If you live in the vicinity of Chinatown, go and seek out this beef onion stir-fry from any restaurant! Not only is it savory but with a hint of tanginess that will tantalize your taste buds. Enjoy it over steamed rice for an extraordinary experience.
What Kind of Beef is Used for Chinese Stir-Fry?
How To Cut Beef for Stir-Fry?
Cut Against the Grain
The most important tip for stir-frying is to always cut your beef against the grain! This creates thin, tender strips of meat that are much easier to cook evenly in a hot pan or wok.
Start by slicing your beef into strips approximately 1/4 inch thick and 2-3 inches long. Make sure you’re slicing these strips in a perpendicular direction to the muscle fibers of the beef, making sure they all run in one direction so that your finished product has uniform texture and doneness!
Cut Thin Slices
Thin strips of beef are best because they won’t take long to cook. The thinner the beef, the more tender it will taste and the less chewy it will be. Thicker strips require longer cooking times, which usually means the outside is overcooked by the time the inside is cooked.
If this sounds too complicated, consider asking your butcher to slice it for you, as they will be familiar with what kind of cut works best for stir fries!
Tenderise Beef for Stir-Fries: Velveting
Are you wondering why the beef in Chinese recipes is so juicy and soft? The answer lies with a tenderising technique referred to as ‘velveting’.
Velveting is a technique used in Chinese cooking to lock in moisture and add flavor. To velvet your beef, first marinate the strips of meat for about 15 minutes in a mixture of egg white or cornstarch (or both), oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper. This will help tenderise and give the beef a nice glossy colour. After this step is complete, you’ll need to blanch the beef by briefly cooking it in boiling water or stock. Blanching helps “seal” the surface of the meat against moisture loss during stir-frying. Once blanched, the velveted beef should be rinsed with cold water before you add it to your stir-fry. The velveting process gives the beef an incredibly tender texture and helps to ensure that your stir fry will be amazingly delicious!
Beef Stir-Fry
Equipment
- 1 Wok Pan
- 1 Steak Knife
- 1 Small Knife For Chopping Vegetables
Ingredients
For The Sauce
- 3 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/2 cup water
For The Stir-Fry
- 7 oz beef, good quality, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 1/2 small carrot
- 4 oz broccoli
Instructions
Making Sauce
- In order to create a smooth and creamy texture, mix 2 tbsp of water with cornstarch in a bowl until combined.
- Combine all remaining Sauce ingredients, excluding the 1/2 cup of water.
- Gently combine the beef and two tablespoons of Sauce in a bowl, then allow it to marinate for fifteen minutes.
- Gradually incorporate 1/2 cup of water to the remaining sauce and set it aside.
Beef Stir-Fruing
- Heat your wok with oil on high heat, then add garlic and onion to the sizzling mixture. Cook for one minute.
- Add and sauté the sliced beef until it changes from its raw color to a delicate, golden-brown hue - be sure not to overcook.
- Meanwhile, slice carrots, bell pepperr and brocolli into 1-inch pieces. Add to pan during last few minutes of cooking.
- Remove from heat immediately.
Serving Beef Stir-Fry
Serve with rice or noodles, or enjoy with a side of bok choy and steamed carrots. Top with sesame seeds, chopped scallions and freshly ground black pepper for an added layer of delicious flavor! You can also add a dollop of chili oil for an extra kick of spice. Enjoy your velveted Chinese stir-fry with friends and family!