Steamed Beef Balls (Shan Zhu Niu Rou)
- camissonia
- Oct 27
- 1 min read
This dish is a popular item on the Dim Sum menu. They are not beef balls a la Rocky Mountain oysters, but rather steamed meatballs made from finely minced ground beef that has first been marinated in baking soda (helps to tenderize), then seasoned with, amongst other things, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, pepper, minced ginger, cilantro, and a small amount of grated orange peel. The addition of cornstarch, egg white and water makes the meatballs extra smooth, moist, light, and tender. The meat will not crumble apart and, after steaming, has the consistency more like that of a Chinese fish ball rather than a conventional meatball (sounds kinda weird, but it's actually really good). A cinch to make, especially if you have a stand mixer or food processor.
1
Note on the sauce:
*85:15 meat to fat ratio is the best. Don't use anything leaner or you'll end up with tough meat balls.
2
Note on the sauce:
**Bean curd sheets come dried or frozen. If dried, they should be reconstituted in water before using. They are available in most Asian markets or online (e.g., Amazon or Weee)
Notes
1
Place the ground beef into a medium bowl, add the baking soda, and mix very well with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.
2
For the meat mixture: my preferred method is to place the beef and seasoning ingredients in a stand mixer with paddle attachment and mix on medium (number 4) for 1 1/2 minutes; you can also place them in the bowl of a food processor and pulse the mixture about 20-30 times until very well blended (almost to a paste-like consistency). OR you can blend the mixture well by hand, form into a ball, and then slap that sucker really hard against the side of the bowl for 40-50 times to achieve that same paste-like consistency. If you've had a bad day, this is an excellent way to take out your aggression.
3
Remove the meat mixture into a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour up to overnight before making into meatballs.
4
Traditionally, beef balls are steamed over softened bean curd skins/tofu sheets which are readily available in most Chinese markets. However, if you can't find these, feel free to substitute with fresh napa cabbage leaves. Line the bottom of a bamboo or stainless steel steamer with either the tofu skins (cut into squares to fit one meatball each) or napa cabbage leaves.
5
Fill a medium bowl with cool tap water. Dip your hands into the bowl of water, then grab a golf ball-sized piece of the meat mixture (about 1/4 cup) and roll into a ball. Place on the tofu skin or cabbage-lined steamer. Continue until you've made a total of 12 meatballs (do not overcrowd the meatballs in your steamer; make sure they're at least an inch apart).
6
Place the steamer over a large wok or pan of water, turn to medium high heat. Once the water has come to a boil, stream for 10-12 minutes, or until the beef is just cooked through.
7
You can serve them 3 at a time in small individual bamboo steamers to each of your guests, or as is (family style). Serve with any or all of the listed condiments.
Instructions
1 lb ground beef*
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 tbsp cornstarch or water chestnut starch
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp rice wine or Shaohsing wine
1 tbsp light (low sodium) soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 egg white
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 tbsp minced scallion
2 tbsp minced water chestnuts
1/2 cup cold water
Seasonings
9-oz package dried or frozen bean curd sheets**
Napa cabbage leaves (for steaming)
Chinese sweet hot mustard
Oyster Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Chili Garlic Sauce or Sriracha
Condiments
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Steamed Beef Balls (Shan Zhu Niu Rou)
Prep Time
20 min
Cooking Time
15 min
Rest Time
0 min
Total Time
35 min
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