This Chinese beef stew with dried bean curd sticks, or foo jook, is a delicious Cantonese take on beef stew that’s reminiscent of two other classic Cantonese dishes—Beef Stew with Daikon Radish, and Lamb Stew with Foo Jook.
But we know some folks out there (say, my 2-year-old son) aren’t huge fans of these somewhat polarizing ingredients—daikon and lamb. I felt like there was some version out there that was milder—using beef and foo jook—with all the savoriness you get from Cantonese braises.
While I think I’ve seen this variation on beef stew in restaurants, my parents sort of scratched their heads when I described the idea to them. Was this a named “dish” that would be familiar to others?
All that said, they weren’t scratching their heads anymore after I plonked a pot of this stew on the table for them to try. Ever since coming up with this recipe, it has been such a crowd-pleaser that I had to document it on The Woks of Life!
A Chinese Dish with Western Techniques
Beef stew has to be one of the simplest meals to make, but it feels so special when you serve it. I’m making this recipe with Chinese flavors, but Western technique that will feel familiar to any home cook who’s made a beef stew. Here’s how I changed things up:
- Rather than braising the stew on the stove, I braise it in the oven for that “set it and forget it” factor.
- I’m also using chuck roast, i.e. your standard beef stew meat, rather than the more traditional (and gristly) rough flank that we use in our Beef Stew with Daikon. Not only is it easier to find, it’s also more tender (as long as you find a well-marbled piece).
- I decided to pre-sear the meat to develop a richer flavor rather than to blanch it, which is the common Chinese method (in which the goal is a cleaner flavor in the final product).
- As one might add potatoes in carrots later in the beef stew process, I add the bean threads in the final stages of cooking, just before thickening the gravy.
The result is a rich, delicious Chinese beef stew that you’ll want to spoon generously over some steamed rice. My son LOVES this dish, and I know you will too!
What Are Dried Bean Curd Sticks?
Dried bean curd sticks, known as fǔzhú (腐竹) in Mandarin or foo jook in Cantonese, are a dried tofu product created through a unique process. You heat soy meal until a thin skin develops on its surface, which you then carefully remove using a stick.
This delicate film is shaped into long, textured tubes by rolling and folding, before being dried and prepared for sale. The Japanese have their own version of this ingredient called yuba.
It is one of our favorite types of bean curd, offering a delicious texture that clings to tasty sauces, making it particularly suited to braised dishes like this one!
Beef Stew with Foo Jook: Recipe Instructions
Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat it to 325°F/160°C. Add the bean curd sticks to a large bowl of water, and allow them to soak. By the time the stew is done in the oven, they should be rehydrated.
Add the oil to a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the beef, and sear until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate, and repeat with the remaining beef.
Add all the beef back to the pot, along with the water, Shaoxing wine, sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, and five spice powder. Bring to a boil. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
Cut the bean curd sticks into 2-3 inch (5-7cm) lengths. Remove the stew from the oven, uncover, and add the bean curd. Cover and simmer on the stove over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry, and simmer for another 2 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the scallions, and add salt to taste. Serve over steamed rice!
Looking for more authentic recipes? Subscribe to our email list and be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube!
Recipe
Beef Stew with Bean Curd Stick Casserole
Ingredients
- 7 Bean curd sticks
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
- 3 to 3½ lbs well-marbled beef chuck (cut into 1- to 2-inch/3-5cm pieces)
- 3 cups water
- 1/3 cup Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 7 slices ginger
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 piece star anise
- ½ teaspoon five spice powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)
- 2 scallions (cut on a diagonal into 1-inch/2.5cm pieces)
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat it to 325°F/160°C. Add the bean curd sticks to a large bowl of water, and allow them to soak. By the time the stew is done in the oven, they should be rehydrated.
- Add the oil to a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the beef, and sear until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate, and repeat with the remaining beef.
- Add all the beef back to the pot, along with the water, Shaoxing wine, sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, and five spice powder. Bring to a boil. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
- Cut the bean curd sticks into 2-3 inch (5-7cm) lengths. Remove the stew from the oven, uncover, and add the bean curd. Cover and simmer on the stove over medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, and simmer for another 2 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the scallions, and add salt to taste. Serve over steamed rice!
