Mongolian beef is a popular Chinese-American restaurant dish that consists of tender, crispy beef in a savory-sweet brown sauce.
HOW DO YOU MAKE SZECHUAN BEEF EXTRA TENDER?
This Szechuan Beef is crazy tender thanks to1) slicing the beef thinly, 2) slicing the beef across the grain and 3) marinatingthe beef. The marinade is a very thickcombination of soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch etc. and it makes ALL the differencebetween buttery tender beef and okay beef. Here’s how it works:
- soy sauce: the salt in the soy sauce helps break down the proteins for a more tender texture and infuses the steak with flavor.
- rice wine: is an acidic ingredient that breaks down lean muscle fibers on the surface meat.
- cornstarch: acts as a binder and helps our soy sauce bind to the meat for more flavorful beef. Cornstarch also provides a light coating that helps protect it from the intense heat when cooking.
To elevate the Szechuan Beef marinade even more so the beef is burstingwith flavor through and through, we add:
- 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
Now the Szechuan Beef is undeniably the most tender, flavorful beefyou’ve ever encountered – now just wait for the INSANELY delicious Szechuan sauce!
HOW DO YOU MAKE SZECHUAN BEEF?
Thinly slice beef. You will want to slice your beef into ¼”slices – no thicker. It is much easier to thinly slice your steak if youfreeze it for 60 minutes or so; however long it takes so it doesn’t slide when cutting. The frozen beef defrosts quickly, so I will slice the beef in thirds and workwith one third at a time while the rest of the beef stays in the freezer. The beef will continue to completely defrost inthe marinade.
Sliceyour beef ACROSS the grain. You can marinate your beef and slice itthinly, but if you slice it the wrong way, your meat will be chewy. When you look at your steak, you can see the musclefibers “grain” running through the meat in one direction. You want tocut perpendicular to the muscle fibers so they become as short as possible,as opposed to parallel which will result in long muscle fibers and chewy,rubbery meat.
Marinatebeef. A marinade is crucial whenusing less expensive cuts of beef such as flank steak in order to break down themuscle fibers and tenderize the beef. Our Szechuan marinade will be thick andnot your typical runny marinade. Let the beef sit at roomtemperature 30-60 minutes or even better, marinate in the refrigerator for upto 8 hours. If you do refrigerate your beef, make sure to let it come to room temperature,about 30 minutes before cooking. Thiswill ensure it cooks evenly.
Make SzechuanSauce. Whisk the Szechuan Sauce ingredientstogether consisting of oyster soy sauce, water, brown sugar, Asian chili sauce,rice wine, ground Szechuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, Chinese 5 Spice and cornstarch.
Stir Fry Beef. Heat 1-2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil a largeskillet over high heat until very hot and sizzling. It is important thatthe skillet be smoking hot so that the beef will sear and not steam. Working in 2-3 batches (depending on the size of your skillet) add beef to theskillet and line in a single layer and sear for 1 minute, flip over and searthe other side. Don’t worry about the beef cooking completely because itwill cook more in the sauce. Don’t overcook or it won’t be as tender! Transfer beef to a large plate and cover.
Stir Fry Vegetables. To the now empty skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté two minutes; add bell peppers, garlic and ginger and sauté one additional minute. You don’t want to overcook your bell peppers because they will continue to soften once we add the Szechuan beef and sauce.
Combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine then add to the skilletalong with the beef. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened,the beef is cooked and vegetables are crisp tender, about 1-2 minutes. Tasteand add additional chili sauce if desired for spicier Szechuan Beef.
The Only Beef Stir Fry You’ll Need! Amazingly Tender! Chinese Beef with Ginger & Spring Onion 姜葱牛肉
FAQ
What type of beef do Chinese use?
What is Chinese crispy beef called?
What is the red meat in Chinese food?
Why is Chinese restaurant beef so tender?