Beef soup is a familiar dish for families. You can use beef soup to make soup, bone broth for hot pot, soup, porridge, etc. To have a delicious pot of beef soup with clear, flavorful broth, you should pay attention to the following things.
Choosing good bones
Depending on the dish you want to cook, you can choose the appropriate bones. Regardless of which part you choose, you should choose bones with pale pink meat, non-greasy texture, no strange odor, or unusual color. The meat on the bone should have good elasticity.
Preparing the bones before cooking
The preparation step is very important. If not done properly, the beef broth will have a foul smell and become cloudy.
Usually, people rinse the bones with clean water and then blanch them with boiling water. However, this is not enough. You need to use diluted saltwater to rinse the bones, helping to remove dirt from the bones. Then, put the bones in a small basin, add water, a little cooking wine, and salt. Soak the bones in this water for about 15 minutes. Soaking the bones in water before cooking helps remove excess blood and eliminate the fishy smell of the bones.
After the designated time, take out the bones and rinse them again with clean water.
Prepare a pot, put the bones into the pot, and add enough water to cover the bones. Turn on the heat and boil until the water boils. Skim off all the foam and discard it. Then, take out the bones and rinse them with warm water. Do not rinse the bones with cold water.
With this preparation method, the beef broth will be clear and more flavorful, without any unpleasant smell.
Seasoning for beef soup
To make the beef broth more flavorful, you need to choose the right seasonings. Usually, for beef broth, you can use ginger, spring onions, and salt.
Heat a pot of water, put the prepared bones in, and add ginger and spring onions to simmer over low heat. Add salt only when the bones are soft.
Tips to quickly make tender beef soup
To make the beef tender quickly and the broth more flavorful, you can follow these methods.
– Using fresh coconut water
Aside from being consumed directly, fresh coconut water is also an ingredient in many dishes. You can use a mixture of fresh coconut water and regular water to simmer the bones. The coconut water will give the soup a natural, sweet aroma, shorten the cooking time, and the bones will still be tender.
– Using green papaya
Green papaya contains papain enzyme (a type of protease) that cuts fibers and breaks down proteins into shorter peptides, leading to faster breakdown of collagen molecules. Therefore, green papaya can help bones and meat become tender more quickly.
– Using pineapple
Pineapple contains bromelain enzyme, another type of protease that breaks down proteins. Therefore, people often marinate meat with pineapple to make it tender. However, bromelain is powerful, so marinating the ingredients for 10-15 minutes is enough before cooking.
In addition, if you cook the beef soup with vegetables like turnips, celery, carrots, potatoes, etc., these ingredients should be added to the pot last. Cook for a few more minutes until the vegetables are tender, then turn off the heat.