tied them into knots,
2 star anise, 3 dried red chilies, 1.5 tbsp of whole Sichuan peppercorns,
and 1 tsp of salt. Turn the heat to the lowest and let it simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours.
Here is the doneness you are looking for. The chopsticks should go through easily but still
firm so it doesn't fall apart when you slice it later.
At this point, the first cooking is done. While many people know that
twice cooked pork or beef means the meat is cooked twice, very few know that after the meat
is pre-cooked, it can be turned into various dishes other than twice cooked beef or pork
such as stir fry noodles, salads, sandwich the meat into the steamed buns, even the braising
broth can be turned into hearty soups. However, that is too much information to include in one
video. If you're interested, follow me on my Patreon and read my full detailed post about it
there. As for now, we're gonna move on to the rest of the ingredients.
You will need 4 garlic shoots. They are basically the garlic plants grow out of the
cloves. Sadly, I have never seen this in Asian markets in the USA, so you probably don't have
access. Don't worry, you can use scallions or leeks instead. Separate the white and green part,
set them aside. You also need 8 dried red chilies. Cut them into short pieces using a pair of
kitchen scissors. Yes, I know, it looks spicy because twice cooked dishes are Sichuan classic.
They supposed to be hot. Stir around and the seeds will go to the bottom, then you can separate.
This is Sichuan Doubanjiang, also known as the soul of Sichuan cuisine. It is made with fermented
raw beans, chili oil, and lots of spices. Unfortunately, this is a non-skippable ingredient,
so you may want to plan a trip to your local Asian market or check the link in the description
to purchase it online. Besides that, I have also got 1 inch of ginger. I smashed it and diced 5
cloves of garlic, which I roughly diced as well, 1 green chili pepper, and 1 red chili pepper.
I just cut them into bite-sized pieces. Slice the beef thinly. I started with 500 grams,
and after braising, it lost about 30% of its weight, leaving you with roughly 350 grams of
cooked beef. You can store the meat in the fridge for 4-5 days, or 4 months in the freezer,
so you can definitely simmer the beef in advance and quickly finish the stir-frying right before
dinner, which is perfect for a weeknight meal. Turn the heat to high, and heat the wok until it
is smoking hot. Add a generous amount of oil, and swirl it around to create a non-stick layer.
Toss in the dried red chilies, diced garlic, ginger, and white parts of the garlic shoots,
and stir for a minute. Switch the heat to medium-low, add 1 tbsp of Sichuan Doubanjiang,
1 tbsp of oyster sauce, and 1 tbsp of soy sauce. Stir continuously until the Doubanjiang releases
its rich aroma and red oil. Add the beef slices, and pour in 2-3 tbsp of water to help the flavor
to infuse into the meat. I'm actually using the beef braising liquid, which is perfect here.
The meat is pre-cooked, so we're just looking to reheat it quickly. 2-3 minutes is enough.
Add the green and red chili peppers, and toss in the green parts of the garlic shoots,
give everything a final mix, and we're done! My family goes absolutely nuts for this dish.
Whenever it hits the table, it disappears immediately, and they're already asking
when I will make it again. The beef is tender, yet still has a nice bite. The taste is savory,
lightly spicy, with that signature Sichuan kick. The green garlic shoots add a fresh,
vibrant touch that perfectly balances all the taste. I hope you give this a try soon. As always,
the printable recipe link is in the description. Go check it out. Don't forget to like and
subscribe to my channel for more easy and authentic Chinese food.
Thank you for watching, and I'll see you next time. Bye!
