Sichuan Hot Pot Broth Recipe

Sichuan hot pot, renowned for its unique flavors of numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant, has captured the attention of countless diners. Central to its aromatic essence is a crucial seasoning: beef tallow hot pot base. This ingredient adds a highly enticing savory and spicy taste to the hot pot, making every ingredient dipped into it delicious and appetizing.

To make hot pot delicious, the broth base, dipping sauces, and ingredients play crucial roles. Crafting a great hot pot base recipe requires continuous experimentation and innovation to extend the range of flavors. Today, I'd like to share a Sichuan Hot Pot Broth recipe that I personally love.

1.What is Sichuan Hot Pot Broth?

Sichuan Hot Pot Broth is known for its spicy yet not overpowering flavor, as well as its aromatic and non-greasy qualities, possessing a unique charm and allure. The main ingredients of Sichuan Hot Pot Broth typically include beef tallow and a variety of spices such as Sichuan peppercorns. The addition of beef tallow enhances the richness and mellowness of the broth, giving it a hearty and robust flavor, while the Sichuan peppercorns impart the characteristic numbing and spicy taste that makes the broth irresistibly addictive.

2.Why choose this recipe?

It boasts a numbingly spicy flavor and produces a rich hot pot broth that rivals those found in restaurants outside.

After the broth cools down, it will form a thick paste-like substance, so you can portion it out and store it for future use.

To use the hot pot broth, simply dilute it with some broth and heat it up.

3.What ingredients are needed?

This recipe requires many ingredients, most of which are common in Chinese cuisine. I strongly recommend stocking up on extras for storage.

Beef tallow: It's crucial to choose plain white beef tallow, which is a key ingredient in Sichuan hot pot and adds a super delicious flavor.

Dried chili peppers: I chose three types—bullet head, facing heaven, and er jing tiao—to add color, spiciness, and aroma, offering different taste layers. If you're not tolerant to spiciness, you can omit the facing heaven peppers.

Sichuan peppercorns: Sichuan peppercorns are a key ingredient, crucially fresh for the best flavor. They impart a rich aroma and a numbing sensation that defines the dish.

Spices: I recommend buying whole spices rather than ground ones. After purchasing, you can blend and grind the spices yourself to maximize their flavor.

There are also other ingredients like rock sugar, fermented rice, which can be used to reduce spiciness and brighten the red oil. Fermented black beans and chili bean paste can bring out a salty umami flavor.

These ingredients are typically available at authentic Sichuan spice markets or can be purchased directly online for convenience.

4. How to Use Sichuan Hot Pot Base?

Whether you're using a refrigerated or frozen broth base, simply add it to your hot pot, and pour in some stock. I prefer beef bone broth, but you can also use plain water. Bring it to a boil until the hot pot base is fully dissolved. Then, add your favorite ingredients, like carrots, mushrooms, beef, etc. Once the food is cooked, it's ready to enjoy!

With these tips, I believe everyone can quickly make an authentic Sichuan Hot Pot Broth. You can also adjust the seasoning quantities and add different ingredients according to your taste preferences. Now, let's get started together!