Chinese Stew Soup Recipe with Beef and Daikon

Chinese beef stew soup is a comforting one-pot dish of tender beef, daikon, carrots, and a savory broth scented with ginger, soy, and warming spices. Versions vary across regions and households; this approachable stovetop version borrows familiar braising flavors and serves the vegetables and broth right alongside the beef.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil (30 ml), such as canola or peanut oil
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (1.13 kg)
1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges (about 150 g)
4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled (about 12 g)
1 piece fresh ginger, about 1 inch long, sliced (25 g)
2 tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine (30 ml); use dry sherry as a substitute, or omit it and add the same amount of broth
8 cups unsalted beef broth (1.9 L); use water for a lighter broth, or use 6 cups broth and 2 cups water
1/4 cup regular light soy sauce (60 ml)
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (15 ml), optional for deeper color
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12 g)
2 whole star anise pods (about 2 g)
1 small cinnamon stick (about 5 g)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (about 2 g)
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 pounds daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (680 g)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick chunks (about 250 g)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste (3 g)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (about 0.5 g)
3 scallions, thinly sliced, for serving (about 30 g)

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Pat the beef dry with paper towels so it can brown rather than steam. Cut the onion, daikon, and carrots into generously sized pieces; small pieces can soften too much during the long simmer. Keep the ginger and garlic whole or roughly crushed, since they will flavor the broth and are easy to remove later. Set the soy sauces, sugar, and spices near the stove.
Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a heavy 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, arrange the beef in a single layer and brown it for about 10 minutes total, turning to color several sides. Avoid crowding the pot; if the beef releases liquid and turns gray, lift it out, let the liquid evaporate, and brown the next batch. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.
Build the aromatic base. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the pot and stir for about 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and scrape the bottom again for about 1 minute, until the sharp alcohol smell subsides. If you are not using wine, add a splash of broth instead and scrape the pot clean.
Start the braise. Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add the broth, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce if using, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring the liquid just to a boil, skimming off any foam that gathers on top. Lower the heat until the soup has a gentle simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 1 hour 35 minutes. Check occasionally: the surface should bubble softly, not boil hard, and the beef should be starting to yield when pierced.
Add the root vegetables. Stir in the daikon and carrots, making sure they are mostly submerged. Cover again and simmer gently for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced but still hold their shape. If the beef is not fork-tender yet, continue simmering in 10-minute increments; chuck can vary in tenderness depending on the size and shape of its pieces.
Check doneness and season. Check a thick piece of beef with a food thermometer. USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of beef; this long simmer should take the stew well beyond that temperature, and the meat should be tender. Remove the star anise, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Taste the broth, then add the salt and white pepper gradually. If it tastes too strong, loosen it with a little hot water; if it seems mild, add soy sauce a teaspoon at a time.
Finish and serve. Let the covered pot stand for 2 minutes, then ladle beef, vegetables, and broth into warm bowls. Scatter scallions over the top. Skim excess fat from the surface with a spoon if desired, or leave a little for a richer broth.

Tips

Choose chuck and cut it evenly. Beef chuck has connective tissue that softens during a slow simmer and gives the broth body. Cut the pieces to roughly the same size so they finish at about the same time. Brisket also works, though its grain and texture will be different; very lean steak tends to become dry and stringy in a long braise.
Keep the simmer gentle. A vigorous boil can make the meat tighten and break the vegetables apart before the beef is tender. If the surface is rolling, lower the heat. Keep the lid slightly ajar so the soup reduces a little while retaining enough liquid to cover most of the ingredients.
Treat the spices as a background note. Star anise and cinnamon are fragrant, so measure them rather than adding extra by instinct. Whole spices are easy to remove before serving. If you do not have star anise, leave it out rather than replacing it with a large amount of ground spice; the broth will be less licorice-like but still savory.
Adjust salt at the end. Broths and soy sauces vary in saltiness, and the broth concentrates slightly as it simmers. Starting with unsalted broth gives you more control. If you only have salted broth, reduce the added salt and taste before adding any more soy sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this as a complete soup meal with steamed rice, so the grains can soak up the soy-ginger broth. For a noodle bowl, cook wheat noodles or rice noodles separately according to their package directions, divide them among bowls, and ladle the hot stew over them just before eating. Cooking noodles in the stew itself can make the broth cloudy and leave the noodles overly soft, especially if you expect leftovers.

A plate of blanched leafy greens, such as bok choy or Chinese broccoli, makes a fresh contrast to the rich beef and root vegetables. Add the greens to each bowl or serve them alongside with a little sesame oil. Offer chili oil, sliced fresh chile, or extra white pepper at the table rather than making the whole pot spicy; that lets everyone season their own portion.

Variations

Use brisket: Replace the chuck with the same weight of beef brisket cut into large cubes. It may need an additional 15 to 30 minutes of gentle simmering, so judge it by tenderness rather than relying only on the clock. Brisket can be fattier; chill the finished soup and lift off the firm fat if you prefer a cleaner broth.

Make it without wine: Shaoxing wine adds a rounded, slightly toasted aroma, but the recipe still works without it. Dry sherry is a practical substitute with a similar effect; broth is the simplest alcohol-free swap and produces a slightly less complex flavor. Avoid sweet cooking wine unless you reduce the added sugar and taste carefully.

Add mushrooms or tofu: Add about 8 ounces (225 g) of quartered shiitake mushrooms with the daikon for an earthy note. For a meat-free variation, replace the beef broth with vegetable broth and use firm tofu, but do not follow the long beef simmer for tofu: add 14 ounces (400 g) of firm tofu cubes during the final 10 minutes so they warm through without crumbling.

Make the broth lighter: Replace 2 cups (475 ml) of the beef broth with water and leave out the dark soy sauce. The soup will have a gentler beef flavor and paler color. You can still deepen it at the table with a small splash of soy sauce, rather than adding more salt to the entire pot.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, divided into shallow, covered containers so they cool promptly. Keep the soup refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. The flavors often become more blended overnight, and the beef may firm up slightly when cold. If a layer of fat forms on top, remove it before reheating or stir a little back in for a richer finish.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled stew in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Leave a little space at the top because liquid expands as it freezes. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, or reheat from frozen over low heat with a splash of water, stirring as the broth loosens. The daikon and carrots may be softer after freezing, but the soup remains suitable for serving.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C). Check the center with a food thermometer, especially when reheating a thick portion. Add a little water or broth if it has reduced in storage, and avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the whole pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Chinese beef stew soup ahead?
Yes. Cook it through, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it in shallow containers. Reheat the amount you need to 165°F (74°C). If you want the vegetables to stay firmer, cook the beef in the broth ahead, refrigerate it, then add freshly cut daikon and carrots while reheating and simmer until tender.

Why is my beef still tough?
It usually needs more time rather than more heat. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer and cook the beef in 10-minute increments until a fork slides into a piece easily. A hard boil can make the texture worse, while pieces cut much larger than 1 1/2 inches can take longer than the recipe estimate.

Can I use turnip instead of daikon?
Yes. Peel and cut a similar weight of white turnip into large chunks, then add it at the same stage as the daikon. Turnip has a more pronounced earthy, slightly peppery flavor and can soften sooner, so begin checking it after 18 to 20 minutes. Regular red radishes are not an ideal direct replacement because their flavor and texture differ.

What can I use instead of Shaoxing wine?
Dry sherry is the closest convenient substitute and keeps the broth’s rounded aroma. If you do not have it, use an equal amount of broth or water; the soup will taste a little less layered, but it does not depend on wine to work. Do not use rice vinegar as a one-for-one substitute, since its acidity changes the broth.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?
For best flavor, brown the beef and cook the onion, garlic, and ginger in a pan first, then transfer them to the slow cooker with the broth, soy, sugar, and whole spices. Cook on low until the beef is tender, generally about 7 to 8 hours, adding the daikon and carrots for the last 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Slow cookers vary, so check both beef tenderness and vegetable texture.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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