Sticky Five Spice Beef

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Slow-baked, five spice beef made from beef blade steak marinated in soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, apple cider vinegar, Chinese 5 spice, garlic and star anise. Serve your tender, flavoursome beef with steamed green veg and rice.

A bowl of white rice topped with cooked beef in sauce, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, served with steamed greens and broccoli.

This slow-baked, Asian-style Sticky Five Spice Beef is one of those comforting, set-and-forget meals that the whole family loves. The beef becomes incredibly tender as it cooks low and slow in a rich, savoury-sweet sauce, making it perfect to spoon over fluffy rice with plenty of greens on the side. It's an easy oven-baked dinner that feels a bit special but uses simple pantry ingredients.

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Ingredient notes:
Step by step instructions:
Recipe FAQs:
Storage:
Top tips:
Related Recipes:
Sticky Five Spice Beef

Ingredient notes:

Raw beef steaks, fresh green vegetables, various sauces, spices, and a bag of long grain white rice arranged on a kitchen counter.

Beef Blade Steak: A great cut for slow cooking - it becomes super tender after time in the oven and stays juicy and full of flavour.
Chinese 5 Spice: Adds warmth and depth to the sauce with just a small amount. It goes so well with the soy, brown sugar and vinegar.
Sweet chilli sauce: Balances the savoury elements with a touch of sweetness and gentle heat, helping to create a glossy, flavour-packed sauce.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Place beef strips in a large ovenproof casserole dish. Sprinkle over the flour and toss to coat. In a small jug, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Pour over the beef and stir to coat.

Raw beef chunks coated with flour are arranged in a white bowl, ready for cooking.

Chunks of raw beef marinated in a dark sauce sit in a white bowl on a gray countertop.

Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water, then pour into the dish with the beef and stir to combine. Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake for 90 minutes.

Chunks of raw beef marinating in a brown sauce with visible spices, inside a white round pot on a gray surface.

Chunks of beef simmering in a thick brown gravy inside a round white enamel pot on a wooden surface.

Remove the dish from the oven, stir, then return uncovered for a further 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. If using star anise, remove and discard. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and sliced spring onion.

A woman in a kitchen holding a round white dish with a cooked stew, wearing a striped apron and oven mitts, and smiling at the camera.

A pot of braised beef in dark sauce topped with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, with a serving spoon and green napkin beside it on a wooden surface.

Serve the beef over cooked rice with steamed bok choy, green beans and broccolini.

A bowl of rice topped with beef in brown sauce, sesame seeds, green onions, and served with steamed bok choy and broccolini. Chopsticks rest on the bowl.

Recipe FAQs:

Can I make this in the slow cooker instead of the oven?

Yes. Prepare everything as per the recipe, then cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours until the beef is very tender. You may want to remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.

What other cuts of beef could I use?

Chuck steak or gravy beef would both work well. Just make sure it's a cut suitable for slow cooking.

Is this dish spicy?

It's very mild as written. If you'd like more heat, add extra chilli flakes or a drizzle of chilli oil before serving.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat until piping hot before serving.

Top tips:

Slice the beef evenly so it cooks at the same rate and stays tender.
Don't skip the uncovered cooking time at the end - this helps the sauce thicken and intensify in flavour.
Taste before serving and adjust with a splash of soy sauce or a pinch of brown sugar if needed.

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Sticky Five Spice Beef

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Slow-baked, 5 spice beef made from beef blade steak marinated in soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, apple cider vinegar, Chinese 5 spice, garlic and star anise. Serve your tender, flavoursome beef with steamed green veg and rice.

Ingredients

1 kg beef blade steak, sliced into 2 cm thick strips
1 Tbsp flour
1 beef stock cube
2 cups boiling water

Marinade

¼ cup low salt soy sauce
2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp garlic powder
Shake of chilli flakes
3 star anise, optional

To serve

1 tsp sesame seeds
1 spring onion, sliced
Cooked white rice
Steamed bok choy, green beans and broccolini

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
Place beef strips in a large ovenproof casserole dish. Sprinkle over the flour and toss to coat.
In a small jug, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Pour over the beef and stir to coat.
Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water, then pour into the dish with the beef and stir to combine.
Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake for 90 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven, stir, then return uncovered for a further 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
If using star anise, remove and discard. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and sliced spring onion.
Serve the beef over cooked rice with steamed bok choy, green beans and broccolini.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat until piping hot before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 529Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 12gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 737mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 46g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya