Slow Cooker Chinese Braised Beef Stew
A rich, savory, comforting dish inspired by traditional Hong Shao Niu Rou (red braised beef) —with the ease of a slow cooker.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 5 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 lbs beef brisket (whole or cut into large chunks)
- 1 Tbsp oil (for searing, optional)
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 Tbsp doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
- 3 Tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce (or sub with more light soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp rock sugar (or regular sugar)
- 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks (or 1 cup baby carrots)
- 2 medium tomatoes, quartered (or 1 cup cherry tomatoes)
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
- 1–2 red chili peppers (optional, adjust to taste)
- 3 cups beef broth, bone broth, or water (enough to cover everything)
- 2–4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled (optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
- 1
Optional: Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and sear the brisket on all sides until browned. This adds extra flavor but can be skipped if you’re short on time.
- 2
Add Everything to the Slow Cooker: Place the brisket (seared or raw) into the slow cooker. Add green onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, carrots, doubanjiang, light and dark soy sauces, sugar, chili peppers, and enough broth or water to cover the ingredients.
- 3
Cook Low and Slow: Cover and cook on Low for 8–10 hours or High for 5–6 hours, until the beef is tender and falling apart.
- 4
Add the Eggs: In the final 30 minutes of cooking, gently add in the hard-boiled eggs. Let them soak up the sauce and become beautifully braised.
- 5
Taste and Adjust: Give it a taste! Add more soy sauce if you want it saltier, or a pinch of sugar if you'd like it a little sweeter.
- 6
Serve with rice or noodles!