Japanese ChaShu Recipe

Traditionally speaking, Japanese uses pork belly that are rolled into a log to create the perfect Chashu. We are now trying to make Japanese Chashu beef! You can also make chashu chicken using this recipe, but make sure you use its thigh.

I will also write how to cook Chashu beef using conventional oven (this is the recipe I got) and using Slow Cooker (my ‘cheat’ mode).

What do we need to make Chashu Beef?

1. 2 Kg Beef Chuck Steak or you can also use beef brisket
2. 1/2 cup soy sauce
3. 1 cup cooking sake
4. 1 cup mirin
5. 1/2 cup sugar
6. 6 Spring onions, roughly chopped
7. 1 1/2 tbsp of garlic (or 6 whole garlic cloves)
8. 1 1/2 tbsp of ginger (or 5 cm knob ginger, roughly sliced)
9. 1 whole shallot (or you can substitute it with half Spanish onion)

The preparation for making Chashu Beef

Nothing! Just get all of the ingredients and follow the steps below.

Mixture for making Japanese Chashu Beef

How do we make the Chashu Beef using conventional oven?

1. Preheat oven to 135 °C.
2. Heat 1 cup water, soy sauce, cooking sake, mirin, sugar, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and shallot in a medium saucepan over high heat until boiling.
3.  Add beef chuck steak. Cover with a lid left slightly ajar. Transfer to oven and cook, turning beef occasionally, until beef is fully tender and a cake tester or thin knife inserted into its center meets little resistance, 3 to 4 hours. Transfer contents to a sealed container and refrigerate until completely cool.
4. When ready to serve, remove beef and strain broth. Reserve broth for another use (like making ajitsuke tamago). Slice beef into thin slices (it might help to cut it in half lengthwise first).
5. Reheat beef slices in soup broth with noodles and other garnishes. Alternatively, heat a small amount of reserved broth in a skillet and heat beef slices in broth until hot or reheat with a blowtorch, charring its surface. Serve.

Refrigerated Japanese-Style Chashu Beef

How do we make the Chashu Beef using slow cooker? – My Personal Take

1. Add all of the ingredients above into the slow cooker.
2. Set the slow cooker to cook on ‘high’ for two hours.
3. Set the slow cooker to cook on ‘low’ for three hours.
4. Put chashu beef into a sealed container and refrigerate until completely cooled.
5. When you are about to serve it, carve up your desired amount, put some of the broth in and reheat the chashu beef in microwave.

A little tips to make your perfect Chashu Beef

1. For the cup measurement, I use the standard kitchen cup (possibly something around 237 ml).
2. You can mix the beef and all of the ingredients a day in advance to marinade it.
3. The chashu beef is obviously best served with Ramen. However, we like to eat them just with a warm jasmine rice.

What is the difference between Chashu and Char Siu?

According to Wikipedia, Japanese Chashu is prepared by rolling the meat into a log and then braising it at a low temperature. It is also cooked without using the red food colouring and five-spice powder.