This Beef Stir Fry is made with a easy however tremendous flavourful, basic Chinese language stir fry sauce that tastes similar to you get at correct Chinese language eating places. I take advantage of numerous vibrant greens and as of late, I all the time velvet the meat. No extra dry chewy beef in my stir fries!
Chinese language Beef Stir Fry
I first shared this Beef Stir Fry recipe 10 years in the past (!!), calling it my “go-to.” And it nonetheless is (I make stir fries steadily!) however over time the recipe has advanced a bit, so I believed I’d share my present recipe. The flavour’s the identical, however I’ve refined the method slightly. Extra importantly, as of late, I all the time velvet my beef so it stays fantastically tender.
Have you ever ever seen how the meat in Chinese language restaurant stir fries is so extremely smooth, and the way your stir fries at residence are simply by no means the identical? The key is tenderising the meat – a technique known as velveting.
There’s just a few other ways to do it however for small-batch residence cooking, I discover essentially the most sensible is the strategy that includes coating the meat in slightly baking soda which breaks down the fibres so it stays succulent and velvety even after high-heat cooking for a protracted time frame. A tiny further step that makes an enormous distinction – attempt it as soon as and also you’ll by no means look again!
> For extra on Velveting, see right here (yup, I’m such a dork wrote an entire publish about it!)
Components in Chinese language Beef Stir Fry
Right here’s what I put in my beef stir fry. There’s numerous choices for beef cuts, and be at liberty to substitute the greens with no matter you need, have or like. That’s the great thing about stir fries – the pliability!
1. velveted beef
I like to make use of steak cuts for stir fries for a similar purpose individuals like consuming them as steaks – good beefy flavour and superb for cooking quick. However even with steak cuts, I nonetheless tenderise. Paper skinny slices of beef cook dinner in 90 seconds whereas stir fries take nearer to six minutes – quick, however the beef continues to be overcooked which suggests it’s chewy and hard.
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Baking soda – A small quantity (simply 1/2 teaspoon) combined with the meat tenderises it so it stays smooth. With out, the meat will overcook and develop into robust. A tried and confirmed tenderising methodology used liberally in my Asian recipes!
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Favorite beef minimize for stir frying – My favorite minimize for stir fries right here in Australia is rump although I’d use flank if it was extra available and thicker minimize like it’s within the US. Each these have nice beefy flavour and good consuming texture however is certainly not robust, and is across the center of the vary on the subject of value.
These days, I often purchase rump steak in roast type (aka rump cap, sirloin cap, picanha or coulotte) – higher worth than steak and you may slice it into bigger, restaurant-style items as a substitute of skinny strips. I minimize the roast into smaller parts – pictured above – and freeze.
Different nice steak cuts for stir fries – Mainly something you’d throw on the grill! Scotch fillet (boneless rib eye) is superb however pricier (I’d fairly get pleasure from it as steak), porterhouse/sirloin (US: New York strip) or another minimize of steak that you simply’d cook dinner as steak.
Sluggish cooking cuts – like chuck, oyster blade, gravy beef – will also be used, simply use a smidge extra baking soda and tenderise for a contact longer (1/2 teaspoon heaped for 35 minutes). The principle distinction with stewing cuts is that the meat flavour will not be as robust as steak cuts, although keep in mind there’s numerous beautiful tasty sauce smothering this stir fry!
Different proteins – Completely be at liberty to make use of another protein you want! Right here’s a information on tenderising:
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Hen thighs – no must tenderise
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Hen breast and tenderloin – 20 minutes
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Pork and lamb fast pan fry cuts (chops/steaks) – 20 minutes
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Pork and lamb gradual cooking cuts / massive roasts (shoulder, neck, leg) – half-hour
Discover the total checklist of meat cuts and tenderising occasions on web page 170 of my cookbook Tonight.
2. stir fry sauce
Right here’s what goes in my Stir Fry Sauce. Helpful shortcut – Use 5 tablespoons of Charlie, my All-Function Stir Fry Sauce as a substitute!
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Mild soy sauce – You’ll be able to substitute with an all objective soy sauce. However not darkish soy sauce – flavour is simply too robust and the color is simply too intense! Extra on which soy sauce to make use of when right here.
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Oyster sauce – A staple Asian sauce that provides complexity, flavour and umami abruptly. Constituted of oyster extract that’s candy, salty, thick and pungent, however doesn’t style oyster-y or fishy in any respect as soon as cooked. Might be substituted with shellfish free different – vegetarian “oyster” sauce, even discovered at common grocery shops as of late.
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Chinese language cooking wine (“Shaoxing wine”) – important ingredient for making really “restaurant customary” Chinese language dishes, provides depth of flavour into sauces. Substitute with mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry. Non alcoholic substitute – substitute half the water with low sodium rooster inventory/broth.
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Sesame oil – toasted sesame oil is brown and has extra flavour than untoasted (which is yellow). Default sesame oil bought in Australia is toasted, untoasted is more durable to seek out.
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Sugar – to get the best stability of flavour within the sauce.
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Cornflour / cornstarch – This makes the meat cook dinner so it has a skinny film-like coating on it which makes it type of slippery, similar to you get at Chinese language eating places.
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White pepper which is the normal pepper alternative in Asian cooking. Substitute with black pepper.
3. greens
Listed here are the greens I put into my stir fry, for color, flavour, and comfort (straightforward to chop, no must steam individually – like with broccoli). 🙂
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Garlic and onion – Important fragrant flavour base that flavours the oil at the beginning.
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Bok choy – Leafy Asian inexperienced, considered one of my favourites, and usually to not expensive 12 months spherical. Reduce the stem from the leafy half as they go into the stir fry at totally different occasions because the stem takes longer to cook dinner.
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Inexperienced onion – I like the additional hit of freshness from tossing a handful of inexperienced onion in on the finish, and it’s no effort to cut into batons. Notice: the firmer white finish goes into the stir fry sooner than the softer inexperienced half.
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Carrot and pink capsicum (bell pepper) – Each these are a agency stir fry favorite for the pop of color!
Different greens – Use what you need! You’ll must pre-cook greens like broccoli and cauliflower else they may take too lengthy to cook dinner within the stir fry. TIP: There’s a useful matrix on web page 172 of my cookbook Tonight for tips on how to minimize greens and when so as to add greens into the pan for stir fries. It’s actually helpful!
The best way to make this Chinese language Beef Stir Fry
The meat takes 20 minutes to velvet (tenderise). Use this time to cut the greens, make the sauce and get the rice cooking!
1. VELVETING THE BEEF
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Slice the meat thinly, round 3 – 4mm / 1/6″ thick, round 4 – 5 cm / 2″ lengthy.
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Skinny beef! 🙂
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20 minute marinade – Toss the meat slices with the baking soda. I discover it best to make use of my fingertips. Then set it apart for 20 minutes, not. For those who go away the meat for too lengthy, it will possibly get over-tenderised and be freakishly tender, which isn’t very nice. I discover it is a widespread downside at low-cost ‘n cheerful native Chinese language joints, slightly too passionate about tenderising!
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Rinse the baking soda off utilizing a colander beneath chilly faucet water. Shake off extra water then blot extra off utilizing paper towels. It doesn’t should be 100% dry, simply not soaking moist. Now it’s prepared to make use of!
2. COOKING THE STIR FRY
Golden rule with stir fries – add the greens into the wok or pan based mostly on the size of time it takes to cook dinner. Tougher greens in first, leafy ones in final. We wish our stir fry with crisp-tender fairly than limp-watery greens!
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Sauce half 1 – Combine all of the Sauce components besides the cornflour.
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Season beef – Measure out 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sauce and blend into the tenderised beef to coat it in flavour.
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Sauce thickener – Combine the cornflour into the remaining sauce till it’s lump-free. Then combine the water in.
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Aromatics first – Warmth the oil over excessive warmth in a wok or massive non-stick pan. Add the onion and garlic, cook dinner for 10 seconds till the garlic is mild golden – don’t let it burn, garlic will get bitter!
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Beef – Add the meat and stir always for 1 1/2 minutes or till it adjustments from pink to brown.
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Firmer greens first – Add the carrots, capsicum, bok choy stems and white a part of inexperienced onions. Stir for 1 1/2 minutes – the greens must be nonetheless crisp however coated within the tasty flavours.
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Sauce it! Give the sauce a fast stir to agitate the cornflour settled on the bottom, then pour it in and provides it stir.
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Leafy greens final – As soon as the sauce begins effervescent, add the bok choy leaves and inexperienced a part of the inexperienced onions. Toss for 1 minute till the sauce thickens and turns into shiny, coating all of the greens and the bok choy leaves are simply beginning to wilt. Then it’s prepared – serve over rice!
Did I point out that there’s quantity of sauce for wonderful rice soakage???
So there you go. My go-to on a regular basis Beef Stir Fry.
I’ve mentioned that earlier than, I do know – however this time I actually imply it! It’s the model that ticks each field for me proper now: tender beef utilizing a minimize that’s not too costly, shiny sauce, numerous greens (I really feel virtuous!) and a tasty sauce.
I don’t anticipate to vary it once more…….however don’t crucify me if I do!
Like to know what you suppose if you happen to do this. Hope you get pleasure from! – Nagi x
FAQ Beef Stir Fry
The principle change I made to the unique recipe revealed in December 2015 was to make tenderising the meat a correct step within the recipe fairly than an non-obligatory notice buried on the backside. As a result of as of late, it’s one thing I all the time do as of late.
I additionally used to combine cornflour into the sauce proper from the beginning and use a little bit of that sauce to season the meat. It labored advantageous, however the beef would flip slightly “cheesy” when cooked. Not a catastrophe, simply not superb. Now, I’ve mounted that by splitting the method into two steps: first combine all of the sauces collectively and set some apart to flavour the meat, then add the cornflour and water to the remaining sauce. The meat fries up a bit higher doing it this fashion!
YES YES YES!! Use 5 1/2 tablespoons of Charlie and skip the sauce and cornflour. Proceed with the recipe as written (together with utilizing 1 1/2 tablespoons for the meat – so combine 1 1/2 tablespoons into the meat and put 4 tablespoons into the stir fry).
Sure, by utilizing tamari or a licensed gluten-free soy sauce.
3 to 4 days within the fridge. Nonetheless, keep in mind that the sauce will likely be thinner when reheated as a result of cornflour loses its thickening powder when reheated. The identical applies when freezing stir fries.
In case you are making forward deliberately, substitute the cornflour with arrowroot 1:1. That is what we do at RecipeTin Meals as all of the meals we make are both packed into containers to be reheated by recipients (fridge or frozen), or put in massive bratt pans that are reheated for meal service. If we didn’t use arrowroot, the sauce can be skinny and watery when reheated.
Watch tips on how to make it
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Simple Chinese language Beef Stir Fry
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook dinner: 8 minutes
Complete: 23 minutes
Dinner, Stir Fry
Chinese language
Servings3 – 4
Faucet or hover to scale
Components
Velveting the meat (tenderising)
Stir Fry
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 garlic clove , finely minced with a knife
- 1/2 small onion , sliced (yellow, brown or white)
- 1/2 pink capsicum / bell pepper , sliced into 7mm / 1/3″ thick slices
- 1 small carrot , peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 2 bok choy , minimize leaves from stems, minimize thick stems lengthways to make all of them roughly the identical width
- 2 inexperienced onion , minimize into 1.5″/3cm items, agency white finish separated from smooth inexperienced elements
Stop display from sleeping
Directions
Abbreviated recipe
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Tenderise beef 20 minutes, rinse, toss with 1.5 tbsp sauce. Combine in cornflour then water into Sauce. Stir fry on this order: onion + garlic > beef > carrot + capsicum + bok choy stems + inexperienced onion stems > sauce > wilt bok choy leaves + inexperienced onion. Serve!
Velvet beef (tenderise)
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Velvet beef – Place the meat in a bowl. Sprinkle the baking soda over then use your fingers to toss the meat to coat as evenly as potential. Put aside for 20 minutes (not).
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Rinse the meat beneath faucet water in a colander to take away baking soda. Shake and pat off extra water (does not must dry absolutely, simply don’t desire it soaking). Put in a bowl.
Cook dinner stir fry
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Sauce – Combine components collectively. Measure out 1 1/2 tablespoons and use it to coat the meat. To the remaining sauce, combine within the cornflour till lump-free, then add the water.
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Cook dinner aromatics – Warmth the oil in a big non-stick pan or wok over excessive warmth. Add the onion and garlic, cook dinner for 10 seconds.
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Add the meat and cook dinner till it adjustments color from pink to mild brown however not cooked by means of.
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Greens #1 – Add the capsicum, carrots, bok choy stems and white a part of the inexperienced onions. Stir fry for 1 minute
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Add Sauce, then stir till it begins to bubble (it is going to thicken rapidly)
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Leafy greens – Add the bok choy leaves and inexperienced a part of the inexperienced onions. Toss for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute till they’re simply wilted, the sauce thickens and turns into shiny, coating the whole lot properly.
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Serve instantly with rice – or for a low carb, low cal choice, attempt Cauliflower Rice! Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
I prefer to get rump roast (additionally known as rump cap, sirloin cap, picanha or coulotte) – higher worth than steak and you may slice it into bigger, restaurant-style items as a substitute of skinny strips. I minimize the roast into smaller parts and freeze.
Sluggish cooking cuts – like chuck, oyster blade, gravy beef – use a barely heaped 1/2 teaspoon and go away for 35 minutes, then rinse and proceed with recipe. Blade and bolar blade want 40 minutes, solely minimize I don’t use is brisket (simply doesn’t appear to tenderise).
Different proteins – Hen works completely (thigh is my choice, if utilizing breast, tenderise it), pork and lamb work too – see components part for extra data on cuts and tenderising them.
2. Baking soda – Use for tenderising the meat the Chinese language restaurant method (velveting). See right here for extra details about it.
3. Sauce shortcut – As an alternative of constructing this Sauce for this recipe, you should use 5 1/2 tablespoons of my Selfmade All Function Stir Fry Sauce.(i.e. Skip all of the Sauce components AND cornflour. Use 1 1/2 tbsp for the meat, 4 tbsp for the stir fry). Add an identical quantity of water specified on this recipe and observe all different instructions on this recipe.
4. Soy sauce – Please use mild or common all objective soy sauce for this. Don’t use darkish soy sauce (method too robust).
5. Chinese language cooking wine is a vital ingredient for actual stir fry sauces. The alcohol cooks out. Finest substitutes: mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry. For those who can’t get it or can’t devour alcohol, substitute this and half the water with low sodium rooster tock.
LEFTOVERS will maintain for 3 to 4 days, nonetheless, the sauce does get thinner when reheated (that is what occurs with cornflour thickened sauces). If deliberately making forward (fridge or freezing), substitute cornflour with arrowroot which gained’t go skinny when reheated. See FAQ for extra data.
Diet per serving assuming 4 servings, stir fry solely.
Diet Data:
Energy: 159cal (8%)Carbohydrates: 7g (2%)Protein: 13g (26%)Fats: 8g (12%)Saturated Fats: 2g (13%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 4gLdl cholesterol: 30mg (10%)Sodium: 683mg (30%)Potassium: 380mg (11%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 4191IU (84%)Vitamin C: 34mg (41%)Calcium: 56mg (6%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Initially revealed December 2015. Republished with contemporary new pictures, new video added and most significantly, Lifetime of Dozer part added!
Lifetime of Dozer
I do know this appears to be like like my good friend captured a heartwarming second as Dozer was gazing up at me adoringly….however the fact is a flock of birds was flying overhead.😆
