Beijing Beef

Beijing Beef is a Panda Express classic where tender beef is tossed in a tangy and sweet sauce. Serve alongside fresh veggies and a bowl of rice to bring the taste of classic takeout to your own home!

On today’s menu we’re making Beijing Beef, another copy cat recipe from Panda Express that’s as popular (if not more) as the famous Orange Chicken.

As with most Americanized Chinese dishes, this is a fairly straightforward recipe that requires cooking your protein and then quickly stir frying it to coat it in a sticky sauce.

Beijing beef has crispy, tender, and moist slices of beef that’s tossed in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce. I’m a huge fan of spicy food, so this recipe definitely satisfies that craving every single time.

This is also perfect for family weeknight dinners, gatherings, or for whenever you’re feeling a meal reminiscent of Panda Express or takeout food in general.

Some might argue, “why make takeout food at home when I can just purchase it?“, which is extremely valid since purchasing takeout is way more convenient, cheap, and delicious, I get it.

But the beauty in home cooking is that you can tailor this Beijing Beef to however you want it to be. You can add more or less spice, add more veggies, and there’s no surprises since you know exactly what’s going in your food. It’s also way more satisfying knowing you’re eating a meal prepared by you after all your work!

Ingredients

Beef:  There are many beef options you can choose for this recipe. The most tender cuts include rib eye and sirloin. These give the overall dish the best amount of fat and flavor. Other equally as tasty cuts (which are also more economical) include flank, skirt, and hanger!

Soy sauce, oyster sauce: A mixture of these sauces provides the perfect amount of umami for this dish. Oyster sauce can be omitted if you have shellfish allergies.

Sesame oil: Sesame oil gives the beef a mellow toasty and nutty flavor.

Baking soda: A common method in Chinese cooking, baking soda raises the pH levels of the meat which prevents the protein bonds from bonding too tightly together. This results in more tender beef, which is especially helpful for more tougher cuts, such as flank.

Cornstarch: Starch not only gives the beef a crisp exterior, but it will also give the sauce a chance to cling onto the beef rather than slide off of it.

Brown sugar: Sugar will help to balance out all the salty and savory flavors of the sauce. Feel free to reduce the original amount in the recipe if you would prefer it less sweet.

Hoisin sauce: This is a staple condiment sauce in most Asian households. Hoisin is somewhat similar to barbecue sauce in its sweetness and texture, though it’s slightly more umami, garlick-y, and has hints of five-spice flavor.

Ketchup: A little bit of a variation from most stir-fry sauces, ketchup gives the sauce a slight tang and mild tomato flavor. Don’t worry though, we only add just enough to provide balance to the dish.

Apple cider vinegar: Vinegar gives the sauce the needed acidity and brightness to avoid the stir-fry tasting overly flat. Feel free to use standard white vinegar or rice wine vinegar as substitutes if you prefer. You could also use lime juice.

Sweet chili sauce, chili flakes: To provide a bit of heat, I like to use a mix of sweet chili sauce and chili flakes. You could also omit this or reduce the amount of flakes if you’d prefer your dish to not be overly spicy.

Instructions

Prepare the Beef:

Cut your beef into thin slices against the grain ~1/4 inch in thickness.

Marinate your beef slices in the egg white, soy sauce, sesame oil, and baking soda. Mix thoroughly to combine and let marinate for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, toss the marinated beef with cornstarch until each slice is fully coated. Shake off any excess starch.

Fry the beef in batches for about 2-3 minutes until browned and crispy. Set aside.

Prepare the Beijing Beef:

Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce until smooth, set aside.

Oil your wok or pan with about 2 tbsp of oil. Fry the onions and bell peppers over medium heat until the veggies have slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic, and fry for an additional 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and golden.

Pour in the sauce. Turn the heat to high and let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Quickly add in the fried beef. Toss quickly to evenly coat the beef slices with the sauce.

Serve immediately. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!

Tips for Success

Slice the beef against the grain: The grain refers to the direction in which the muscle fibres are aligned. Cutting “against” or perpendicular to those protein fibres make it easier to chew, and thus, more tender to eat.

Fry the beef in batches: Avoid overcrowding your pan and fry the beef in batches. Overcrowding can lower the temperature of your oil too much, leading to soggy beef and issues of them sticking together in the pan.

Let the sauce simmer until thickened: A common mistake when making any stir-fried dish is adding the proteins too early when the sauce has not had a chance to reduce. Let the sauce simmer until reduced by about 3/4 of its original amount, then add in the fried beef slices. Doing so will prevent sogginess and ensure a crisp and crunchy outcome.

Chop your veggies into similar sizes: Cutting them similarly allows for more even cooking. This way, you won’t get pieces of vegetables that are undercooked and others being overcooked/soggy.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I add more vegetables to this?

You definitely can! Toss in carrots, mushrooms, celery, or even broccoli to make the dish even more filling and healthy.

Can I reduce the sugar?

Yes, the sauce is entirely customizable. You can add the sugar little by little and see if it’s up to your tastes, though Beijing Beef, in general, does tend to be more on the sweet and savory side.

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can make this ahead of time, but do note that the beef coating does start to get soft after a couple hours of sitting in the sauce. I’d suggest keeping the sauce and fried beef separate initially if you don’t plan on serving them just yet.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up 3-4 days.

To reheat, you may use a microwave, stovetop, or an air-fryer until the beef is fully warmed-through. To maintain the beef’s crispiness, I’d suggest using an air-fryer if you have one!

Looking for more weeknight dinner ideas? Here’s some you might like:

• Chili Peanut Noodles
• Char Siu Chicken
• Filipino Bistek
• Sushi Bake