Copycat Beijing Beef – {Higher Than Panda Specific!}

I will be trustworthy, the Panda Specific drive-through has made extra appearances in my weekly routine than I care to confess. Beijing Beef is simply a type of issues, that particular candy, sticky, tangy, spicy mixture that makes it genuinely exhausting to cease consuming. For a very long time I assumed it was a type of restaurant dishes you simply could not replicate at residence. Seems I used to be very flawed about that.

The key is velveting, a 30-minute fridge soak in baking soda and water that turns finances flank steak into one thing genuinely silky and tender. I do know it appears like kitchen science fiction, nevertheless it works each single time. After that, the sauce is simply pantry staples whisked collectively and the entire skillet is finished in half-hour.

Now I make a double batch on Sunday, portion it over rice, and I’ve principally eradicated each future takeout excuse. It reheats superbly, shops completely all week, and my fridge has been doing extra heavy lifting than DoorDash ever did. Weeknight win, totally earned!

Earlier than You Get Began

Right here are some things value understanding earlier than you begin cooking so all the things goes easily.

• Different cuts of beef work right here: Flank steak is good as a result of it slices cleanly and cooks shortly. Skirt steak is a detailed second, and sirloin works in a pinch. Keep away from something thick or robust since this can be a high-heat, quick-cook scenario with no time to repair a chewy lower.
• Make it gluten-free: Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and soy sauce all sometimes include gluten. Licensed gluten-free variations of every can be found at most grocery shops and could be swapped in straight with out altering anything!
• Velvet the meat: The baking soda and water soak is what separates this from a forgettable stir-fry. It takes half-hour within the fridge and makes the meat noticeably extra tender and silky. Do not skip it when you’ve got the time.
• Rinse completely after velveting: This step is non-negotiable. Rinse the meat nicely beneath chilly water earlier than drying it, or you’ll style the baking soda within the last dish. You have been warned.
• Dry earlier than coating: After rinsing, pat the meat utterly dry with paper towels. The cornstarch coating wants a dry floor to stay, and a dry floor means precise browning within the pan.

Make This Copycat Beijing Beef Recipe

Here is a fast overview of how you can pull this recipe collectively step-by-step.

1. Velvet the Beef

Slice the flank steak into ¼-inch strips in opposition to the grain. Add to a bowl, sprinkle with baking soda and water, and therapeutic massage it in. Refrigerate for half-hour. Elective, nevertheless it does the heavy lifting on tenderness.

2. Rinse, Dry, and Coat

Rinse the meat completely beneath chilly water, then pat it utterly dry with paper towels. Toss with cornstarch till each strip is nicely coated. This gentle coating provides the meat a slight crust and helps the sauce cling later.

3. Combine the Beijing Beef Sauce

Whisk collectively the rooster broth, hoisin sauce, candy chili sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, Sriracha, soy sauce, and honey in a small bowl till clean. Set it close by and provides it a fast stir earlier than it goes into the pan.

4. Sear the Beef

Warmth vegetable oil in a wok or giant nonstick skillet over medium-high warmth. Add the meat in a single layer and cook dinner for 1-2 minutes per facet till simply cooked by means of with some shade on the edges. Take away it from the pan and put aside.

5. Cook dinner the Peppers and Onions

Add the chopped bell peppers and onion to the identical skillet. Cook dinner for 5-7 minutes till they soften and simply begin to caramelize, however nonetheless have slightly crunch. Add the garlic within the final minute and stir till aromatic, about 30 seconds.

6. Carry It Collectively

Return the meat to the skillet. Pour within the sauce and toss all the things to coat. Simmer for 1-2 minutes till the sauce thickens and turns shiny. Serve instantly over rice or noodles.

Recipe Suggestions and Methods

Listed here are the very best suggestions and tips to assist this recipe end up completely each time.

• Cook dinner the meat in small batches: In case your skillet is not giant sufficient, do not pile the meat in. Overcrowding drops the warmth, and you find yourself steaming the meat as an alternative of searing it. You lose the golden edges!
• Minimize the peppers and onion evenly: Goal for ¾-inch squares so all the things cooks on the identical price. Uneven items imply some items are mushy whereas others are nonetheless crunchy, and neither finish is comfortable about it.
• Management the warmth stage: Each the Sriracha and candy chili sauce contribute warmth. Style the sauce earlier than it goes into the pan and alter. You’ll be able to at all times add extra warmth on the finish!
• Get the shiny sauce: You are searching for a sauce that coats the meat and greens, not a skinny liquid pooling on the backside. If it is too skinny, let it simmer a minute longer. If it is too thick, a small splash of rooster broth loosens it proper up.
• Make it much less candy: For those who lean savory, lower the candy chili sauce in half and add an additional teaspoon every of soy sauce and rice vinegar. It shifts the entire profile in a extra savory, punchy path.

Serving Concepts

Listed here are some simple and scrumptious methods to serve this recipe.

• Over rice or noodles: Serve over Sushi Rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice, or Healthy Fried Rice for a basic base that soaks up each drop of that shiny sauce. Or toss it into an Asian Noodle Bowl or serve alongside Healthy Chow Mein for a full takeout-style unfold that truthfully rivals something you’d order!
• Low-carb choices: Hold issues lighter by serving it over Cauliflower Fried Rice or a mattress of Asian Zucchini Noodles. You continue to get all of the saucy, daring taste with out the additional carbs!
• In lettuce wraps: Spoon the meat and peppers into butter lettuce leaves for a contemporary, low-carb choice that additionally travels nicely for lunch!
• Over lo mein or rice noodles: Toss the meat and sauce with cooked noodles for a stir-fry noodle bowl scenario that feels much more indulgent.
• With Baked Egg Rolls on the facet: Flip the entire meal right into a full takeout-style unfold! Each come collectively quick, and the flavors are an ideal match.
• With Baked Wonton Chips on the facet: Gentle, crispy, and prepared in minutes. They’re good for scooping up any further sauce left within the bowl, and truthfully, they could disappear earlier than dinner even hits the desk!

Storage & Reheating

Here is how you can retailer, reheat, and luxuriate in your leftovers.

• Storage: Let the meat combination cool utterly, then switch to an hermetic container. Refrigerate for as much as 3-4 days.
• Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for as much as 2-3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating. The sauce might look slightly separated, however a fast stir over the warmth fixes it.
• Reheating: Heat in a skillet over medium warmth with a small splash of rooster broth or water to loosen the sauce, about 2-3 minutes. Microwave works too; warmth briefly intervals and stir between each.
• Leftovers: Toss leftovers into fried rice, pile them into lettuce wraps with shredded carrots and cucumber, or use them as a filling for a fast grain bowl with no matter’s within the fridge.