How to Make Vietnamese Beef Shank in Fish Sauce

Prepare the beef shank

1. Prepare the beef shank

Leave the beef shank whole and trim off any excess fat and tendons from the surface to prevent oiliness when marinating and to ensure the meat doesn’t shrink during boiling. Rub the beef shank with coarse salt, white wine, and a bit of crushed ginger to clean and remove any unpleasant odors. Rinse thoroughly.

If you have kitchen string, tie the beef shank into a tight, round shape to keep it compact and attractive, preventing it from shrinking too much when boiled.

2. Blanch the beef shank

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a few slices of crushed ginger, 1 stalk of lemongrass, and a pinch of coarse salt. Blanch the beef shank for about 30 seconds.

Remove the beef and rinse it clean.

3. Boil the beef shank

Place the beef shank in a pot, add 2-3 star anise flowers, 1 cinnamon stick, 2-3 slices of fresh ginger, and lemongrass. Pour in enough water to cover the beef and bring to a boil.

From the moment the water starts boiling, simmer the beef shank for 30-40 minutes over medium heat, depending on the thickness of the meat. For a 1.3kg beef shank, boil for about 40 minutes.

After boiling, let the beef shank rest in the hot water for another 5-10 minutes, then transfer it to a bowl of ice water. This helps keep the beef crunchy and prevents it from becoming dry or tough.

While soaking in ice water, gently rub the surface of the beef to remove any film or oil. For extra cleanliness, you can rinse the beef with clean water after soaking.

Once clean, place the beef shank in a colander to drain.

Prepare other ingredients

Peel the garlic and slice it thinly.

Wash the ginger thoroughly and slice it thinly as well.

Wash the chilies, then cut them into small sections or slice them diagonally. For smaller chilies, you can leave them whole.

Rinse the star anise and cinnamon sticks to remove any dirt, as these ingredients often carry a lot of dust.

Soak the green peppercorns in salted water, then drain.

Make the marinade

To make the marinade for the beef shank, mix the following ratio: 1.5 parts fish sauce, 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar, 1 part sugar. This mixture can also be used to make sweet and sour pickled pig’s ears or pork marinated in fish sauce.

For a tangier taste and a faster marinating process, you can increase the vinegar to equal the amount of fish sauce and water.

If you prefer a stronger flavor, reduce the water ratio to 1.75 parts.

To make a simple beef shank marinade, use 1 part fish sauce, 1 part sugar, and 2.5 parts water.

For a beautiful golden color, you can use brown sugar or palm sugar.

For 1kg of beef shank, mix 300ml fish sauce, 400ml water, 200ml vinegar, and 200g sugar.

Bring the marinade to a boil, and just before turning off the heat, add the star anise, cinnamon, chilies, garlic, and green peppercorns. Stir well. Adding these ingredients at this stage helps sterilize them, ensuring the beef can be marinated for longer without spoiling.

Allow the marinade to cool completely before pouring it over the beef shank to prevent spoilage or the formation of a film.

Marinate the beef shank

Thoroughly clean the jar for marinating the beef, then rinse it with hot water and a bit of coarse salt to sterilize it. Dry the jar completely.

Place the beef shank into the jar, then layer the chilies, ginger, green peppercorns, and other spices around the beef. Finally, pour the cooled marinade over the beef. If the beef shank is small, leave it whole for an attractive, round appearance when sliced. If it's too large, you can cut it in half to speed up the marinating process.

Make sure the beef is fully submerged in the marinade to absorb all the flavors and prevent spoilage. Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool place. After about 1 day, the marinated beef shank will be ready to eat. To prevent the beef from becoming too sour, refrigerate the jar, or transfer the beef to an airtight container and store in the fridge for gradual use.