Chinese Muslim Style Spiced Cold Beef Recipes

CHINESE COLD SPICED BEEF

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry about 30 seconds. Add beef shanks and brown briefly; stir-fry about 1 minute.
• Add rice wine, soy sauces, water, cinnamon, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Check and add liquid if needed.
• Stir in sugar. Simmer an additional 10 minutes or until beef is tender.
• Remove beef from wok. Cool; place in ziplock bag and refrigerate until chilled or freeze along with a little of the cooking liquid.
• To use after chilling: slice beef thinly; arrange attractively on a platter and garnish with cilantro, if desired.
• To use after freezing: thaw beef in refrigerator and drain off liquid. Continue as above.

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS SPICED BEEF

Steps:

• Rub the meat all over with the sugar and put it in a pot with a lid for 2 days.
• Leave it in a cool place, turning and rubbing the meat at least 2 times a day with the sticky liquor that develops.
• Crush the peppercorns, juniper berries and allspice with a mortar and pestle and mix with the salt and saltpeter. Rub this mixture well into the meat and leave it in the pot for another 9 days in a very cool place.
• Turn the meat and rub the pickling mixture into the meat daily.
• When the pickling is complete, remove the beef and rub off any excess spices adhering to the surface.
• Do not rinse it.
• Wrap the meat in suet and put into a large ovenproof pot.
• Add about 10 fl oz water, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid.
• Preheat the oven to 275 deg F.
• Bake the meat slowly allowing 45 min per lb.
• When the meat is cooked, remove from the pot and set aside until it is quite cold.
• Unwrap the meat, drain off any excess liquid and place on a board.
• Cover with clean cheese cloth, put a weight on it and leave for at least 24 hrs in a very cold place.
• Carve the meat into thin slices and serve with good mustard or horseradish and pickled onions.

CHINESE MUSLIM STIR-FRIED BEEF AND CELERY (QIN CAI CHAO NIU ROU)

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix raw ground beef with salt.
• Mince chili pepper and celery (3mm pieces). The Chinese leave the seeds in the chili, which yields a spicy dish. You may remove them if you like.
• Thinly slice garlic.
• Heat empty wok over highest heat for 30 seconds. Add peanut oil and swirl to heat. When oil starts to smoke, add garlic and stir a few seconds until slightly fragrant.
• Quickly, before garlic burns, add chili peppers and celery and stir-fry several minutes. They should not lose their color.
• Remove vegetables to a bowl, leaving as much oil in the wok as possible.
• Again make sure wok is very hot, then add peppercorns and sizzle briefly until fragrant.
• Add beef and stir-fry a minute or two until done.
• Add vegetables to meat, combine thoroughly, and serve with rice and several other Chinese dishes.
• Serves four as part of a Chinese meal. Serves 1 or 2 with no other dishes.