Nyob zoo!
It’s been pretty cold and rainy here in the PNW and what better soup to make than this super comforting beef tendon soup! This soup is most commonly served during special occasions when a cow is butchered during funerals, weddings, new years etc. Many Hmong families have their own take on this soup so I’ll show you how me and my mom likes to make it at home. It’s full of beef flavor and very aromatic. It’s quite easy to make as long as you have all the right ingredients. So give it a try! Happy Cooking!
What is beef tendon?
Beef tendon is the connective tissue that aligns the meat to the bones of a cow. It is very chewy and fibrous if it’s not cooked down. When it’s cooked down, it does get pretty gelatinous. So if you’re not fond of that texture, this may not be the soup for you. Beef tendon can be found at the meat section of most Asian grocery stores, either frozen or fresh. Check your local butcher shop as well.
Cooking beef tendon: Beef tendon takes a long time to cook. The fastest and easiest way is to pressure cook it which is how I did it for this recipe. However, it can be done cooked for several hours in a pot of water until tender. Timing will vary depending on the thickness/size of the tendon itself.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Beef chuck short ribs: I like to cook the short rib just until tender and slice it into the soup for extra texture and flavor. You can choose your favorite beef part but I enjoy the texture and fat to meat ratio of beef chuck short rib. They are a little bit more on the expensive side but it is so worth it for this soup.
Smoked Beef: Smoked beef is a must for this soup since it gives the broth a subtle smoky flavor. Slice it thin so it’s easier to eat. If you want to learn how to make smoked beef, refer to the recipe here https://chawjcreations.com/hmong-smoked-beef/
Round green eggplant: Round green eggplants are added for texture and the “vegetable” part of the soup.
Wood ear mushrooms: Wood ear mushrooms are great in this soup for it’s slightly crunchy texture. You can however, use other fresh mushrooms but I like using wood ear in general for added texture.
Pickled sour bamboo shoots: I love the texture and slight tang of sour bamboo in this soup. You can use fresh bamboo if you don’t like the sour taste from the pickled bamboo. Using sour bamboo will give the soup a little bit more flavor also. I highly recommend rinsing the sour bamboo at least 3 times and drain well before adding it into the soup to continue cooking.
The herbs and aromatics: Adding dill, lime leaves, lemongrass, and chili peppers will bring the soup all together. Fresh dill compliments the beef really well. So I like to be pretty generous with it. Lemongrass and lime leaves will flavor the broth and chili peppers will give it some kick.
The seasoning: It’s as simple as salt and my mom’s favorite soup seasoning—WONTON soup base mix (DYNASTY BRAND).
Once the beef tendon and short ribs are cooked to your desire tenderness, cook the soup in a pot, taste, and adjust the seasonings. It’s quite easy!
Best enjoyed WARM AND HOT! Any leftover can be stored in the fridge OR make a big pot of this, cool it down and store it in containers to be placed into the freezer. This soup freezes well! When you crave a bowl, thaw and rewarm again. The vegetables and meat taste just as good.
Enjoy with fresh steamed rice! I like to add rice into a bowl and ladle the soup over. Mix and enjoy warm. It’s delicious!
Enjoy!
-Cindy Her (C.HerCreations)
Beef Tendon Soup
Ingredients
To cook the tendon and short ribs
- 2 lbs beef tendon (rinse well)
- 8 cups water
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2.5 lbs beef chuck short ribs
To finish the soup
- 8 cups water
- 8 oz smoked beef (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups wood ear mushrooms (166g) or more if you like
- 9 oz pickled sour bamboo (257g) [RINSED at least 2-3 times, drained well and SLICED](Cock Brand & Dragonfly will work fine)
- 12 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 1/2 Tbsp salt
- 1 (0.28oz) Dynasty brand WONTON seasoning packet
- 12 Thai round green eggplants (quartered)
- 1 lemongrass leaf bundle or stalk (if using stalk, lightly smashed with a pestle to release aroma)
- 2-4 Bird's eye chili peppers (sliced) Add more or less is up to you
- 2 cups fresh dill (chopped) (you can add less if you don't like that much dill but the dill really gives the soup extra flavor!)
Instructions
Cooking the beef tendon and short ribs
- In a instant pot, add in the rinsed beef tendon along with the 8 cups of water and 1 Tbsp of salt. Set the instant pot under the stew/meat button on High for 1 hr. After an hour, release the air and then add in the 2.5 lbs beef chuck short ribs. Close with a lid and let it cook for another 30 minutes on the same stew/meat setting. Timing is up to you for the texture you desire. Release the air and check the tenderness of the tendon and short ribs. Continue cooking if you want it more tender. Remove the tendon and short ribs into a bowl and allow it cool completely before cutting it into bite size pieces. Set aside.
- If you don't have an Instant pot, you can cook the tendon and short ribs in a pressure cooker: Add water, salt, and tendon. Cover and cook for at least 20-30 minutes. Release the air and then check for tenderness. Add in the short ribs, close, and let it go for another 15 minutes or so. Release the air and again, check the tenderness of the meat.
- If you want to cook the tendon/short ribs in a pot, add into the pot the tendon, 10 cups water and 1 tbsp of salt, slightly cover with a lid and cook it down for at least 3-4 hrs until tender. Check for water level as it cooks. Add water as needed so the tendon is cook throughly. Add the short ribs half way through the cooking time and allow it to cook for 1 hr or so or until tender to your liking. Remove and cool before slicing into bite size pieces.
To finish the soup
- In a clean pot, add in 8 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Add in the sliced smoked beef, wood ear mushrooms, rinsed pickled sour bamboo, kaffir lime leaves, salt, and wonton seasoning. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add in the sliced beef tendon, short ribs, sliced green eggplants and lemongrass. Let it simmer for another 5-8 minutes or until the eggplants are just tender. Finish with the sliced chili peppers and dill. Stir and let it cook just for 30 seconds before turning off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You can remove the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves before enjoying. This soup is best eaten when it is still hot. It's best served with steamed rice.
