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Chef Natasha Pickowicz’s Tingly Beef Broth for Hot Pot
Yield: Makes 3 Quarts (1.8 L)
Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) beef neck bones, cut into 2- to 3-inch (5 to 7.5 cm) pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, halved
- 1 shallot, halved
- 1 apple, halved
- 2 medium carrots
- Garlic head, halved crosswise
- One 3-inch (7.5 cm) piece ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 cups (60 g) dried Sichuan chiles, plus 1 cup (30 g) for garnish
- 4 tablespoons (60 g) spicy Sichuan chile bean paste
- ¼ cup Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons fermented black beans
- 2 tablespoons ground gochugaru chile flakes
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 4 star anise pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ cup (120 ml) Shaoxing wine
- 4 quarts (3.8 L) filtered water
Instructions:
- Pour the vegetable oil into a large stockpot set over medium heat (it should be able to comfortably hold at least 6 quarts/5.7 L). Once the oil is shimmering, add the beef bones and sear, untouched, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, rotating with tongs, until deeply golden brown on all sides.
- Remove the bones from the pot and transfer to a baking sheet to make room for the next batch of ingredients. Add the onion, shallot, apple, carrots, garlic, and ginger to the hot oil. Fry until charred and deeply browned in places, 10 minutes. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and add to the baking sheet.
- Next, add the Sichuan chiles, Sichuan chile bean paste, Sichuan peppercorns, fermented black beans, gochugaru, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds to the pot. Cook, stirring continuously, for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pot, and top with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a very low simmer. Return the reserved bones and aromatics to the pot. Maintain a low simmer—just a few bubbles popping along the surface—until the liquid has reduced by one-third and the vegetables are soft and pale, 5 to 6 hours.
- Remove the broth from the heat and let cool completely. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Use the broth immediately or store in an airtight container. It will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator or for up to 2 months in the freezer.
- To prepare for hot pot, warm the broth, if needed, and transfer to the hot pot topper. Top the broth with another 1 cup (30 g) of dried Sichuan chiles, as a garnish.
