Quick Answer: What Is Fuqi Feipian?
Fuqi feipian (夫妻肺片, fūqī fèipiàn) is a Sichuan cold dish of thinly sliced cooked beef and offal in a red chili-oil dressing, often finished with celery, peanuts and sesame.[3][4]
- Its literal name, “husband and wife lung slices,” does not mean a modern version must contain lung.[2]
- The mala (麻辣, málà) flavour combines chili heat with the numbing tingle of Sichuan peppercorns (花椒, huājiāo).[3]
- Cooking, prompt chilling and thin slicing come before the final dressing.[3][6]
The ingredient list below specifies one home version.
Treat this as a planned Chinese cold dish: cook the meat ahead, cool it safely and dress the portion you will serve. A cold finished plate still starts with fully cooked meat.
The Chengdu Name and Choice of Cuts
The dish belongs to Sichuan cuisine and is closely associated with Chengdu. A local heritage account links its name to a married pair of vendors in the 1930s. The familiar name preserves that association; it is not a reliable shopping list for the meat.[4]
- Mixed beef and offal: Shank with honeycomb tripe gives contrasting textures; tongue and heart also appear in other versions.[3][4]
- All-beef home adaptation: Brisket or chuck can be used without offal when that is your preference. This changes the texture, while retaining the thin slices and seasoned dressing.[2]
Tripe is stomach lining, rather than lung. Buy commercially cleaned honeycomb tripe and remember that it still needs long cooking for tenderness.[7]
Ingredients: A Full Braise and Half-Batch Dressing
Dress half the braised meat with the sauce quantities below; double them for the full batch.[1]
- Meat: 900 g beef shank and 680 g commercially cleaned raw honeycomb beef tripe.[1]
- Braising seasonings: 5 ginger slices; 3 scallions; 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns; 1 teaspoon each cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black or white peppercorns; 3 cloves; 3 bay leaves; 1 cinnamon stick; ½ dried tangerine peel; 2 star anise; 80 ml Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒, Shàoxīng jiǔ); 80 ml light soy sauce (生抽, shēngchōu); 70 g rock sugar. Add water to cover.[1]
- Dressing for half: 60 ml chilled cooked braising liquid; 60 ml hongyou (红油, hóngyóu) chili oil; 2 minced garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds; 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1½ teaspoons sugar; ¼ teaspoon salt, or less to taste.[1]
- Garnish for half: ⅓ cup finely chopped Chinese celery (芹菜, qíncài); ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts; 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.[1]
How to Braise, Chill, Slice and Dress
- Blanch the meat. Cover shank and tripe with water, add ginger and boil 1 minute. Drain, then return the meat and ginger to a clean pot.[1]
- Braise until sliceably tender. Add the remaining braising seasonings and fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently. Allow about 2 hours or longer as needed, checking tenderness rather than cooking until the beef falls apart.[2]
- Check temperatures and chill promptly. Tripe should reach at least 160°F/71°C; whole-cut beef shank should reach 145°F/63°C and rest 3 minutes. Transfer cooked meat and reserved dressing liquid into separate shallow containers; refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Divide large pieces for faster cooling. Do not leave the whole pot on the counter for hours.[5][6]
- Slice the chilled meat. Cut the beef about 3 mm thick across its grain, and slice the tripe into thin pieces. Chilling helps keep the slices intact rather than shredding the meat.[2][3]
- Dress half the batch. Combine all dressing ingredients, toss with half the sliced meat and the measured celery, then add peanuts and cilantro. Keep the other half refrigerated and undressed.[1][6]
The result should offer tender beef, textured tripe, aromatic red oil and a little crunch from the garnish.[3]
FAQs About Fuqi Feipian
Does it have to contain lung or tripe?
Modern versions need not contain lung. Choose mixed beef and tripe for varied texture, or an all-beef home adaptation; ask about the cuts when ordering.[2]
How can I adjust the heat?
Add chili oil and ground Sichuan pepper gradually, tasting the dressing.[2]
Why does the beef fall apart when sliced?
It may be cooked beyond a sliceable texture or cut while too warm. Braise until tender but coherent, chill promptly, then slice across the grain with a sharp knife. Falling-apart stew texture is not the target here.[2][3]
How long can the cold dish be kept?
Keep both dressed and undressed portions at 40°F/4°C or colder and use within 3–4 days of cooking. Adding fresh dressing does not restart the storage clock. Take out only what you will serve and return the remainder promptly.[6]
Sources
[1] Sarah Leung. Fuqi Feipian
[2] Maggie Zhu. Fu Qi Fei Pian: Sichuan Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce
[3] Chen Yichun. Sichuan Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce
[4] Ministry of Commerce, Time-Honored Brands Digital Museum. 夫妻: Heritage Profile and Preparation
[5] U.S. Department of Agriculture. To What Temperature Should I Cook Beef?
[6] U.S. Department of Agriculture. How Do I Handle Leftovers Safely?
[7] U.S. Department of Agriculture. What Is Tripe?