How to make beef tender? How to cook beef to make it delicious? Beef is rich in protein and is a healthy ingredient. There are many ways to cook beef. What kind of taste do you want on your table? How do you want to cook a piece of beef? If you like spicy food, then we add chili peppers to the recipe. Yes, this is our recipe today, Chinese spicy beef.
This recipe uses a velvet-coating dry-blanching technique, similar to Shuizhu Pork except it uses oil instead of water, to make the beef very tender with a smooth, velvety texture, prior to the final stir-fry. The fresh xiaomila peppers make it hot and spicy, while the soy and oyster sauces give it a savory taste. A splash of Chinese black vinegar in the hot wok during the final stir-fry adds aroma and flavor. Celery and red chili peppers give the dish lots of added nutrition and delightful color contrast.
If you do not have fresh chilies, you can rehydrate dried xiaomila peppers to soften their texture.
Note that, like many recipes cooked in two stages, the final stir-fry for Chinese Spicy Beef takes less than a minute. Be sure to have all your ingredients ready at hand before beginning this stage. Start over medium heat with the aromatics, then the celery. Add the seasonings and water, quickly combine, increase the heat to high, add the beef and vinegar, and stir-fry quickly to finish.
Jing’s Chinese Spicy Beef
Equipment
- 1 wok
- 1 heat safe container for hot oil
- 1 wok spatula
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 wire kitchen strainer (use to drain the oil from the beef after blanching)
Ingredients
- 220 g beef tenderloin
- 50 g celery (substitute cilantro if you prefer)
- 6 fresh xiaomila peppers if using dry peppers, rehydrate
- 3 cloves garlic
- 5 g ginger (about 2½ teaspoons or 13 ml)
- oil for dry blanching (to fill the wok 1/3 of the way)
Beef marinade:
- 1 egg white
- 5 ml Shaoxing wine substitute dry sherry
- 3 ml salt
- 5 ml light soy sauce
- 3 ml dark soy sauce
- 15 ml corn starch
Stir-fry:
- 8 ml oyster sauce
- 5 ml light soy sauce
- 3 ml Zhenjiang black vinegar (aka Chinkiang vinegar)
- 15 ml water
- 15 ml cooking oil
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients and wash them.
- Slice the beef and place in a bowl. Add 5ml (1 tsp) Shaoxing wine, 5ml (1 tsp) light soy sauce, 3ml (½ tsp) dark soy sauce, and 3ml (½ tsp) salt, stir well, then add 1 egg white and mix thoroughly. Finally, add 15ml (1 tbsp) corn starch, stir well, and set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.220 g beef tenderloin, 1 egg white, 5 ml Shaoxing wine, 3 ml salt, 5 ml light soy sauce, 3 ml dark soy sauce, 15 ml corn starch
- Chop the peppers, ginger, and garlic. Slice the celery into 2 inch lengths.
- Heat the pan until it smokes slightly. Fill the wok ⅓ full with cold oil and heat to 100°C (212°F) over medium heat. Add the beef and use a slotted spoon to prevent the beef from sticking together. When the beef changes color completely, remove it from the wok and drain the oil, using the wire strainer. Pour off the hot oil into a heat-safe container.oil for dry blanching
- Rinse the wok, using a nylon scrubbing pad to remove any residue. Heat it over high heat until it begins to smoke, then swirl some cold oil in the wok and pour it off into your oil container.Reduce the heat to medium. Add 15ml (1 tbsp) of oil to the clean wok and add the chopped chili pepper, ginger. and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 10-20 seconds.6 fresh xiaomila peppers, 3 cloves garlic, 15 ml cooking oil, 5 g ginger
- Add the celery and sauté for 5 seconds.50 g celery
- Season the ingredients with 5ml (1 tsp) light soy sauce and 8ml (1½ tsp) oyster sauce. Add 15ml (1 tbsp) water, then the beef, turn the heat to high, and stir-fry to combine for a few seconds. Next, pour 3ml balsamic vinegar around the edge of the ingredients and stir-fry quickly for 20 seconds.8 ml oyster sauce, 5 ml light soy sauce, 3 ml Zhenjiang black vinegar, 15 ml water, 220 g beef tenderloin
- Finish and serve.
Notes
- After dry-blanching the beef, use a strainer to pour the oil in the wok back into the oil storage container. If there is beef or starch residue at the bottom of the pot, you need to clean the wok.
- Pouring some vinegar on the edge of the ingredients while the wok is over a high flame makes the vinegar evaporate quickly, producing fragrance and the dish more delicious.
- Note that, like many recipes cooked in two stages, the final stir-fry takes less than a minute. Be sure to have all your ingredients ready at hand before beginning this stage. Start over medium heat with the aromatics, then the celery. Add the seasonings and water, quickly combine, increase the heat to high, add the beef and vinegar, and stir-fry quickly to finish.
Nutrition
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One of my favorites. I like this even better than your cold beef salad.