Cantonese Beef Brisket Noodle Soup
Chunks of beef brisket simmer slowly on the stovetop with star anise, ginger and soy until silky and tender, then join sweet braised daikon, bright bok choy and springy egg noodles in a deeply savory, clear-but-rich broth.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 58 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 3 hr 43 min
- Makes
- 6 large bowls (about 2 qt / 2 L broth plus noodles)
Steps
Before you start
- Buy brisket with a good cap of fat (point or whole-cut); very lean brisket turns dry and stringy.
- Plan on about 3½–4 hours start to finish. The braise is mostly unattended, but you need to be home to check it. Everything is cooked on the stovetop; no oven is needed.
- Use a heavy 6-quart (5.5 L) stockpot or heavy-bottomed braising pot with a lid so the liquid reduces slowly and evenly.
- Cook the noodles only at the very end, in a separate pot, so the broth stays clear and the noodles stay springy.
- Fresh thin egg noodles are traditional; look in the refrigerated section of Asian markets. Dried egg noodles also work (see substitutions).
Prep the ingredients
- Trim the brisket of any thick, hard fat and cut it into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, cutting against the visible grain where you can.
- Slice and smash the ginger, smash the garlic, quarter the shallots, and soak the tangerine peel (if using) in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Peel and chunk the daikon, rounding off sharp edges with your knife so the pieces don't break apart in the braise.
- Slice the scallions and set the bok choy, noodles and cilantro aside.
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Ready when: Brisket pieces are roughly even in size, so they braise at the same rate.
Tip: Keep the daikon in a bowl of cool water until needed so it doesn't dry out.
Blanch the brisket
- Put the brisket and the blanching water (about 8 cups / 1.9 L) in the large pot, so the meat is covered.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then boil for 5 minutes, skimming off the grey foam.
- Drain into a colander and rinse each piece under warm running water to remove scum.
- Rinse out the pot.
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Ready when: The surface of the beef is grey-brown and firm, and the rinse water runs mostly clear.
Tip: Starting in cold water draws out impurities and gives a cleaner broth.
Fry the aromatics
- Set the 6-quart braising pot over medium heat and add the oil.
- Add the ginger, garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until fragrant and the shallots begin to turn golden at the edges.
- Add the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, white peppercorns and drained tangerine peel and stir 30 seconds until you can smell the spices.
- Add the blanched brisket and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, so the pieces pick up some color and the aroma.
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Ready when: Spices smell strongly fragrant and the beef looks lightly glossy; nothing is burnt or dark brown.
Tip: If the garlic or spices darken quickly, lower the heat; burnt spice makes the broth bitter.
Add liquids and bring to simmer
- Pour the Shaoxing wine around the edge of the pot and let it bubble for 30 seconds.
- Add the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, rock sugar and 10 cups (2.4 L) water; the liquid should cover the beef by about an inch.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skim any foam, then reduce the heat until only a few small bubbles break the surface.
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Ready when: Broth is a deep amber color and barely simmering, not boiling.
Tip: A hard boil makes the broth cloudy and the meat tough; keep it at a gentle simmer.
Braise the brisket
- Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer on the stovetop over low heat for 90 minutes, stirring gently every 30 minutes and adding a splash of hot water if the beef is no longer covered.
- After 90 minutes, a piece of brisket should hold its shape but a knife should slide in with only slight resistance.
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Ready when: A knife slides into the thickest piece with slight resistance; the internal temperature is around 190°F (88°C).
Add the daikon
- Skim off any surface fat and foam.
- Nestle the daikon chunks into the broth, pressing them under the surface.
- Re-cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer on low for 40 more minutes, stirring gently once halfway through.
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Ready when: Daikon is translucent and a knife slides in with no resistance; brisket is fork-tender, reaching 195–205°F (90–96°C), and pulls apart easily.
Tip: If the brisket still feels firm, simmer 15 to 20 minutes more before moving on.
Rest, skim and season
- Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 15 minutes so the beef reabsorbs juices and fat rises.
- Skim the fat from the surface with a ladle, leaving a little for flavor.
- Fish out and discard the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, tangerine peel and ginger if you can find them.
- Taste the broth and add kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, until savory and balanced.
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Ready when: Broth tastes savory, lightly sweet and aromatic, with a thin sheen of fat.
Tip: Slightly over-season the broth; noodles and bok choy will dilute it a little in the bowl.
Cook bok choy and noodles
- Return the braise to a gentle simmer over low heat to keep it hot.
- Meanwhile, bring the 12 cups (2.8 L) water to a rolling boil in the large pot over high heat.
- Add the bok choy and boil 1 to 2 minutes until bright green and the stems are crisp-tender; lift out with a spider and drain.
- In the same water, cook the noodles for 1 to 2 minutes (or per the package), stirring to separate, until just tender with a springy bite.
- Drain well.
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Ready when: Bok choy is vivid green with crisp-tender stems; noodles are springy with no raw flour center.
Tip: Drain noodles very well so no starchy water dilutes the broth.
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the noodles among 6 warmed deep bowls.
- Top each with a few pieces of bok choy, several chunks of brisket and 2 or 3 pieces of daikon.
- Ladle about 1½ cups (360 ml) of hot broth over each bowl.
- Finish with scallions, cilantro if using, a pinch of white pepper, and chili oil to taste.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming hot and the noodles are just covered by it.
Tip: Warm the bowls with hot tap water first so the soup stays hot at the table.
Good to know
Tips
- Don't skip blanching; it removes impurities and keeps the broth clear and clean-tasting.
- Keep the braise at a bare simmer. Hard boiling toughens the meat and clouds the broth.
- Choose a brisket with some fat and connective tissue; it melts into the broth and gives the silky, gelatinous texture.
- Cooking noodles separately keeps the broth clear and prevents the noodles from turning soft and gummy.
Make ahead
The braise tastes even better made 1 to 2 days ahead. Complete steps 1 to 7, cool, and refrigerate the beef, daikon and broth together. Lift off the solid fat from the top, then reheat gently and cook the noodles and bok choy fresh just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Store the brisket, daikon and broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (leave 1 inch of headspace). Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming (165°F / 74°C). Store cooked noodles and bok choy separately and use within 1 day; do not freeze them. Do not leave the braise at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Substitutions
- fresh thin egg noodles → dried thin egg noodles, or wide rice noodles (ho fun). Dried egg noodles take 3 to 4 minutes; rice noodles need only a brief soak or blanch per the package.
- baby bok choy → choy sum, gai lan or napa cabbage. Gai lan needs about 2 minutes of boiling; napa cabbage can simmer directly in the broth for 3 minutes.
- rock sugar → granulated sugar. Use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (about 17 g); rock sugar gives a rounder, cleaner sweetness.
- Shaoxing wine → dry sherry. Use the same amount; avoid sweet cooking wines.