Chapter 438 - 214: The Duan Family Is Simply Too Rich

Chapter 438: Chapter 214: The Duan Family Is Simply Too Rich

"If we sell this much beef for sixty cents, we’ll lose money," Zhou Yan said, shaking his head. "Braised beef shrinks down to about sixty percent of its original weight. Our standard portion is based on the raw weight, so we have to use the cooked equivalent. Sliced this thinly, we can get six pieces. It guarantees a good mouthfeel and looks nice on top of the noodles."

"Since the price of beef has dropped, why not add two more slices to each bowl? The cost increase would be minimal, but it would feel completely different to the customers," Mrs. Zhao interjected. "After all, braised beef isn’t like beef with dried bamboo shoots, where the bamboo shoots can make up half the topping. It’s a bit more monotonous on its own. See how fewer people order the pork rib noodles?"

Zhou Yan considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, I’ll listen to Mom."

The increase in cost was indeed limited. Now that beef was one yuan a pound, the cost of making braised beef was much lower.

"Come on, let’s see how it tastes." Zhou Yan sat down and handed out chopsticks to everyone. 𝐟𝑟ⅇ

"It’s covered in meat! It looks so good!" Zhou Momo’s eyes were sparkling. She eagerly picked up her chopsticks, plucked a slice of braised beef that was soaking in the broth, blew on it gently, and popped it into her mouth.

The thinly sliced braised beef, steeped in the piping hot bone broth, had softened considerably. It tasted so fragrant.

She didn’t know how to describe it, but it was much easier to chew than the original big chunks of braised beef. It took no effort at all.

Delicious!

After swallowing the piece of beef, she pushed aside the other slices on top, picked up a few strands of noodles, and began slurping them up in small mouthfuls. Her cheeks puffed in and out as she ate with great relish.

"Mm, letting this braised beef soak in the bone broth makes it taste wonderful. It’s so fragrant when you chew, with a little hint of spice. The texture is firm, yet a bit softer than when it’s cold. Delicious!" Mrs. Zhao praised. "I think this is a winner. Customers will definitely like it."

"I think it’s a winner too. Soaking the braised beef like this makes it feel like it’s fresh out of the pot. It’s a perfect match for the noodles," Comrade Zhou said, nodding repeatedly as he ate, completely satisfied.

’The reception is great. As expected of a recipe from a ramen giant with chains all over the country.’

Zhou Yan picked up a slice of beef that was soaking in the broth. The beef he had cut was in large, sufficiently thin slices.

They were slightly translucent but not so thin they’d blow away in the wind, nor would they dissolve into nothing in the hot broth.

The bone broth, simmered on low heat in a clay pot for over two hours, was a rich, milky white, highlighted with the bright red sheen of chili oil.

The chilled braised beef was firm. Submerged in the scalding bone broth, it was as if it had entered a gentle embrace. It absorbed the broth, its texture softened, and it trembled slightly when picked up with chopsticks.

One bite and the braising liquid and rich broth exploded on the tongue. The bone broth was savory but not overpowering, serving to moisten the meat while the rich flavor of the braising spices remained dominant.

Having soaked up the broth, the beef’s texture became tender, truly resembling braised beef fresh out of the pot.

As a topping for noodles, slicing the beef thinly was the right choice.

This way, after finishing a slice of beef, you could smoothly slurp up some noodles without needing to stop and chew for a while.

"SLURP! SLURP!"

The family of four fell silent, focusing on their noodles.

In the end, they drank every last drop of the soup.

Zhou Yan wiped the light sweat from his forehead. He felt warm all over. ’Eating a hot bowl of noodles on an early winter morning is such a blissful thing.’

’Braised beef noodles,’ Zhou Yan thought, ’are a genuinely good choice.’

’But the beef can’t be braised on the same morning it’s served, so we’d have to use beef braised the day before. How to guarantee its freshness is a problem that must be seriously considered.’

’If only we had a refrigerator; keeping it fresh would be much more reliable.’

’Of course, in the current weather, it probably wouldn’t spoil if left out overnight after being braised.’

To be on the safe side, Zhou Yan decided to wait for another cold snap.

After breakfast, Zhou Yan went upstairs to change. He put on the Chef’s uniform he had barely worn and wheeled his bicycle out the door.

"You’re dressed so lightly, aren’t you cold? You should put on your new clothes," Mrs. Zhao said, looking at him.

"It’s not that cold during the day. The new clothes are too warm; I’ll be sweating buckets after riding the bike." Zhou Yan smiled and shook his head. He was more sensitive to heat than cold. He used to enjoy winter swimming and had recently been taking cold showers every night.

"It’s fine. Young people have a fire in their bellies. When I was young, I’d butcher cattle in a tank top in the middle of winter," Comrade Zhou said with a laugh.

Mrs. Zhao smiled when she heard this and didn’t say any more.

Zhou Yan placed the burlap sack full of money into the rear basket on Comrade Zhou’s sturdy roadster. Mrs. Zhao hopped onto the rear rack, holding onto Old Zhou with one hand and pressing down on the burlap sack with the other. It was very secure.

"Brother, I want to ride on your bike," Zhou Momo said, sidling up to him. She was wearing the hat Duan Yu Yan had given her, and her voice was sweet and childlike. ⅇ

"Hop on." Zhou Yan reached out, lifted her up, and placed her on the crossbar. He had Old Zhou ride in front while he followed behind, so he could react quickly if anything happened.

’Carrying ten thousand yuan into the city... it really feels like I’m guarding a precious cargo.’

The trip into the city was smooth, without any incidents.

They parked their bicycles at the entrance to the Qiu Mansion. Zhou Yan first lifted Zhou Momo down, then took the heavy burlap sack from Comrade Zhou’s hands and stepped forward to knock on the main gate of the Qiu Mansion.

The lo-mei shop had just opened. The young owner heard the knock, came out to look, and was taken aback for a moment when he saw Zhou Yan. He smiled and said, "Oh, it’s you! What’s up, here to ask Mrs. Qiu about buying a house again?"

"That’s right. And I brought her some local specialties," Zhou Yan said with a smiling nod, flashing the burlap sack in his hand.