This easy to make slow cooker Asian braised beef combines garlic, ginger, lemongrass, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to create a delicious hearty dish.
I cannot live without my slow cooker. I make all sorts of food in my slow cooker from crème brûlée to loaded baked potato soup.
The vast majority of slow cooker recipes are reserved for American or French foods.Let’s change that! Let’s add some Asian foods into the mix!
I guess when I think slow cooker, I envision a lot braised beefs, creamy soups, and hearty stews.
You don’t normally see a lot of Asian foods prepared in slow cookers. Naturally, I had to experiment. I tried out a dish I would normally cook in the oven or on the stove. This is my beloved slow cooker Asian braised beef recipe.
This is a family favorite. I have yet to meet someone that didn’t enjoy this easy recipe!
It is slightly sweet, yet still super savory. It cannot be eaten alone, and it best served with rice, noodles, or made into a sandwich à la bánh mì-style.
Ingredients
I used a variety of flavors unique to all of Asian. As such, it’s not associated to just one country or cuisine. I guess it kind of encompasses everything, like a melting pot.
The key components are: lemongrass, garlic, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice vinegar and soy sauce.
Just like other braised meat dishes, this tastes even better the following day once the meat has had time to rest and soak up all the flavors of the sauce.
Which cut of beef is best for braising?
I suggest using beef chuck. Beef chuck is a tough but flavorful cut of meat. It has a decent amount of fat and connective tissue.
Through slow cooking, like braising, the tough meat tenderizes. The connective tissues breaks down resulting with a rich, gelatinous tender piece of meat. Best of all, beef check is relatively inexpensive compared to other cuts.
Other beef cut options:
- Brisket: another inexpensive option
- Short-Ribs: for the ultimate braised beef, but also the most priciest
I don’t have a slow cooker. Can I cook this recipe stove-top?
Yes, this Asian braised beef recipe can be cooked stove-top. Follow the instructions as listed in the recipe.
Instead of cooking in a slow cooker, set heavy bottom pot (like dutch-oven pot), over medium heat.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and let simmer for 3-4 hours until beef is tender. Occasionally remove pot cover and stir.
*I have not yet tested this recipe in an instant pot. I will update will results soon.
More Dinner Ideas
- Spicy garlic shrimp spaghetti is a one pot meal that simply requires a handful of ingredients.
- Stir fry beef with onions and scallions combines the flavors of Filipino bistek and Vietnamese bo luc lac.
- This soy ginger shrimp dish is sure to impress any dinner date!
- Sesame soy sauce roasted turkey puts an Asian twist on classic turkey.
Slow Cooker Asian Braised Beef
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Multicooker
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes, excess fat trimmed
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (green and light green parts)
- 2-inch piece of ginger, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into thirds and pounded
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup reduced-sodium (light) soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons Sriracha sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge cut beef into flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour. Set aside.
- In a medium sized skillet, add vegetable oil and warm up over medium heat. Once warm, brown (sear) beef in batches. Not need to fully cook meat, you just want to have a nice crust while cooking off the flour. Place seared beef in slow cooker.
- In the same pot you cooked beef, add minced garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant. Add lemongrass and cook until garlic begins to brown. Add red pepper flakes and chicken broth. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and Sriracha. Add to slow cooker. Add green onions.
- Cover slow cooker. Cook for 4-5 hours on high heat, or 6-8 hours on low heat. Serve with rice, noodles or crusty bread.All images and text ©The Little Epicurean
Notes
- Stove Top: nstead of cooking in a slow cooker, set heavy bottom pot (like dutch-oven pot), over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and let simmer for 3-4 hours until beef is tender. Occasionally remove pot cover and stir.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Great recipe! I made 2 revisions: 1. I added a single star anise pod. 2. Once plated, I finished with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice. The lime juice really brought it to life, with a welcome burst of bright acidity. Try it!
Thanks for the recipe.
I have made this recipe at least 6 times and it is honestly my absolute FAVORITE. No modifications needed (except my fiance likes a little more spicy kick. This usually lasts the two of us for at least 4 meals(8 servings total). Especially if I serve with a veggie. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe!!
Would this work with lam ?
I have not tried it with lamb, but it should work!
Cooked this last night, sorry no pictures as it was eaten quickly, the house smelled lovely all day as it was in the slow cooker for 5 hours, such an easy recipe will be doing it again Thanks
Thank you for trying the recipe! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! It’s a fam favorite in my house!
The beef was amazing we all love it Maryanne!!! It’s a keeper. Thank you so much for the great recipe!!!
Great recipe,Thanks for sharing it.
Can you do this in the instapot? If yes how do?
I made this recipe last Saturday and my family and guests loved it. We made the following modifications.. we used 4 lbs chuck roast and increased all the ingredients by 1/3 except we only used 1 tbsp brown sugar. When we make the recipe again we will eliminate the sugar as there is enough sweetness from the rice vinegar and hoisin sauce. We will also eliminate the salt as again there is so much salt in the hoisin and soy sauce (even with reduced salt). The dish was amazing and we served it with steamed broccoli and steamed carrots. Our 4lbs of chuck served 7 hungry people and we could have used more for additional helpings. Thanks so much for posting the recipe as it is delicious and easy!!
I would like to make this in a dutch oven. What would the timing and heat level be?