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.
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.
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