Five Spice Soy-Braised Beef Shank with Sesame Oil (Lu Niu Jian)
- camissonia
- Oct 19
- 1 min read
Soy-braised five-spice beef shank with sesame oil is a traditional cold appetizer that's often served at Chinese banquets. It's also great with rice, scallion pancakes (I like this combo for breakfast), in noodles, or as is. Prepared five-spice beef is available sliced, packaged and ready to eat in many Chinese Markets, e.g., 99 Ranch Market, but since there are few to none in my hood, I decided it was high time to make my own.
1
Searing the Beef
Sear beef fillets on high heat for 2 minutes per side to form a golden crust. Let it cool before proceeding to keep the beef tender.
2
Mushroom Duxelles
Cook the mushrooms until all moisture evaporates to prevent soggy pastry. Aim for a thick, paste-like consistency.
3
Puff Pastry Handling
Keep the puff pastry cold to avoid softness. Chill if it becomes too soft, and score the top lightly without cutting through.
Notes
1
In a medium stock pot, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat and add ginger, scallions, and garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
2
Add the remaining ingredients (except for the sesame oil and garnish) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cover and simmer 3 hours.
3
Turn off heat and let the beef shank cool at least 1 hour or until they can be handled.
4
Remove the beef shank from the braising liquid to a chopping board and cut into thin slices. Place the slices in a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of sesame oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at least 30 minutes before serving. If not serving right away, refrigerate up to 3-4 days until ready to use.
5
To serve: plate the beef shank slices and top with chopped cilantro, scallions, and sliced fresh chiles, if desired. Great as a cold or room temperature appetizer.
Instructions
2 lb beef shank cut in half
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 2-inch sections sliced ginger
3 scallions cut into 2" sections
3 cloves garlic smashed
4 cups water (or enough to cover the beef)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Shaohsing or rice wine
1 piece dried orange peel or three 2-inch slices of fresh
1 tsp coriander seed
2 star aniseed
2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
1 tsp 5-spice powder
2 tbsp sesame oil
Chopped cilantro
Fresno chilies seeded and sliced
Chopped scallions
Garnish
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Five Spice Soy-Braised Beef Shank with Sesame Oil (Lu Niu Jian)
Prep Time
30 min
Cooking Time
3 hours
Rest Time
0
Total Time
3 hours 30 min
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