That smell of soy sauce heating up with sugar — salty caramel, slightly smoky — is the signal that something good is happening. This Asian-style braised beef is the recipe you’ll make every Sunday without ever getting tired of it. Ten minutes of active work, the pot takes care of the rest.
Ingredients :
- Beef Short Ribs — This is the best cut here — enough fat to stay tender after 1.5 hours of braising without drying out. Beef brisket also works very well. Avoid lean cuts like rump steak: after this much cooking, it becomes dry and rubbery.
- Dark Soy Sauce — It gives that characteristic mahogany color and a rounder flavor, less aggressive than light soy. If you only have one kind, light soy will do, but the final color will be less deep and the taste slightly saltier.
- Sugar — Basic white sugar works perfectly. It balances the salt from the soy and contributes to that caramelized glaze at the end of cooking. One tablespoon — no more. It’s a balance, not a jam.
- Fresh Ginger — No ground ginger here — fresh brings a light freshness and a discreet heat that holds its own against the soy sauce. Cut it into thick slices, no need to peel if you wash it well. You remove the slices before serving.
