Beef in black bean sauce

This unbelievable Beef in Black Bean Sauce recipe is from Hannah, a chef at RecipeTin Meals (my meals financial institution). It’s the very best I’ve ever had. She comes from a household of Chinese language cooks, so she has extraordinarily excessive requirements with regards to Chinese language meals!!

Beef in black bean sauce is lastly right here!

Beef in black bean sauce has been probably the most requested reader recipes for years, however I haven’t been courageous sufficient to share it as a result of I by no means felt my sauce was fairly proper. It is a beloved Chinese language restaurant traditional that must be accomplished correctly!

Because it seems although, now we have a superb Chinese language chef at our meals financial institution – Chef Hannah – and we’ve been utilizing her Beef in black bean sauce recipe at RecipeTin Meals for nearly yr, making meals for the susceptible. Her recipe is a lifeless ringer for gold normal Chinese language eating places – however higher, as a result of you may style the components extra.

That is Chef Hannah, making the Beef in Black Bean at RTM. Simply 600 servings!

70% cheaper – and counting

The opposite large factor this home made model has going for it’s that you simply’ll additionally save a bomb – nearly 70% of the fee. Increased finish Chinese language eating places cost over $30 for a serving about one-third of the scale of what this recipe makes. The components to make this at residence will price you lower than $25. Nearer to $15 if you happen to use the economical beef possibility which, hand on coronary heart, is 95% nearly as good. I used to be blown away by how good it was! Extra on this within the components part under.

Components in beef in black bean sauce

We’re making the black bean sauce from scratch right this moment as a result of it tastes means higher than the jarred stuff which, to be trustworthy, barely resembles the true deal. So the important thing ingredient in right this moment’s recipe is the black beans, and sure you’ll need to go to an Asian retailer. However they’re low cost ($2.50 for small packs), frequent and can final *eternally* (although I’ll wager you utilize all of them up making this recipe time and again – attempt it with hen subsequent!).

When you get the black beans although, you’ll be pleased to know that every one the opposite components are fundamental Asian sauce necessities. 🙂

1. PRESERVED black beans for Chinese language black beans sauce

That is what preserved black beans appears like – shrivelled up raisins:

What Chinese language salted black beans are – black soy beans which were fermented in salt which add savouriness and salt into the dish. They’re a bit squishy – like further agency raisins.

Different names – Preserved black beans are additionally referred to as:

• Salted or fermented black beans

• Any mixture of the above: eg salted preserved black beans

• Black beans (in an Asian grocer, not a Western grocer – see observe above!)

• Douchi (dòu chǐ in Mandarin or dau6si6 in Cantonese, 豆豉 – thanks for the language lesson Woks of Life!)

Discover them at Asian grocery shops alongside pickled and vac packed greens. They price round $2.70 for the smallest packs.

No appropriate substitute that I can consider.

To not be confused with Western dried black beans that are rock onerous. Canned black beans (ie common Western ones) can’t be used, they aren’t the identical factor (see above – salted black beans are literally soy beans!).

2. BEEF AND MARINADE

Right here’s what you want for the meat and marinade.

• Beef (rump steak) – The bottom recipe requires rump steak (US: high sirloin) – for flavour, worth and texture. Scotch/rib eye and porterhouse/sirloin (strip) are additionally nice however costlier.

  Economical cuts (65% cheaper) – blade roast (good!) and chuck work extraordinarily nicely, nonetheless, the recipe must be alternated for an extended marinade time (24 hours as a substitute of 1 hour). See expandable accordion under for extra info.

Marinade

• Baking soda (bicarbonate) – A small quantity (simply 1/4 teaspoons) blended into the marinade tenderises the meat stunning so it stays tender. With out, the meat will overcook and turn into robust. I attempted and confirmed tenderising methodology used liberally in my Asian recipes!

• Mild soy sauce – You may substitute with an all function soy sauce. However not darkish soy sauce – flavour is just too sturdy and the color is just too intense! Extra on which soy sauce to make use of when right here.

• Darkish soy sauce – Stains the meat and provides extra intense soy flavour than gentle soy. You may substitute with extra gentle soy sauce however the beef color is not going to be the identical and the flavour can be a bit lighter.

• Oyster sauce – A staple Asian sauce that provides complexity, flavour and umami suddenly. Constituted of oyster extract that’s candy, salty, thick and pungent, however doesn’t tasty oyster-y or fishy in any respect as soon as cooked. Could be substituted with shellfish free different – vegetarian “oyster” sauce, even discovered at common grocery shops as of late.

• Cornflour / cornstarch – This makes the meat cook dinner so it has a skinny film-like coating on it which makes it type of slippery, similar to you get at Chinese language eating places.

Beef cuts not advisable

• Beef tenderloin / fillet – really feel this dear lower is wasted for this recipe. It’s already so tender, however you continue to need to tenderise it as a result of skinny beef slices overcook on this stir fry, so that you’re paying for high quality you don’t get to understand. Additionally, the slices don’t color as properly (it stays sort of gray) and since tenderloin doesn’t have sturdy beefy flavour, it will get overwhelmed by the sauce).

• Skirt, hanger, bavette and related cuts “butcher’s cuts” fashionable in South American cooking.

• Quick rib, cheek and different very gelatinous gradual cooking cuts of beef, or beef onerous to chop into slices for gradual cooking (like shank – osso bucco).

3. THE STIR FRY AND SAUCE

Right here’s what you want for the sauce and the greens within the stir fry. The sauce could be very easy and solely makes use of 1 tablespoon of soy sauce as a result of this dish will get most of its flavour from the black beans.

• Mild soy – see notes within the above part. Don’t use darkish soy sauce, it’s too intense!

• Cornflour / cornstarch – thickens the sauce and makes it shiny.

• Sugar – to get the proper sweetness within the sauce

• Water – rather a lot, an entire cup! There’s a number of stir fry. We’d like loads of sauce!

• Oil – for cooking. Peanut oil, canola, vegetable oil – something with a impartial flavour.

• Inexperienced capsicum / bell pepper – the standard color for beef in black bean right here in Australia. Be happy to go wild and use crimson or yellow if you need. 😳 (I’m not rebellious sufficient).

• Onion and garlic – Attempt to discover a stir fry recipe on my web site that doesn’t have these. (You gained’t!). The onion is lower into squares which is the standard form used for this dish in Chinese language eating places.

make Beef in black bean sauce

The meat wants 1 hour to marinade to infuse with flavour and tenderise. Use this time to soak the black beans and put together the opposite components. The cooking half itself takes barely 10 minutes!

1. Marinade

1. Slice – Finely slice the meat into 3mm / 0.1″ thick items.

   Professional tip (optionally available): In case you simply slice steak, the meat items are fairly skinny. For good massive items aka restaurant fashion, lower 2.5 x 4cm items (1 x 1.5″) items out of the steak, stand on its facet then slice finely so that you get bigger 2.5 x 4cm items (1 x 1.5″) slices.

2. Marinade – Combine all of the marinade components besides the sesame oil. Then toss to coat the meat, then add the sesame oil and toss. Marinade for 1 hour within the fridge.

2. SOAKING the preserved black BEANS

1. Soak black beans in water for half-hour to 1 hour. They are going to plump up and soften so that they’re nice to chew into and launch extra flavour into the sauce.

2. Drain – Then drain in a colander and simply put it apart till able to cook dinner.

3. HOW TO COOK BEEF IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

For actual restaurant fashion, the meat must be shallow fried which makes the floor of the meat slippery and softer than sautéing. Nonetheless, I promise you might be nonetheless going to like this if you happen to decide to only sauté in a bit oil as a substitute!

1. Shallow fry beef – Warmth the oil over excessive warmth in a wok then cook dinner the meat for 30 seconds till it adjustments from crimson to brown. If choosing the much less oil possibility, simply warmth 2 tablespoons of oil then stir the meat for 45 seconds such as you’re making an everyday beef stir fry, till the floor of all the meat is cooked.

   Cooking vessel – Wok works greatest since you get extra oil depth although it really works nicely in a pan too. Use a big deep one as this recipe makes a reasonably beneficiant quantity!

2. Take away the meat utilizing a slotted spoon onto a plate.

3. Discard a lot of the oil however maintain 3 tablespoons for cooking.

4. Aromatics first – Cook dinner the black beans first for 20 seconds, then add the garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Add the onions and capsicum first and stir for 1 minute till the sides of the onion begins to melt.

5. Beef and Chinese language cooking wine – Add the meat and toss for 30 seconds. Then pour the Chinese language cooking wine across the rim of the wok so it runs down the facet into the meat. It is a traditional Chinese language cooking method that “cooks” the sauce earlier than mixing with all the things else. (It’s not an enormous deal if you happen to miss although and the wine goes straight into the meat!).

6. Add the sauce and cook dinner for an additional minute or till the sauce thickens, turns into shiny and thick sufficient to coat the meat.

   Pour all of it right into a serving bowl and serve with rice!

Have a look at this saucy perfection with these little pops of black beans and that beef, that unbelievably tender beef!!

And a pleasant shut up rice soakage shot for you:

Wow. Simply wow.

Thanks Chef Hannah, for this unbelievable recipe. Whereas we’ve been utilizing this at RTM for some time, the recipe is barely totally different as a result of we cook dinner at scale there (600x), we use industrial gear and the meals is designed to be reheated.

So Hannah altered the recipe to make it appropriate for residence kitchens, and tweaked it to goal for gold-standard Chinese language restaurant high quality.

She completely nailed it. I actually hope you give this a go! Hand on coronary heart, I’ve by no means had higher. – Nagi x

Watch the best way to make it

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Beef in black bean sauce

Creator: Nagi

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook dinner: 10 minutes minutes

Marinating: 1 hour hr

Complete: 1 hour hr 30 minutes minutes

Mains

Chinese language

Servings4 – 5 folks

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. This unbelievable Beef in Black Bean Sauce recipe is from Hannah, a chef at our meals financial institution RecipeTin Meals who was born right into a household of Chinese language cooks. I will wager it beats any Chinese language restaurant you’ve tried – even “fancy” metropolis ones – and it’s far, far cheaper. Constituted of scratch, it leaves jarred sauces within the mud. Shockingly straightforward!

Components

CupsMetric

Tenderising beef marinade:

Cook dinner ModeForestall display screen from sleeping

Directions

Abbreviated recipe:

• Marinade beef 1 hour, soak beans, combine sauce. Shallow fry beef 30 seconds, take away. Discard all however 3 tbsp oil. Add and cook dinner on this order: black beans 20 seconds, garlic 10 seconds, onion + capsicum 1 minute, beef 1 minute, cooking wine 30 seconds, sauce 1 minute or till thickened. Serve!

Marinade beef:

• Combine the marinade components EXCEPT sesame oil in a bowl. Add beef, combine to coat. Add sesame oil, combine once more.

• Marinade – Refrigerate to marinade for 1 hour.

Preparation:

• Soak beans – Put the salted black beans in a medium bowl and canopy with water. Put aside for half-hour to 1 hour to soak, then drain.

• Combine sauce – Put the cornflour, soy sauce and sugar in a jug or small bowl. Combine till lump free then combine within the water. Put aside.

Cooking:

• Cook dinner beef – Warmth the oil in a wok (or non stick pan) over excessive warmth. Add the meat and cook dinner, tossing, for 30 seconds till it adjustments from crimson to brown. Take away with a slotted spoon onto a plate.

• Discard a lot of the oil within the wok, maintain simply 3 tablespoons.

• Aromatics – Return the wok to excessive warmth. Add the black beans and stir for 20 seconds, then add the garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Add the capsicum and onion, cook dinner for 1 minute.

• Beef – Add beef and any juices pooled on the plate, toss for 1 minute. Pour the Chinese language cooking wine across the sides of the wok so it runs down into the meat then toss for 30 seconds (Word 8)

• Sauce – Pour the sauce in, then stir and let it bubble for 1 minute or till the sauce thickens, is shiny and coats the meat superbly.

• Serve – Pour right into a serving bowl and serve with rice!

Recipe Notes:

1. Preserved black beans – Additionally referred to as salted or fermented black beans, discover it in Asian shops within the pickled/vac packed vegetable aisle, $2.70 a pack (lengthy shelf life, or freeze). Wrinkled and a bit squishy, not rock onerous. Provides savouriness and salt, the important thing flavour on this dish. No substitute, sorry! 
Word: don’t confuse with common Western dried again beans that are rock onerous.
2. Beef – May also use scotch fillet/boneless rib eye or porterhouse/sirloin (US: New York strip).
Finest economical possibility – blade roast beef (65% cheaper). Wonderful outcomes! Use considered one of these strategies:
a) longer marinade: 24 hrs (as a substitute of 1 hr); or
b) quick marinade: sprinkle and toss plain beef slices with 1 1/4 tsp baking soda, fridge 40 minute. Rinse nicely in colander. Marinade beef 30 min utilizing recipe however EXCLUDE baking soda. Proceed with recipe.
Chuck additionally nice (identical instructions) however blade is less complicated to chop. See Components field in put up for extra beef choices.
3. Garlic – Knife greatest. If utilizing a garlic crusher, add the garlic in direction of finish of onion cooking time (else it should burn).
4. Oil amount – To actually replicate restaurant silky tender beef, it must be shallow fried reasonably than sautéed. To scale back, use 3 tbsp and sauté the meat as a substitute.
5. Chinese language cooking wine (“Shaoxing wine”)– important ingredient for making really “restaurant normal” Chinese language dishes. Substitute with cooking sake or dry sherry. Non alcoholic sub – substitute half the water with low sodium hen inventory/broth.
6. Soy sauces – Mild soy sauce: you should utilize any all function soy sauce however don’t use darkish soy or candy soy. Darkish soy: can substitute with gentle or all function soy however will lose color and a little bit of soy flavour. Extra info on soy sauces right here.
7. Baking soda is a magic meat tenderiser! Extra in put up or right here.
8. Pouring Shaoxing wine across the facet of the wok – conventional Chinese language cooking method so it “cooks” the sauce earlier than it reaches the components.
Leftovers will maintain for 3 days within the fridge, retains very nicely. Not appropriate for freezing (sauce thins).
Vitamin per serving, assuming 5 servings, excluding rice. I really feel just like the sodium is increased than it really is as a result of salt will get extracted throughout the soaking step.

Vitamin Data:

Energy: 421cal (21%)Carbohydrates: 16g (5%)Protein: 24g (48%)Fats: 22g (34%)Saturated Fats: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 6gMonounsaturated Fats: 10gLdl cholesterol: 61mg (20%)Sodium: 1740mg (76%)Potassium: 476mg (14%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 111IU (2%)Vitamin C: 27mg (33%)Calcium: 47mg (5%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Key phrases: beef in black bean sauce

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