Beef Dumplings with Carrots and Onions

I have already shared two dumpling recipes with pork as the main protein, but If you are not a fan of pork, I suggest you try these dumplings made with ground beef, carrots, and onions. My husband prefers this beef dumpling filling to the pork ones. These Beef Dumplings with Carrots and Onions ((牛肉胡萝卜饺子) taste very different from dumplings made with pork filling. Nevertheless they are exceedingly flavorful.

I find the ingredients for this recipe more readily available since you can find them in any western grocery store. The natural sweetness of carrots and onions complement the ground beef perfectly. By adding Sichuan peppercorn infused oil, the dumpling filling becomes even more fragrant and flavorful.

Preparation Time:  2 hours

Total Time:  2.5 hours

Servings: ~100 dumplings

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb (~680g) ground beef¹
• 3 to 4 large carrots (~1 lb or 450g)
• 1 large or 2 medium onions
• 1 1-inch long piece of ginger
• 1 green onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine ²
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns ³
• some sesame oil (optional)
• 2 packs of store-bought dumpling wrappers/skins (about 50 in each pack) (alternatively, you can try my recipe for homemade dumpling wrappers)

Dipping Sauce (1 serving):

• 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar⁴
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili oil or chili sauce (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic (optional)

Preparation:

1. Peel and mince the ginger (the finer the better). Chop the green onions into small pieces.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the 1.5 lb of ground beef, minced ginger, chopped green onions, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon of table salt), 1 1/2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, and 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine, mixing either clockwise or counterclockwise until well mixed. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Let the ground beef marinate a bit while preparing the other ingredients.

3. Peel the carrots and the onion skins. Use a cheese grater or food processor to turn the carrots and onions into thin shreds or small pieces. Heat a skillet under medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. When the oil becomes warm, add the carrot and onion pieces, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Turn off the heat and let the carrots and onions cool to room temperature; about 15 minutes.

4. While waiting for the carrots and onions to cool, make the Sichuan peppercorn-infused oil. Heat another skillet under medium-high heat. When the skillet is warm, add the rest of the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the 1 tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns. Toss the Sichuan peppercorns occasionally until peppercorns become dark red or brown. Filter the Sichuan peppercorns from the oil and pour the peppercorn infused oil to a small bowl.

5. When the carrots and onions have completely cooled off, take the mixed ground beef from the fridge. Add the carrot and onion pieces and the Sichuan peppercorn-infused oil into the mixing bowl, slowly mixing with a pair of chopsticks either clockwise or counterclockwise. If the fillings seems dry, add more sesame oil.

6. Follow steps 5-8 from my Chinese Chive dumpling post for detailed instructions on how to fold the dumplings (the pleated way) as well as the two cooking methods I normally use (the pot sticker method and the boiling method).

7. Dipping sauce: for every 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, use 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. For a more flavorful sauce, add some chopped cilantro and minced garlic. For a spicy kick, add a few drops of chili oil or chili sauce.

8. With extra dumplings, follow step 10 from my Napa Cabbage dumpling post for how to freeze and store the extra dumplings for later.

Bon Appétit

Notes:

1. I like to ground my own beef using beef chuck roast and my Chef’s Choice meat grinder attachment. Homemade ground beef tastes better in my opinion and I know exactly what is in my ground beef. Chuck is one of the least expensive parts of a cow and you can get it from pretty much any supermarket. If asked, however, some supermarkets meat counters will grind the chuck roast for you.

2. If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, you can use rice wine or sake instead.

3. Sichuan peppercorns can be found in most Chinese or Asian grocery stores. There are two types of Sichuan peppercorns, the red and the green type. The red type has more heat and the green one is more numbing. You can use either for this recipe. The oil is not nearly as numbing as the peppercorns. If you want more kick, you can grind the cooked peppercorns with a mortar and pestle and add some or all of it to the ground beef along with the infused oil. The Sichuan peppercorn infused oil helps add more fragrance and flavor, and at the same time reduces gamey taste from meat.

4. If using Chinese black vinegar, add 1 teaspoon of sugar, mixing well. For a spicy kick, add some chili oil or chili sauce.