Beef Hot Pot Recipe (牛肉火锅)

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  RATINGS

  5

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  COOK TIME

  Prep 25m • Cook 20m

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  VIEWS

  731

1. 1 pack hot pot base

   ~150g; clear beef or mushroom recommended; tomato if avoiding spice

   Can’t find it? Try this one.

2. 2 liters water

   or 500ml beef stock + 1.5L water

3. 4 ginger slices

   ~12g total

4. 2 scallion sections

   white part only, ~15g

5. Meat & Seafood

   600g marbled beef slices, 250g assorted balls, 250g shrimp paste

6. Veggies & Soy

   200g baby bok choy or chrysanthemum greens

7. 100g enoki + 6 shiitake mushrooms

8. 150g sweet potato, peeled

9. 150g dried tofu skin

10. 150g konjac tripe

11. 100g crispy tofu rolls

12. Staples

    150g hot pot noodles

13. 12 frozen egg dumplings

14. Dipping Sauce

    Mix your own—no strict rules

    Can’t find it? Try this one.

1. Step 1: Don’t rush the beef—let it thaw until it’s just pliable enough to separate

   Take beef slices out of the refrigerator and thaw naturally (avoid quick thawing with hot water to prevent tough meat). Wash shrimp, use a toothpick to pick out the veins from the 2nd-3rd segment of the back, drain water. Wash leafy greens, remove old leaves and roots; cut baby bok choy into 4 pieces, tear lettuce into small pieces. Wash mushrooms: remove roots of enoki mushrooms and tear into small bundles, break apart shimeji mushrooms. Peel sweet potato and cut into thin slices; rinse hot pot tofu skin and vegetarian tripe with water, then drain. Soak vermicelli and hot pot noodles in advance according to instructions until soft, set aside.

   

2. Step 2: Let the broth simmer just long enough for the flavor to settle

   Add 2-2.5 liters water (or a mixture of beef stock and water) to a pot, add ginger slices and green onion sections (optional), bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 pack hot pot base, stir with a spoon until the base dissolves completely. Turn to medium-low heat, continue simmering for 5-8 minutes to fully infuse the broth with flavor (for clear broth or mushroom base, add 1 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper to season; for spicy base, adjust simmering time according to spice preference).

   

3. Step 3: Blanch in rhythm—not all at once

   Blanch ingredients in the order of "meat first, vegetables later; hard-to-cook first, easy-to-cook later":
   1.First add beef slices: use chopsticks to spread beef slices into the boiling broth, stir gently, cook for 1-2 minutes until the slices turn color and no pink remains (avoid overcooking to prevent tough meat). Remove and eat immediately—the broth with beef fat will make subsequent vegetables more flavorful.
   2.Then add meatballs, shrimp paste, egg dumplings: put meatballs and egg dumplings into the broth, cook for 3-5 minutes until meatballs float (indicating they are cooked); scoop shrimp paste into small balls with a spoon, cook for 2-3 minutes until the surface turns white and sets, then remove and eat.
   3.Next add duck blood curd, sweet potato slices, mushrooms: cook duck blood curd for 3-4 minutes until it turns color completely and becomes firm; cook sweet potato slices for 2-3 minutes until soft but not mushy; cook mushrooms for 2-3 minutes until fully cooked to absorb broth flavor.
   4.Then add soy products and staples: cook hot pot tofu skin and vegetarian tripe for 1-2 minutes until soft; cook crispy bean curd rolls for 30 seconds-1 minute after putting into the broth (overcooking will make them melt); cook soaked vermicelli and hot pot noodles for 2-3 minutes until fully cooked, stir to avoid sticking.
   5.Finally add leafy greens: leafy greens cook quickly, put into the broth and cook for about 1 minute until just tender (e.g., spinach for 30 seconds, lettuce for 10 seconds) to keep the crispy texture and avoid nutrient loss from overcooking.

   

4. Step 4: Mix your dip however you like—but don’t let the pot go cold

   Prepare dipping sauce according to personal taste, e.g.:
   Western style: 1 tbsp sour cream + 1 tsp chopped parsley + a pinch of black pepper + 1/2 tsp lemon juice, mix well.
   Classic style: 2 tbsp sesame paste + 1 tbsp light soy sauce + 1 tsp sesame oil + minced garlic + chopped green onion, thin with a little warm water.
   Eat the blanched ingredients with dipping sauce, or eat directly (if eating directly, add more salt when simmering the broth); keep the broth gently boiling throughout, cook and eat while it’s hot for the best taste.

1. Beef Slice Selection & Prep: Prioritize fatty beef slices (fat-to-lean ratio 1:3) for tender taste after blanching; choose beef tenderloin slices if you prefer lean beef. Avoid refreezing frozen beef slices, as it easily breeds bacteria and makes the meat tough. It’s recommended to thaw in the refrigerator’s cold compartment one night in advance.

2. Broth Flavor Adjustment: For clear broth base, add 1-2 bay leaves and 1 tsp dried oregano to enhance Western flavor; for rich beef flavor, add 50g beef chunks (blanched in advance) when simmering the broth, cook for 20 minutes then remove to make the broth richer. Those who don’t like spice are advised to choose tomato or mushroom base, as sweet-tangy or savory tastes are more acceptable.

3. Ingredient Substitution & Matching: Replace shrimp with scallop meat, squid slices and other seafood; choose pure meat balls or vegetable balls to meet different dietary needs. For low-calorie options, reduce the amount of meatballs and crispy bean curd rolls, and add low-calorie ingredients like konjac noodles, cucumber slices. Besides vermicelli, you can also match with udon noodles or spaghetti for different taste preferences.

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