A classic Cantonese-style soup featuring corned beef, a British-origin ingredient transformed into an affordable and heartwarming Chinese meal. The beef is blanched first to reduce saltiness, then simmered with fresh vegetables to create a tender, flavorful broth seasoned naturally by the beef's inherent salt.
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Adapted from a video by Made With Lau
🍲 How a Chinese chef makes Corned Beef Soup! (雜菜煲鹹牛肉)
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1
Remove the corned beef from its packaging and rinse thoroughly with clean water, then soak it in water to reduce the saltiness.
2
Prepare the cabbage: measure out about 1 lb, rinse it, and cut into large halves to prevent the pieces from falling apart during cooking.
3
Cut the celery into 2-inch segments.
4
Peel the daikon radish, then cut it in half lengthwise and again in half to create large wedges that won't become mushy.
5
Peel the carrot and cut it into large chunks, approximately 8 oz total.
6
Peel the potato and cut it into large triangular chunks by halving it first, then cutting those halves into wedges.
7
Slice the ginger into thin slices, using about 2 oz total.
8
Make the dipping sauce by combining light soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and oyster sauce. Taste and adjust for balance between tangy and sweet, then add chili oil and stir well.
9
Blanch the corned beef: add about 8 cups of water to a large wok and bring to a rolling boil. Add the beef and cover. When foam and scum rise to the surface, let it simmer for 7-8 minutes, then turn off the heat. This step removes impurities and reduces saltiness without fully cooking the meat.
10
Remove the blanched beef and discard the cooking water.
11
In a large stockpot, combine the canned chicken broth with 8 cups of boiling water. Add the blanched corned beef and ginger slices. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
12
Add the vegetables: first the daikon radish since it takes longest to cook, followed by the carrot, potato, and cabbage. Cover and bring back to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for another 20 minutes.
13
Turn off the heat and remove the beef, setting it aside. Ladle out a portion of the vegetables and arrange them as a bed on the serving dish.
14
Cut the tender daikon radish into smaller chunks. Slice the corned beef thinly, about 1/4-inch thick, cutting perpendicular to the grain of the meat for a more tender bite.
15
Layer the sliced corned beef on top of the vegetables, ladle the broth into the serving bowl, and serve with the prepared dipping sauce on the side.
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