Chinese Beef Stew

Directions

• Peel and chop Spanish onion into 1-inch wide sections. Set aside.
• Ensure beef stew meat is cut in 2-inch cubes and then season with kosher salt. Heat ceramic pot on medium-high and add olive oil. Sear the chunks of beef until browned on each side. Remove from pot and set aside.
• Add chopped onions to the ceramic pot and stir fry until onions begin to caramelize (i.e. brown slightly). Add seared beef back in and add Shaoxing rice wine. Stirfry for a minute.
• Add chicken stock, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, star anise, five-spice, and water (until liquid just covers beef and onions. Set temperature on high and wait for the beef soup to boil. Remove any scum and excess fat from the stew surface using a mesh strainer. Then reduce temperature to low/simmer and cover with lid. Let cook for 1.5 hours.
• After 1.5 hours, peel carrots and potatoes and chop them into 1-inch sections/cubes. Add to stew and cover and continue to let simmer for another hour.
• After the additional hour, salt to taste and ensure beef is fall-apart tender. If beef is not tender yet, cook on low for another half hour. Just before serving, create cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Bring stew to a boil again then add cornstarch slurry while mixing stew to thicken. Stew is best served on a bed of rice for a one-pot dish.