Beef Basics: Selecting The Best Cuts For Hot Pot

Hot pot is a traditional Chinese dish that is meant to be a social event where people gather to cook and enjoy a variety of raw ingredients in a boiling broth. The best beef cuts for hot pot are fatty cuts like brisket, short rib, and ribeye. These cuts are usually thinly sliced and cooked for just a few seconds in the hot pot broth. Other options include beef belly, beef tendon meatballs, and tri-tip.

Beef cuts for hot pot

Hot pot is a traditional Chinese dish meant to be a social event where people gather to cook and enjoy a variety of raw ingredients in a boiling broth. The best beef cuts for hot pot are thinly sliced fatty cuts such as brisket, short rib, and ribeye. These cuts are typically available in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets, labelled as "fatty beef", "beef for hot pot", or "pastrami beef".

When selecting beef for hot pot, it is important to look for well-marbled meat with a good balance of fat and tenderness. Fatty cuts are preferred as they add flavour to the broth and prevent the meat from overcooking, given that hot pot cooking is very quick.

If you are unable to find fatty beef or want a second beef option, ribeye is a good alternative. It should be sliced against the grain, about a quarter of an inch thick, or even thinner. The key is to have paper-thin slices of beef that will cook in just a few seconds when dipped in the hot pot broth.

In addition to the traditional beef cuts mentioned above, Asian beef-tendon meatballs are also a popular choice for hot pot. Unlike Western-style meatballs, Asian-style tendon meatballs have a bouncy texture and are usually sold in the frozen section of Asian markets.

When preparing beef for hot pot, it is recommended to slice the meat as thinly as possible. If you don't have a meat slicer, you can ask your butcher to slice the meat for you, or you can firm up the meat by placing it in the freezer for 2-3 hours before slicing it yourself.

How to prepare beef for hot pot

Preparing beef for hot pot is a simple process, but it does require some attention to detail to ensure the best results. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare beef for a delicious hot pot meal:

Selecting the Right Cut of Beef:

For hot pot, it is best to choose a fatty cut of beef with good marbling and tenderness. Options such as brisket, short plate, ribeye, or chuck are ideal. Look for beef with the label "肥牛" (fatty beef) at Asian supermarkets.

Slicing the Beef:

• To prepare the beef, start by removing any silver skin or connective tissue from the meat. This will ensure that the beef is tender and easy to chew.
• Partially freeze the beef to make slicing easier. Then, use a sharp knife or a meat slicer to cut the beef against the grain into thin slices or cubes. The thinner the slices, the quicker they will cook in the hot pot broth.

Preparing the Beef for Cooking:

• Before adding the beef to the hot pot, it is recommended to batter it with eggs and cornstarch. This step is optional but adds a better texture to the meat.
• If you prefer, you can also par-freeze the beef to firm it up before cooking. This helps achieve the desired doneness, especially if you like your beef slices medium-rare.

Cooking the Beef in the Hot Pot:

• When cooking the beef in the hot pot, start by bringing the broth to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Add the beef slices to the hot pot and cook for a few minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your slices and your desired doneness. For thin slices, cook for no more than a few minutes to avoid overcooking.
• If you are using beef cubes, they will take longer to cook, up to 30 minutes for larger cubes.
• Remember to maintain a boiling temperature in the broth, especially when adding raw meat. Allow the broth to boil for at least 30 seconds to 1 minute after adding raw beef before removing any cooked food items from the pot.

Preparing beef for hot pot is a straightforward process that can be easily mastered with a little practice. By choosing the right cut, slicing it thinly, and cooking it at the right temperature, you'll be able to enjoy delicious and tender beef as part of your hot pot meal.

What to serve with beef hot pot

Beef hot pot is a comforting and social meal, perfect for a close-knit group of family or friends. The beauty of hot pot is that it can be highly personalised, with each diner adding their choice of raw ingredients to the pot of soup to cook at the table.

The Broth

The broth is the base of your hot pot. You can keep it simple with chicken soup, or add a handful of goji berries, ginger and scallions. For a particular flavour profile, try a plain broth that is either meat or mushroom-based, or go for a thick tomato soup base or a fiery, oily Sichuan hot pot.

Meat & Seafood

Beef is the star of the show here, but you can also add other meats and seafood to the mix. Go for thinly sliced cuts of beef such as brisket, short rib, ribeye, sirloin, or flank steak. Other meats that work well include thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin, pork belly, lamb shoulder or leg, and boneless chicken breast or thighs. For seafood, try whole shrimp, thinly sliced fish fillets, shrimp balls, squid, scallops, or mixed seafood balls.

Vegetables

A good mix of vegetables is important for a balanced hot pot. Try leafy greens such as baby bok choy, spinach, or napa cabbage, and harder root vegetables like pumpkin, tomatoes, corn, turnips, or carrots.

Fungi

A variety of mushrooms will add depth to your hot pot. Enoki, wood ear, king, shiitake, oyster, and shimeji mushrooms are all great options.

Starches

You'll want to include some starches to bulk up your hot pot. Try mung bean vermicelli, rice noodles, thin fresh white noodles, spinach noodles, shirataki noodles, rice cakes, or frozen dumplings.

Soy Products

Soy products are a must-have for any hot pot. Bean threads, soy puffs, frozen tofu, firm tofu, dried bean curd rolls, and fresh tofu sheets/skin are all great options.

Dipping Sauces

Each diner can mix their own dipping sauce to personalise their hot pot experience further. Start with a base of Chinese sesame paste or sauce, peanut butter or peanut sauce, soy sauce, or Sha Cha (Chinese BBQ sauce). Then add additional flavourings such as Sichuan peppercorn oil, chili garlic sauce, Chinese black vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, or fried shallots or garlic.

Broths for beef hot pot

A good broth is essential for a tasty beef hot pot. There are two main types of hot pot broth: a spicy broth and a mild broth.

Spicy Broth

The most popular type of spicy broth is the Sichuan spicy broth, also known as Hong You Guo Di/红油锅底, which originates from Sichuan and Chongqing. This broth has a high fat content, a strong aroma, and a distinctive mouth-numbing and hot taste, known as Mala/麻辣, the iconic feature of Sichuan cuisine.

To make the spicy soup base, you will need:

• Beef tallow (or cooking oil for a vegan alternative)
• Dried chili peppers and Sichuan pepper to create the Mala flavour
• Other spices such as star anise, cassia cinnamon, bay leaves, and Chinese black cardamom
• Aromatics such as scallions, onion, coriander, garlic, and ginger
• Sichuan chilli bean paste and fermented black beans for umami taste and saltiness
• Shaoxing rice wine and sugar to balance the flavour

• Rehydrate dried chilies in hot water until soft, then chop them into a coarse paste.
• Add Shaoxing rice wine to Sichuan pepper and set aside.
• Melt beef tallow in cooking oil and infuse it with star anise, cassia cinnamon, bay leaves, and Chinese black cardamom.
• Remove the spices and add scallions, sliced onion, and coriander to fry.
• After removing the aromatics from the oil, add the dried chili paste, Sichuan chilli bean paste, fermented black beans, minced garlic, and ginger. Simmer to release their flavour.
• Finally, add sugar, Sichuan pepper, and rice wine.
• Transfer the mixture to a heat-proof container and refrigerate until cooled. Allow 24 hours for the flavour to fully develop.

Mild Broth

The mild broth, known as Qing Tang Guo Di/清汤锅底, is a general term for non-spicy broth that typically consists of stock, aromatics, herbs, and sometimes vegetables. It is light in taste and easy to prepare.

To make the mild broth, you can use either water or stock as the base. For the stock, you can use pork, beef, chicken, mushroom, or tomatoes. Here is an example recipe using chicken:

• Boil a whole chicken (or leg, thigh pieces) in water with sliced ginger. Skim off any froth appearing on the surface.
• Lower the heat and leave to simmer for 1½ – 2 hours until the water becomes a little milky.
• Pour the liquid into the pot you plan to use for the hot pot. Top up with hot water if needed.
• Add rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, scallions, Chinese dates, and Goji berries. Season with white pepper and salt.
• Once the broth starts boiling, you are ready to dip ingredients into the hot pot.

Tips

• You can purchase ready-made hot pot soup base from Chinese shops, or make your own from scratch.
• The broth will become saltier as you cook ingredients in it, so keep additional salt light.
• The spicy version requires overnight refrigeration and makes 4 blocks of soup base, which are enough for 2-4 meals. The mild version is for one hot pot meal and can be used straight away.

Beef hot pot recipes

Hot pot is a traditional Chinese dish meant to be a social event where people gather to cook and enjoy a meal together. It is typically cooked in a large pot placed in the middle of the table, with each person cooking their own raw ingredients in the broth. The best part about hot pot is that you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand, making it a versatile and customizable dish.

Ingredients

Hot pot typically includes thinly sliced meat, leafy greens, and an aromatic boiling broth. Here are some specific ingredients you can use:

Protein: Beef, pork, or lamb are ideal, thinly sliced. You can also use chicken, meatballs, or tofu.

Seafood: Try fish cakes, fish balls, shrimp balls, imitation crab, and shrimp to add flavour to the broth.

Leafy Greens: Baby bok choy, napa cabbage, spinach, or Mizuna.

Root Vegetables: Sweet potato, parsnips, carrots, or daikon.

Noodles: Sweet potato noodles, yam noodles, shirataki noodles, rice noodles, or any other Asian noodle.

Mushrooms: Enoki, king oyster, shiitake, oyster, or button mushrooms.

Miscellaneous: Tofu puffs, lotus root, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, frozen dumplings, or fish cake.

Instructions

• Prepare the hot pot broth: You can use a packaged broth or make your own using bone broth, chicken broth, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and chilli peppers.
• Prepare the raw ingredients: Slice the meat thinly and wash and chop the vegetables into large bite-sized pieces.
• Set up the table and invite your guests: Place the hot pot in the centre of the table and provide each person with chopsticks (or forks), a bowl, and napkins.
• Show your guests how to make their own dipping sauces: Provide a variety of sauces such as soy sauce, light soy sauce, and Chinese barbecue sauce (Shacha sauce).
• Arrange the ingredients on a tray: Start with the meat in the middle, then add the leafy greens, fish balls, tofu puffs, root vegetables, and noodles.
• Cook the raw ingredients: Each person will cook their own food in the simmering hot pot broth. Place the desired ingredients into the boiling broth for a few minutes until cooked.
• Enjoy the hot pot dipping sauce: Dip the cooked meat and vegetables into your dipping sauce and enjoy!

Tips

• Hot pot is meant to be a leisurely activity, so take your time and enjoy the company of your friends and family.
• Don't be afraid to add different ingredients to your hot pot. Experiment with different combinations to find your favourite flavour profiles.
• You can use a variety of pots for hot pot, such as an electric hot pot, a Le Creuset or Dutch Oven, or even an Instant Pot.
• If you have leftovers, you can store them in the broth and enjoy them the next day, or chop the remaining veggies for a stir-fry.

Frequently asked questions