Morning Beef Soup

For tourists to Tainan, waking up the moment the sun rises and lining up for a bowl of beef soup for breakfast at five a.m. is a rite of passage. This dish is so beloved in modern-day Tainan that most people don’t know that it became part of the culinary lexicon of Tainan only in the late 1990s and early 2000s, hyped up by the media and visitors to the city. Unlike Beef Noodle Soup, which is made mostly with imported meat from the West, beef soup from Tainan is made exclusively with local Taiwanese beef. The secret to this dish is in the stock. In Taiwan, it’s complex and rather gamey because vendors will throw in offal and any and all parts of the cow they can get their hands on. That intensity is difficult for the average cook to achieve, so to get that deep flavor at home, the best solution is to quickly wok-sear the bones and meat, which will create a nice, charred aroma. To serve, most vendors pour hot broth over raw meat. But depending on the temperature of the broth, that can sometimes create a cloudy, unappetizing bowl. The foolproof method below gives you a much clearer soup without compromising flavor.

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a large stockpot, combine the water, cabbage, onion, and rice wine. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a wok set over medium-high heat, swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is hot, add in the beef bones and cook, stirring constantly, until the bones are deeply golden brown on the edges and evenly seared, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the bones to the stockpot with the boiling water.

Step 3

Drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the wok, increase the heat to high, and add the beef short ribs. Cook, stirring often, until the meat is deeply golden brown and seared, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer the short ribs to the stockpot.

Step 4

Reduce the stockpot heat to low, and slowly simmer the beef bones and short ribs, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 4 hours. Skim off any scum that floats up to the top. Strain out the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the bones, vegetables, and meat, and transfer the stock to a medium pot. Season the stock with the salt and white pepper.

Step 5

To make a dipping sauce, in a small shallow bowl, pour the Everyday Soy Dressing, and arrange a pinch of sliced ginger on top. Set aside.

Step 6

Set the pot with the filtered stock over high heat and bring it to a rolling boil. Arrange a small handful of the sliced filet mignon in a spider strainer, and quickly dunk it into the boiling stock until medium-rare, about 3 seconds. Transfer the beef to a small serving bowl and add a small pinch of sliced ginger. Ladle the hot broth over the filet. This is one serving. Repeat with the remaining beef slices and stock.

Step 7

Enjoy immediately while hot. The dipping sauce is for the beef. If you’d like, add a couple of drops of rice vinegar into the soup to cut through the heartiness.

Step 8

In a small bowl, combine the soy paste, water, sugar, and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add more water and sugar to taste. This can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.