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+ servings

Bitter Beef Soup

This soup is one for the old soul. It contains an assortment of different cuts of beef and gets its distinct bitterness from the use of beef bile. It’s rich with aromatics and deep in flavor. Best enjoyed with rice.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Hmong
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs beef chuck short ribs
  • 1 lbs beef chuck (roughly coarse grind)
  • 2 lemongrass stalks (slightly smashed)
  • 10 kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 oz galangal (sliced thin) [28g]
  • 3 oz ginger (sliced thin) [84g]
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder (Totole brand)
  • 8 oz beef heart (sliced thin)
  • 12 oz beef tripe (sliced into bite size) [I used omasum tripe for faster cooking]
  • 1 lb beef marrow guts (intestines) (rinse inside and out)*SEE DIRECTIONS*
  • 2 Tbsp beef bile
  • 1 cup cilantro (rough chopped)
  • 4 green onion (sliced)
  • 1 cup Vietnamese coriander (rau răm)
  • 3-4 Bird's eye chili peppers (sliced)
  • More salt at the end to season as needed only

Instructions
 

  • In a pot, add in the beef short ribs. Saute on medium high heat for a couple minutes on both sides until just slightly brown and the fat is rendering out. Then add in the slightly smashed lemongrass, sliced galangal, ginger, and kaffir lime leaves. Saute for about 2 minutes or until you start smelling the aromatics. Then add in the roughly coarse grind beef chuck or ribeye. Saute until you see a little pink left. Then add in 8 cups of water, salt, and chicken bouillon powder. Slightly cover with a lid and let it simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until the short ribs are just tender. Remove any scum and access fat as it cooks.
  • While the short ribs are cooking, clean and cook the beef marrow guts (intestines). Transfer the beef marrow guts into a bowl and run warm water through to rinse well. Rinse the outside and also run warm water inside the intestines to clean it out throughly. I like to clean the inside at least 3-4 times with running warm water. Remove any unwanted fat that is attached to the guts as needed. Once cleaned, drain the water well and transfer the intestines into a separate pot of boiling water to cook and clean out the intestines throughly. Let it cook for at least 25 minutes. Remove into a bowl and allow it to cool before cutting it into 1/2 inch size pieces. Set aside.
  • Cut the beef heart into thin bite size pieces along with the beef tripe into your favorite desire thickness. Set aside.
  • Prep all the green onions, cilantro, chili peppers, Vietnamese coriander and set it aside.
  • Once the short ribs are cooked to just tender, add in the beef bile, sliced beef hearts, intestines, and tripe. Stir, slightly cover and let it boil for at least 15-20 minutes.
  • Remove the lemongrass stalks then add in the sliced peppers, green onions, cilantro, and Vietnamese coriander. Stir well and let it cook for about 30 secs and then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a little bit more salt as needed if you want it a little bit saltier. Serve hot.
  • Enjoy with a side of fresh steamed rice!
Keyword beef soup, Bitter beef soup
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