Chinese Tomato Beef Brisket Stew -Slow Cooker & Instant Pot

Imagine if Italian beef ragu met Hong Kong café culture in a clay pot – that’s Chinese tomato beef brisket stew (番茄牛腩煲), where fall-apart beef marries tangy tomatoes in a broth that’s gone viral as #SoupTok’s winter crush. This one-pot Asian stew nails the trifecta: high-protein comfort food, meal prep magic, and a flavor profile even picky eaters can’t resist.

Ingredients:

✦ 500g(17.64 oz) beef brisket
500克牛腩

✦ 300g(10.58 oz) tomato chunks
300g番茄块

✦ 10g(0.35 oz) minced ginger
10克姜末

✦ 50g(1.06 oz) minced onions
50g洋葱碎

✦ 2 teaspoons salt
2茶匙食盐

* 1 teaspoon white sugar
1茶匙白糖

✦ 3 teaspoons ketchup
3茶匙番茄酱

✦ 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2汤匙生抽

✦ 2 tablespoons cooking wine
2汤匙料酒

✦ Cooking oil
食用油

Step-by-Step Guide:

Step 1 :
Cut beef brisket into pieces.
牛腩切块

Step 2 :
Put the beef brisket chunks in a cold water pot, and bring to a boil over low heat.
牛腩块冷水下锅，小火煮开

Step 3 :
Skim off the foam, then fish out and drain the water for later use.
撇去浮沫，然后捞出沥干水分备用

Step 4 :
Heat oil in a pot, add the minced ginger and stir fry until fragrant.
起锅烧油，下入姜末翻炒出香味

Step 5 :
Add the minced onions, and stir fry until fragrant.
加入洋葱末，翻炒出香味

Step 6 :
Add the tomato chunks and stir fry until the soup thickens.
下入番茄块，翻炒出沙

Step 7 :
Add an appropriate amount of water, then add the beef brisket chunks and stir evenly.
加入适量清水，然下入牛腩块，搅拌均匀

Step 8 :
Add 3 teaspoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons cooking wine, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce,1 teaspoon white sugar, and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
加入3茶匙番茄酱2汤匙料酒2汤匙生抽1茶匙白糖，小火慢炖1小时

Step 9 :
After 1 hour, add 2 teaspoons salt, and continue to simmer for 3 minutes.
1小时后加入2茶匙食盐，继续小火焖3分钟

Step 10 :
Dish out on a plate,done.
盛出装碟，完成/p>

Why This Tomato Beef Brisket Stew is Popular

Pantry MVP: Uses canned tomatoes + bone broth (no wine needed!)
Macro genius: 38g protein per serving, hidden veggies blended into sauce
Texture therapy: Gelatinous beef tendons (nature’s collagen bombs) vs melt-in-mouth brisket

Cultural Crossroads

Guangdong heritage: Born in 1950s Hong Kong cha chaan tengs (茶餐厅) as Western-Chinese fusion
Science boost: Lycopene in cooked tomatoes + beef’s iron = immune power duo
Texture hack: Beef tendons contain 10x more collagen than bone broth – beauty food alert!

Modern Twists for Global Palates

Paleo bowl: Serve over spiralized daikon “noodles”
Brunch fusion: Top sourdough toast with stew + poached egg
Meal prep hack: Freeze in silicone muffin tins as flavor bombs for rice

The Algorithm-Friendly Story

This dish’s magic lies in thermal decomposition science – slow cooking converts tough collagen into silky gelatin, while tomatoes’ glutamic acid synergizes with beef’s inosinic acid to create 8x more umami than standalone ingredients. Nutritionists praise it as “nature’s electrolyte drink” – potassium-rich tomatoes replenish what sweating meat loses.

Air Fryer Pro Tip

For crispy beef bits: Shred leftover brisket, toss with 1 tsp cornstarch + ½ tsp five-spice, air-fry at 400°F for 5 mins → crispy beef carnitas for salads.

Tags
#Chinese Tomato beef brisket stew recipe
#Slow cooker beef brisket
#High-protein gluten-free meals
#Winter soup recipes