Beef Congee

Grandma’s Beef Congee is one of the best simple dinner ideas because it’s super comforting! Aside from the classic seasoning you’d find in Asian pantries, this recipe only needs 2 main ingredients. It was a regular growing up, so you can trust that it’s kid friendly too.

If you love this style of cooking, try our other version made using chicken, fish or century eggs!

Easy nourishing comfort food

As someone who loves easy comfort food, it’s no surprise that I adore Grandma’s Beef Congee. These types of dishes take me right through memory lane and into the heart of my family’s kitchen.

I actually don’t have many recollections of eating beef growing up, but when it comes to this rice porridge, my memories are VIVID. The recipe is so simple, yet I’ll never forget just how perfectly the deep beefy flavor complements each spoonful of liquid rice silk.

You can amp it up using whichever toppings you like, but if you ask me, simplicity is best. It gives the mince a chance to shine – juicy pops of meat textured with a rugged mouthfeel. That’s what the child in me remembers the most.

And that’s what brings back those cravings every time.

What’s the difference between porridge and congee?

This was a question I often wondered as a little girl, but I’m glad to say that that’s no longer the case!

Congee

As a Chinese-Vietnamese, I’m very much accustomed to rice that’s cooked in stock or water until it resembles a thick soup-like meal. This is what we call ‘congee’ (jook 粥 in Cantonese and cháo in Vietnamese).

My Teo Chew Mum remembers eating it plain but served with simple sides (much like Korean banchan). The balance was created like this: one chopstickful of salty and one or two spoonfuls of bland.

There are also many variations where different grains are used, like Omnivore’s Cookbook’s festive Eight Treasure Congee (八宝粥) or The Woks Of Life’s 30-Minute Multigrain Congee.

Porridge

Porridge, on the other hand, is cooked using a similar method but has different ingredients. It’s commonly made with oats and simmered in a liquid like milk or water. You can enjoy it as a sweet meal by adding honey, fruit, chocolate, coconut shreds or any dessert toppings.

It can also be eaten savory with eggs or your favorite side dishes. I’ve even stirred through XO Sauce (XO 酱) before. Please don’t judge!

But if you’re simply after a staple that has authentic Asian flavors, then a homey Beef Congee is the way to go!

Why this recipe works

• Marinating the meat and seasoning the rice deepens the flavor for a layered savory taste.
• Mincing the beef in a ladle before pouring it in separates the chunks into minced pieces.
• Choosing your own cut allows you to control the meat to fat ratio to suit your preferences.

What you’ll need

For the meat

About the ingredients

Butchers may not have ground beef on hand, but you can ask them to use their mincing machines to process any cut of beef for you. Choose one that suits your meat to fat ratio preference. For example, shoulder would be on the leaner side whereas brisket is fattier.

For the rice

About the grains

Our Beef Congee recipe uses white Jasmine rice, but you can use whichever you prefer. Just keep in mind that different types will have different cooking times.

How to make this recipe

Marinate the meat with 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder, the pepper and sesame oil. Let it sit while you work on the rice.

Bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash the rice and drain. Pour the grains into the boiling water along with 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder, 3 tsp salt and 3 tbsp fish sauce.

Let it simmer for on medium-high heat for 40 minutes or until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Pro Tip: Stir the pot every 10-15 minutes to prevent the grains from sticking to the bottom.

Turn the heat up to high and scoop up half a ladle of the cooked rice. Add 1-2 tbsp of the marinated mince into the ladle and mash the meat through until cooked and minced. Pour it into the pot and repeat until all the beef is mixed in.

Let it simmer for another 10 minutes on medium heat.

Serve the Beef Congee hot as is!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Opt for a fattier beef cut. You’ll get more flavor in your Beef Congee when the fat renders and cooks through the dish.
• Marinate for longer. We do this with many dishes including Grandma’s Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry, Vietnamese Beef Salad (Bò Xào Xà Lách Xoong) and Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (鹽酥雞) to ensure the seasoning infuses deeply into the meat.
• Use chopsticks when mincing. When the meat goes in the ladle, choose a kitchen tool that will give you a finer minced texture. Chopsticks work well because they can separate the chunks quickly.

More of our favorite mince dishes

We’ve made it simple by compiling our easy ground pork recipes here, but if you want to know the ones we make on repeat, have a go at these:

• Pork Mince Omelette – Simple, easy and a regular at our dinner table because it only needs a few ingredients.
• Hokkien Pork Noodle Soup – Enjoy two different types of noodles with this one-of-a-kind dish that’s paired with zesty chopped garlic.
• Steamed Eggs with Minced Pork (肉碎蒸蛋) – A soft and delicate mouthful that’s perfect for kids and beautiful over steamed rice.
• Eggplant Stir Fry – Take advantage of eggplant season by stir frying it until tender. They’ll soak up all the sauce flavor.
• Vietnamese Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Xíu Mại) – Bring out some crusty baguettes to serve with these meatballs in a sweet, savory and tangy sauce!

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