Sichuan Boiled Beef (Shuǐ Zhǔ Niú Ròu 水煮牛肉)

Sichuan boiled beef (Shuǐ Zhǔ Niú Ròu, 水煮牛肉) is a traditional Sichuan dish of beef poached in a spicy broth with aromatics and vegetables. 水煮 (shuǐzhǔ), or “water-boiled,” dishes are among the most famous in Sichuan cooking – feared and loved in equal measure. The name literally means “beef boiled in water.” Boiled beef doesn’t sound especially exciting, but this dish is a pleasant surprise, Sichuan style: bold, fiery and deeply aromatic, everything Sichuan cooking is known for.

The Story Behind the Dish

A popular story traces the dish to the salt-producing town of Zigong in Sichuan, where oxen were used to haul brine up from deep salt wells. The strong, hardworking animals were invaluable, and when one reached the end of its working life, the laborers would slaughter it, slice the meat thinly and cook it in salty brine with Sichuan pepper and chilies. The result was tender, flavorful meat – and the ancestor of today’s Sichuan boiled beef: thinly sliced, poached beef swimming in chili oil. The spicy, warming seasoning was also believed to aid digestion and keep the body healthy.

How It’s Made

The key to perfect Sichuan boiled beef is well-marinated meat. Good-quality beef is sliced thinly and velveted with egg and cornstarch, then poached very briefly in a spicy broth made from doubanjiang, aromatics and stock. This keeps the beef soft and juicy while it cooks through and soaks up the flavor. The most common seasonings are Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, ginger and garlic. Typical vegetables include bamboo shoots, leafy greens, mushrooms, celery and bean sprouts.

The dish is served in a large bowl that keeps it hot. Everyone helps themselves to beef and vegetables, spooning over as much of the spicy broth as they like – so each person can adjust the heat to their own taste.

Sichuan boiled beef is a favorite main course in Sichuan and a must for anyone who loves spicy food. It’s a gloriously aromatic, warming dish – perfect for fall and winter, but just as good any time of year.

Print Recipe

Sichuan Boiled Beef (Shuǐ Zhǔ Niú Ròu 水煮牛肉)

Tender slices of velveted beef poached in a fiery doubanjiang broth over crisp vegetables, finished with sizzling oil poured over garlic, dried chilies and Sichuan pepper.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

Beef and marinade

• 300 g beef about 10 oz, flank or sirloin
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Chili and pepper topping

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 12–24 dried red chilies seeds removed
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

Vegetables

• ½ head romaine lettuce roughly chopped
• 1 handful mung bean sprouts

Broth

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 6 slices ginger
• 3 cloves garlic sliced
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang chili bean paste
• 1 tsp chili flakes or chili powder to taste
• 500 ml unsalted stock or water about 2 cups

To finish

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 3 sprigs cilantro chopped

Instructions

• Slice the beef thinly against the grain (about 2 mm / ⅛ inch) and put it in a bowl. Add the salt, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, egg, cornstarch and water. Massage with your hands until the liquid is absorbed, then mix in the sesame oil.
• Put 1 tablespoon oil, the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns in a cold wok. Fry over low heat until fragrant – don’t let them burn. Transfer to a cutting board, chop finely and set aside.
• In the same wok, stir-fry the lettuce and bean sprouts in the remaining oil over medium heat until just wilted. Transfer to a deep serving bowl.
• Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok with the ginger, garlic, doubanjiang and chili powder. Fry over low heat until the oil turns red and fragrant. Pour in the stock or water and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the marinated beef one slice at a time and cook until it’s no longer pink on the surface. Pour the beef and broth over the vegetables.
• Scatter the minced garlic and the chopped chili-pepper mixture from step 2 over the beef. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a clean, dry wok until it just starts to smoke, then pour it over the garlic and spices – it should sizzle.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve right away with steamed rice.

Notes

Choose dried chilies to suit your heat tolerance. Two Chinese varieties work especially well here:

• Facing heaven chilies (cháo tiān jiāo 朝天椒) – hotter
• Lantern chilies (dēng lóng jiāo 灯笼椒) – barely spicy but very fragrant

Instead of lettuce and bean sprouts, you can use bok choy, napa cabbage, leeks cut lengthwise, the white part of scallions, oyster mushrooms or enoki mushrooms.

Look for doubanjiang (ideally Pixian), Sichuan peppercorns and Chinese dried chilies at Asian grocery stores or online.