Taiwanese Braised Beef Shank 滷牛腱 (EASY!)
My long-awaited Taiwanese Braised Beef Shank 滷牛腱 recipe is FINALLY here! Today I am sharing a family recipe that guarantees tender and flavorful Braised Beef Shank every single time. I’m also sharing so many different ways to enjoy this Taiwanese cold sliced beef, you’ll keep making it again and again. Pair this beef shank as a topping on noodles or rice, in Taiwanese Beef Roll, or have it on its own as an appetizer!
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My Grandma’s Braised Beef Shank Recipe
To be honest, it took me a while to finalize this Taiwanese Braised Beef Shank recipe. It is such an easy recipe to just eyeball the ingredients without measuring. Every family has their own version of this recipe, but this is my grandma’s recipe that I grew up eating.
My husband Dom loves braised beef shank so much that I make it at least twice a month because it is so simple. It’s easy to make this recipe in bulk and freeze it for up to 40 days whenever you see beef shank on sale!
Braised Beef Shank Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds Boneless Beef Shank cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 slices Ginger
- 8 cloves Garlic peeled
- 1.5 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 cup Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Chinese Cooking Wine optional
- 6 cups Water cover the beef
Herb Bag:
- 3 Star anise
- 6-8 Whole Red Chilli
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan Peppercorns
- 1-2 Bay Leaf
- 1 stick Cinnamon small
- 1-2 Cardamom optional
How To Enjoy Braised Beef Shank
Traditionally, this beef shank is enjoyed like any other deli meat. You can enjoy it hot or cold. It is often sliced thinly and served as an appetizer, or used as a topping for noodles and sandwiches.
Cold Cut Beef Appetizers
In Taiwan, The traditional way to enjoy Braised Beef Shank is as a cold cut beef appetizer. It’s thinly sliced, served cold with a dipping sauce. You can find this everywhere, from night market to street stalls in Taiwan. It’s so great on top of noodles and rice!
- After braising, rest the beef in the broth overnight in the fridge
- The next day, cut the meat into thin slices. The thinner, the better
- Mix 1.5 tbsp of Vegetarian Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp of grated garlic, a pinch of sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds together.
- Serve the beef with the dipping sauce and chopped cilantro and green onion.
Quick Taiwanese Beef Noodle
One of our other favorite ways to enjoy Taiwanese Braised Beef Shank is to make a super speedy Taiwanese Beef Noodle with the braising broth.
- Add around ¼ cup of braised beef broth in a bowl, add one serving of cooked noodles and mix well.
- Top the noodle with sliced beef, chopped green onion and cilantro, sliced cucumbers, and sesame seeds.
- Drizzle a little bit more hot broth on top of the beef, and enjoy!
Taiwanese Scallion Pancake Beef Roll
If I’m craving a quick and easy snack with this braised beef shank, I make these easy Taiwanese Scallion Pancake Beef Rolls, which combines the beef with a crispy scallion pancake. All you have to do is reheat your braised beef and pancake, and roll it all up together! It’s simple, fast, and super hearty.
What To Do With Leftover Beef Braising Broth
With the leftover beef braising broth, there’s plenty to do. You can make the broth into soup to eat with noodles later. Or, you can save the braising broth to braise again next time. To store your braising broth, first strain it to make sure all the spices are removed. Then, you can freeze it in a Ziplock bag for about 30 days.
When you are ready to braise beef shank again, or want to use it for other ingredients, thaw out the braising broth in a pot. Add water, soy sauce, and a new herb bag to add a new layer of flavor to this broth.
Step By Step Process for Braised Beef Shank
- Toast all the spices for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat or until fragrant, add the spices into a spice bag if you have one, if not just strain before serving.
- Blanch the beef shank for 4-5 minutes, rinse with cold water.
- In a pot add in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chinese cooking wine, garlic, ginger, spice bag, sugar, and water. Bring it to a simmer and add in the beef shank.
- Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat to medium-low heat for 1.5 – 2 hours.
- OPTIONAL: rest the beef in the sauce overnight in the fridge and cut into thin slices before serving. Refer to blog post on how to enjoy.
More of my Favorite Go-To Taiwanese Family Recipes!
Taiwanese Braised Beef Shank 滷牛腱 (EASY!)
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds Boneless Beef Shank cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 slices Ginger
- 8 cloves Garlic peeled
- 1.5 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 cup Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Chinese Cooking Wine optional
- 6 cups Water cover the beef
Herb Bag:
- 3 Star anise
- 6-8 Whole Red Chilli
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan Peppercorns
- 1-2 Bay Leaf
- 1 stick Cinnamon small
- 1-2 Cardamom optional
Instructions
- Toast all the spices for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat or until fragrant, add the spices into a spice bag if you have one, if not just strain before serving.
- Blanch the beef shank for 4-5 minutes, rinse with cold water.
- In a pot add in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chinese cooking wine, garlic, ginger, spice bag, sugar, and water. Bring it to a simmer and add in the beef shank.
- Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat to medium-low heat for 1.5 – 2 hours.
- OPTIONAL: rest the beef in the sauce overnight in the fridge and cut into thin slices before serving. Refer to blog post on how to enjoy.
Would i need to change the measurements of the liquids if I use an instant pot to cook instead? Would 1hr be sufficient?
Hi Tracie! I haven’t tried this recipe in the instant pot yet, but it probably needs a little less liquid than stated in the recipe. It should have enough liquid in the instant pot to cover the meat inside. I would try about 45 minutes to an hour with a natural release! Please let me know the results!
Tiffy