How to cook the tastiest beef stew with a standard 4-step recipe

Neutralizing the Rawness

Whether you keep the beef whole or cut it into pieces, rub it thoroughly with 40g of finely minced ginger and 50ml white wine for about 15 minutes. The purpose of this step is to eliminate the distinctive smell and aftertaste of beef. 

After neutralizing the rawness, rinse the beef thoroughly.

Partial Cooking

Crush the lemongrass and ginger, add them to a pot with about 2.5 liters of water, and bring it to a boil. After boiling for 5 minutes, add the beef and 5g of salt, and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. After that, remove the beef, rinse it thoroughly and let it dry before marinating.

For dishes like stir-fried beef, rare beef, or hotpot, you only need to neutralize the rawness of the beef. However, for stewing, braising or pot-roasting, an additional step of partial cooking is required. In simple terms, this is a quick boil to let the beef bleed, making the beef more appetizing and fragrant.

Marinating the Beef

This is a crucial step that determines the flavor of the Beef Stew. Therefore, the amount of seasoning added should be fairly accurate to balance the flavors. You can adjust the seasoning during the cooking process to suit your family's taste.

Mix the beef thoroughly with all the prepared ingredients for step 3, marinate for about 15 minutes to let the beef absorb the flavors.

You can find stew beef powder at supermarkets or dried goods stores.

It's important to distinguish between tomato sauce and ketchup and avoid confusion.

Cooking the Beef Stew

Heat the cooking oil in a pot, then add the minced onions and garlic, followed by the lemongrass. Saute all ingredients until fragrant. Next, add the beef and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.

Add cold water and coconut water, increase the heat slightly and stew the beef for about 10 minutes. Then transfer the stew to a pressure cooker and continue to stew for 40-45 minutes at low temperature.

You should only add enough coconut water as stated above (800ml for 1kg of beef). Do not add too much coconut water, or the stew will be too sweet and lose its authentic flavor. Additionally, adding too much coconut water can cause the stew to sour when reheated.

While waiting for the beef to stew, prepare the carrots and vegetables. Accordingly, cut the carrots into even pieces or shape them into flowers as you like. Besides carrots, you can also use potatoes or radishes.

To prevent the carrots from breaking apart, do not add them to the stew from the beginning. Instead, slightly fry them and only add them 7-10 minutes before turning off the heat.

For the herbs, remember to keep the stem and root of basil, Vietnamese coriander, and coriander. Soak them in salt water and rinse thoroughly, then drain. These parts will be added to the beef stew to enhance the aroma and flavor of the dish. The leaves should be chopped to sprinkle over the beef stew when it's done.

Preparing the Thick Base Sauce (Ruox Sauce):

This is a thick base sauce made from butter and flour. Its purpose is to create a velvety texture and a rich aroma for the dish. Cornstarch can be used to thicken the sauce, but it lacks the appealing aroma of butter and flour. Moreover, this sauce balances starch and fat, preventing the dish from becoming cloying.

Put 20g of butter in a pan, heat it until the butter is hot and melted, then add 15g of flour and lightly stir for about 3 minutes before transferring to a separate dish.

After about 40 minutes, the beef has become tender. Add the carrots and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the root of Vietnamese coriander and basil to one corner of the pot and simmer for about 2 minutes before removing, stirring to evenly distribute the aroma.

Add the base sauce to the pot, stir well and cook for another 2 minutes before turning off the heat. Scoop the beef stew into a bowl, sprinkle some chopped basil, Vietnamese coriander, and coriander, a bit of pepper, and enjoy it hot with bread or noodles.

Beef Stew Dipping Sauce:

For those who prefer stronger flavors, you can prepare a dipping sauce for the Beef Stew if necessary.

Ingredients:

• Toasted salt/salt: 25g
• MSG: 5g
• Fresh chili: 5g, ground
• Chili powder: 5g
• Lime: 1 piece

Add all the above seasonings into a bowl, squeeze in the lime juice, and mix well.