This popular Chinese food dish is the perfect weeknight meal that you know everyone will love! Learn all the restaurant secrets to making SUPER tender and juicy Beijing Beef right at home and much BETTER than takeout!
Beijing beef is one of those meals that’s packed with flavor, inexpensive to make, and healthier to make at home! With just a few tips and tricks, you’ll be making this dish like a pro.
What You’ll Need for Better-Than-Takeout Beijing Beef
Don’t let the long list of ingredients intimidate you! There are only 3 main components that come together very quickly.
Choosing Your Cut of Beef
The best type of cuts to use for Beijing Beef is leaner cuts, such as:
- Top Sirloin
- Top Round
- Beef Flank
Any of these pieces of beef will be great stars in this recipe that cook quickly!
Quick Vegetables
For this Beijing Beef recipe, I’m keeping the vegetables simple with onions and bell peppers, however, feel free to swap them out for your favorite veggies if you’d like.
That’s the perk of cooking at home!
Building the Signature Sweet & Savory Sauce
The sauce for Beijing Beef is perfectly balanced - sweet, savory, and slightly tangy.
- Sweet: To add sweetness to the dish, sweet chili sauce does the trick! Unlike adding just honey or sugar, the sweet chili sauce also includes additional spices to bolster the flavor.
- Savory: Soy sauce and oyster sauce are popular umami bombs - And there’s no way we’re skipping out on them for this meal!
- Tangy: To balance the sweet and salty, just a bit of ketchup and rice vinegar tie everything together beautifully.
Restaurant Secrets to SUPER Tender Beijing Beef!
Have you ever wondered how restaurants create incredibly tender and velvety beef? There are three secret weapons to yield these results, two of which you probably already have in your pantry!
First things first, cutting your meat correctly makes a huge difference! Before marinating your meat, put your best foot forward by cutting your meat against the grain. This reduces chewy or tough meat later on.
Next comes the marinade! Before turning on the stove, marinate your beef in seasoning with cornstarch and baking soda for at least 15 minutes. You’ll be indulging in the most tender beef that’s far better than takeout!
Complete Your Meal with More Quick Favorites!
- Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe (Better than Takeout!)
- Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce (Restaurant-Quality!)
- Wonton Soup Recipe (Easy & Comforting!)
- Easy Chicken Adobo Recipe (30 Minutes or Less!)
- Best Beef & Broccoli Recipe (Quick & Easy!)
Did You Make This Recipe & Hungry for More?
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Beijing Beef Recipe
Ingredients
Beef Marinade
- ½ pound beef flank steak* thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
Sauce*
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 ½ low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Ingredients
- ½ cup cornstarch for dusting beef
- ½ medium onion chopped
- ½ red bell pepper chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds optional for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the beef marinade ingredients. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients then set aside.
- Place additional cornstarch on a plate.
- Do a final toss of beef in the marinade, then lightly dust the beef in the cornstarch. Discard any excess marinade.
- Heat a large wok or skillet on medium-high heat. Add in enough oil for shallow frying. Once the oil is hot, add beef, working in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the meat is golden and crispy. Remove and transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Remove excess oil from the pan and heat on medium-high. Toss in onions and red bell peppers. Saute for about 1 minute, or until they begin to soften but are still crunchy.
- Add in garlic and ginger then saute for a few more seconds. Reduce heat to medium then pour in the sauce and toss in the beef. Mix until combined.
- Turn off the heat then sprinkle on sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately on a bed of fluffy rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Beef: If you can't find flank steak, you can use top round or top sirloin as well! Just make sure to cut against the grain for extra tender meat and thinly so it cooks quickly. Cut your beef while it's still a little frozen and you'll get super thin cuts of beef easily!
- Sauce: The sauce recipe is just enough for a glaze. If you like your Beijing Beef extra saucy, you can double the sauce recipe, however, just keep in mind that it’ll also make your beef soggier faster.
- Oil for Frying: Use oils with high smoke points, such as grapeseed, vegetable, canola, or avocado. Avoid using low smoke point oils, such as olive oil.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and provided for informational purposes. Nutrition may vary based on product availability, methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients, etc. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who loves cooking up a delicious storm in the kitchen - and of course eating! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal made with love, for the people you love - no matter your skill level & without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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