Beef
Shin of beef braised in soy stock
Shin of beef has lots of connective tissue, but patient slow-cooking brings it to melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. Infused with aromatic soy-flavoured stock, it's delicious cooled, pressed, then arranged in thinly cut slices, perhaps with a scattering of bean sprouts and spring onion. A very special Chinese-style starter.
Ingredients
- 250ml soy sauce
- 150ml mirin or dry sherry
- 25g fresh ginger, sliced
- 2-3 star anise
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 red chilli
- 1 piece dried orange peel
- 600g shin of beef
Method
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Step 1
Place all the ingredients, except the beef, in a saucepan with 750ml of water and bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Immerse the shin joint.
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Step 2
Return to the boil and skim away impurities then turn down to a bare simmer for a further 2½-3 hours until tender (you may have to top up the stock with water).
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Step 3
Drain, cool and press with a weight overnight before slicing as thinly as possible.