Can I make this in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes. Sauté aromatics and paste in the pot first, add beef and broth, then pressure cook on high for 45–50 minutes. Natural release 10 minutes, then quick release. Finish with fresh herbs.

What cuts of beef work besides shank?

Chuck, brisket, or beef ribs work well. Shank has collagen that enriches the broth; other cuts may need 10–15 minutes less cooking time.

Is douban jiang essential, or can I skip the spice?

Douban jiang is core to the flavor profile. For less heat, use half the amount and add soy sauce or miso to compensate for umami depth.

How do I know when the beef is done?

Beef shank is tender when a fork pierces it easily without resistance, usually 2–2.5 hours on gentle simmer. Overcooked is better than undercooked here.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. Simmer broth and beef up to 2 days ahead; store in the fridge. Reheat gently, then add noodles and fresh garnish when serving.

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup with Pickled Mustard Greens

Name: Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup with Pickled Mustard Greens
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Taiwanese/Chinese
Ingredients: 3 pounds beef shank ((1.4 kg, cut into 2-inch chunks)); 2 tablespoons oil; A 2-inch piece of ginger ((smashed)); 6 cloves garlic ((smashed)); 3 scallions ((cut into 2-inch segments)); 1 onion ((cut into wedges)); 1 tomato ((cut into wedges)); 4 dried chilies ((ripped in half)); 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 tablespoons spicy bean paste (douban jiang); 2 teaspoons sugar; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/2 cup Shaoxing wine; 8 cups water ((to make the soup broth)); 1 Chinese aromatic herb packet; 32 ounces fresh wheat (white) noodles ((900g)); A small handful of bok choy for each serving; Cilantro ((finely chopped)); Scallions ((finely chopped)); Pickled mustard greens ((to taste, also known as snow vegetable or 雪菜; note this is different from Cantonese haam choy)); 1 Chinese cinnamon stick; 3 bay leaves ((optional) ); 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds; 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns ((optional) ); ¼ teaspoon black pepper

1

Boil enough water in a pot to boil all of your beef. Once the water is boiling, add the beef. Let it come back up to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Strain in a colander and rinse thoroughly with fresh water to remove any impurities.

2

Next, in your instant pot, turn on the saute setting. Add the oil, crushed ginger, garlic, scallions, and onions in that order. Stir to lightly caramelize. Let the onion turn translucent. Add the tomato and dried chilies.

3

Next, add the meat to the pot. Then add the tomato paste, spicy bean paste, sugar, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine, and mix thoroughly.

4

Pour 8 cups of water into the instant pot. Add the spice packet. The instant pot should be filled to the 10-cup line; it shouldn’t be more than ⅔ of the way full per safety instructions. Our instant pot is the largest size (8 quarts); if yours is smaller, you can halve the recipe accordingly.

5

Close the lid of the instant pot, and make sure you have your vent set so it is not venting. Cook for 100 minutes on the Meat/Stew setting. If you don’t have an instant pot, you can use a regular pot on the stove, but instead, cook the soup on a low simmer for 3-4 hours.

6

When the instant pot timer is up, carefully release the pressure valve (wear an oven mitt, so you don’t scald yourself!). Boil some noodles per package instructions, and in the last minute or two of the noodles cooking, throw your bok choy in and blanch until just tender.

7

Serve each bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup with a serving of noodles, a few stalks of bok choy, and generous sprinklings of finely minced cilantro, scallions, and Chinese pickled mustard greens. Pro tip, buy the pre-seasoned spicy mustard greens and you can use them straight out of the package. If you are using the non-spicy version (from a can, for example), chop and saute with a little oil, a few chopped dried red chilies, and a pinch of sugar.