Taiwanese braised beef shank recipe
Taiwanese Braised Beef Shank (滷牛腱) made easy in a pressure cooker. Tender, sliceable, lightly spiced, and perfect as a chilled appetizer.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2-3 whole boneless beef shank about 12 oz each (牛腱)
- 3 oz whole garlic cloves 10 large
- 0.6 oz ginger sliced (6 slices)
- 4 scallion separate white and green parts
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 whole cinnamon stick 3.25-inch stick
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 2 whole star anise pods
Braising liquid:
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup light soy sauce
- ½ cup Taiwanese Michu clear rice wine, or Shaoxing wine
- 1.5 tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 tsp five spice powder
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or 3-3.5 tbsp rock sugar
Optional add-ins (marinate together):
- Hard boiled eggs
- Medium-firm to firm tofu not extra-firm, cut into large chunks
Garnish & serving:
- Drizzle Toasted sesame oil
- Diced Cilantro leaves or diced green onions
- Taiwanese thick soy sauce optional dipping
- Garlic chili sauce optional dipping
Instructions
- Before You Start: This recipe works best if you let the beef chill in the braising liquid overnight after cooking. The cooling and resting time helps the flavor settle and makes slicing much easier — so plan ahead.
- Trim the beef shank: Use a sharp boning knife to trim away the surface silver skin. This step isn’t strictly required, but trimming the silver skin gives noticeably cleaner texture and better slicing.Leave the shank whole — do not slice.
- Poke holes: Use a fork to poke holes all over the beef shank. This helps the braising liquid penetrate more evenly during chilling.
- Remove impurities: Fill a large pot with room-temperature water and add the whole shanks. The water should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the meat.
- Bring to a boil, then lower to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. This removes impurities and keeps the braising liquid clear and clean in flavor.
- The shank will “shrink” into a round ball shape and that’s totally normal. Remove the shanks and set aside on a plate. Do not rinse under cold water. Discard the boiling water.
- Prepare aromatics: Measure the garlic (leave whole). Slice the ginger into long pieces. Separate scallion whites from greens. Cut the white parts into large sections. Dice the green parts finely for garnish and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Mix braising liquid: Combine all braising liquid ingredients (from stock through sugar) in a large jar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Pressure cook: In a 6-quart Instant Pot, press SAUTE. Add 1 tbsp oil and wait until it reads HOT. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add liquid: Pour in the braising liquid. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom to prevent sticking. Press CANCEL.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon stick, and return the beef shanks to the pot. Seal the lid. Set valve to SEALING. Press MANUAL (HIGH PRESSURE) for 35 minutes. Allow natural release for 25–30 minutes until fully depressurized.
- After depressurizing: Open the lid. Press CANCEL. Flip the shanks so the top side contacts the braising liquid.
- Optional add-ins: Add hard-boiled eggs and tofu to the liquid.
- Marinate: Let the braise cool completely. Transfer everything (including aromatics) to a large container. Make sure the beef is fully submerged. Refrigerate overnight and up to 3 days for deeper flavor.
- After marinating, discard the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and star anise before slicing.
- Plating and serving: Slice thinly against the grain. Arrange on a round plate with halved eggs and tofu in the center. Drizzle with sesame oil. Spoon a few tablespoons of braising liquid over the slices to moisten and season. Garnish and serve chilled or at room temperature with optional dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
- Beef shank alternative cuts: You can use chuck roast or brisket if boneless shank isn’t available. Trim excess fat and cut into thick long, shank-sized pieces so they hold their shape when sliced.
- Adjust pressure cook time (6-quart Instant Pot):
- Chuck roast: 25–30 minutes + full natural release
- Brisket: 45–50 minutes + full natural release
- Do not quick release
- Do not rinse the beef shank after the blanching step. Rinsing—especially with cold water—can cause the surface of the meat to tighten and slightly firm up. Simply discard the blanching water and continue with the recipe.
- Braising liquid balance: Do not make the sauce too salty. The color should be light golden brown — similar to black tea. If the liquid starts too salty, the beef will taste even saltier after chilling.
- Leftover braising liquid: Taste and dilute with water or stock to use as a noodle soup base.
- Make-ahead: This dish is designed for making ahead. Marinate the whole shank (after cooked and unsliced) up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze Braised Beef Shank: For best results, freeze the shank whole (do not slice). Divide into individual airtight containers, ideally one shank per container, and add enough braising liquid to mostly submerge the meat. It’s normal if the shank floats slightly. Freeze for up to 2–3 months for best quality.
- Defrosting: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24–36 hours until fully defrosted, then slice and plate as usual. Do not slice before freezing — the whole shank retains texture better.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 1749mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 97IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
