Corned Beef Soup
This classic Hong Kong dish is pure comfort.
Cooking Summary
Ingredients: (detailed list)
- Main Ingredients: corned beef, cabbage, celery, daikon, carrot, potato, ginger, chicken broth, hot water
- Dipping Sauce Ingredients: light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, chili oil
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Top 3 Mistakes
- Skipping the first blanch:
Follow the separate blanching and rinsing step before the main cooking stage. It removes the residue the recipe calls out instead of carrying it into the finished broth or sauce.
- Slicing meat with the grain:
Cut across the visible muscle fibers rather than along them. Following the recipe’s slicing direction makes the pieces easier to chew and helps keep the finished meat tender.
- Keeping the boil too fierce:
Turn down the heat when the recipe moves to a simmer. A hard boil changes how quickly liquid evaporates and how gently the ingredients cook, so follow that change in heat.
Overview
Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup (雜菜煲鹹牛肉) is a Hong Kong classic that came by way of the British. Think of it as a twist on corned beef and cabbage stew filled with chunks of carrots, potatoes, and—here's the Chinese part—daikon.
What makes this soup so good is its simplicity. It's a hearty combination of meat and vegetables, seasoned solely by the natural saltiness of the corned beef.
With a protein, veggies and broth all in one, this recipe is a full meal in itself. Don't skip the dipping sauce, which gets its umami flavor from oyster sauce, plus a kick from chili oil. It's even Cam approved!
Ingredients
Why this recipe
Most corned beef soup recipes online are tested only a handful of times. My dad used to make this dish multiple times a day, every day, for 60+ years and can make this in his sleep.
I know you'll love it as much as our community does! This recipe has over 55.4K views, 1.2K likes on YouTube.
On corned beef
Corned beef traces its origins back to ancient times, when meat was salted and cured as a form of preservation. Corn refers to the salt that's used and not the vegetable. Forms of preserved beef can be found in various cultures, but the British version of corned beef is one of the most popular. It spread around the world as the Britain expanded its empire, which is how it became a notable staple in the former colony of Hong Kong. Locals tailored the ingredient to suit their palates, which is how dishes like this Corned Beef Soup came to be.
How to make Corned Beef Soup
Prep corned beef
Remove the corned beef (2 lb) from its packaging and drain, if needed.
Rinse the corned beef with water, then soak it in clean water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Prep vegetables
Cut off the amount of cabbage (1 lb) needed and rinse in a bowl of clean water. Slice in half so you have 2 large pieces.
Wash the celery (10 oz). Cut off heads and ends, then slice into roughly 2-inch segments.
Cut into roughly two-inch segments
Cut off the top and bottom ends of the daikon (12 oz). Peel off the skin, then rinse in clean water. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut in half again so there are 4 long pieces.
Cut off the top and bottom ends of the carrot (8 oz). Peel off the skin, then rinse in clean water. Cut into large pieces, using a rolling cut. To do this, slice off a piece of carrot, roll slightly, then slice again.
Peel the potato (10 oz) and rinse in clean water. Cut it in half lengthwise, then slice into large triangular pieces.
Cut the ginger (3 oz) into slices.
Make dipping sauce
To a small bowl, add the light soy sauce (2 tablespoon), rice vinegar (1.5 tablespoon), sugar (2.5 tablespoon) and oyster sauce (1 tablespoon). Mix thoroughly until combined. Taste and adjust as needed. Stir in the chili oil (2 teaspoon).
Blanch corned beef
In a large pot or wok, add enough water to full submerge the corned beef. Place the beef inside, turn the heat to high and cover.
When the water starts to simmer and foam forms, flip the corned beef to ensure even blanching, around 5 minutes in.
When it starts to boil around 7-8 minutes, remove the corned beef and set aside. Discard the blanching water.
Cook soup
To a large stock pot, add the chicken broth (14 oz), hot water (8 cup), ginger and corned beef. Cover and turn heat to high to bring to boil.
When it boils, decrease the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
Uncover and add daikon, potatoes, celery, carrots and cabbage. Cover and increase the heat to high to bring to boil. Once it boils, turn the heat to low and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.
Turn the heat off and Remove the corned beef.
Plate roughly half of the vegetables on a serving platter.
Cut the beef against the grain into roughly 1/4-inch thick slices.
Place the sliced beef on top of the vegetables.
Serve with dipping sauce and a bowl of the soup.
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Made with love ❤️
We started Made With Lau to celebrate Cantonese culture and honor the legacy of our wonderful parents, Jenny and Chung Sun Lau.
Our hope is that these recipes and stories help you spread the joy, love, and nostalgia that I felt growing up.
