With super tender pieces of beef and pork in a flavorful sauce, this Old Fashioned Chop Suey is pure comfort food!
I’ve heard from a few readers that their mom or grandmother made chop suey, especially on Sundays as a Sunday dinner. After seeing it in plenty of recipe books from the 60’s and 70’s especially, I knew I needed to see what all the fuss was about.
This Old Fashioned Chop Suey is made with both beef and pork, and the meat gets so, so tender as it cooks (especially the pork with the higher fat content). It truly melts in your mouth. And the recipe makes plenty of sauce, which is perfect for serving over rice or chow mein noodles.
It cooks for two hours on the stovetop (perhaps why it was served as a Sunday dinner), so save this one for when you have a bit of time before dinner.
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What You’ll Need
- You can use beef stew meat (chuck roast), pork shoulder, or a mix of the two (I did a mix).
- You’ll find the stir fry vegetables, bean sprouts, and bead molasses in the International foods aisle at the grocery store. If you can’t find bead molasses, substitute regular molasses (light, not blackstrap). While you’re in that aisle, grab some chow mein noodles for serving. They’re not necessary (rice works great) but they’re a fun throwback!
- You can use either bouillon paste or a bouillon cube, OR just swap the water for beef or veggie stock.
How to make old fashioned Chop Suey
Cook the cubed meat until browned, then cook the diced celery and onion in the same pot.
Add the meat back to the pot, along with the bouillon and water. Cook for 1½ hours at a simmer.
Stir in the soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, and bead molasses, then cook for another 30 minutes. The meat should be tender now. Test it to see! If not, back in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Drain the mushrooms, mixed vegetables, and bean sprouts (the liquid is salty and we don’t want to over-salt the dish). Stir those in and the chop suey is ready to serve!
Serve over rice or chow mein noodles.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Chop Suey
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 lb beef stew meat (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 lb pork shoulder (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped celery (about 4 large stalks)
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
- 1½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon or 1 bouillon cube (or use stock instead of water)
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon bead molasses
- 1 15 oz can Chinese vegetables, drained
- 1 15 oz can bean sprouts, drained
- 1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
- To serve: rice or chow mein noodles
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Season the 1 lb beef stew meat and 1 lb pork shoulder with ½ teaspoon salt. Add to the hot oil.
- Cook the meat until browned on the bottom, then flip the pieces over and cook until browned on the other side. You may need to do this batches depending on the size of your pot.
- Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
- Add the 2 cups chopped celery and 1 large chopped onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes or until tender.
- Add the 2 cups water and bouillon cube, plus the reserved meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cover and cook for 1½ hours at a simmer.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup soy sauce with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Add it to the meat mixture, along with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon bead molasses. Cook for another 30 minutes.
- Stir in the can of Chinese vegetables, can of bean sprouts, and can of sliced mushrooms (all drained first), just until warmed through.
- Serve over rice or chow mein noodles.
Notes
- Don’t like mushrooms? Leave them out.
- Use snap peas, carrots, and/or broccoli in place of the mixed vegetables. Snap peas and carrots can go in with the bean sprouts (give the broccoli a couple minutes to get tender). Carrots can go in with the celery.
- Don’t have bead molasses? Use regular molasses instead (not blackstrap).
- Use fresh bean sprouts instead of canned.
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