Pan-Fried Beef with Golden Garlic (金蒜牛肉粒)
If you’re a fan of regional Chinese cuisine, particularly from Tianjin, you’ve likely come across pan-fried beef with golden garlic—a dish that’s as delicious as it sounds! Today, I’m thrilled to share my take on this incredibly popular local favorite that’s easy to make, tender, and bursting with flavor.
During my recent trip to Tianjin, China, I had the pleasure of visiting a renowned restaurant called Gui Yuan Restaurant. Their signature dish, pan-fried beef with golden garlic, has attracted food lovers from all over. After hearing rave reviews about it for so long, I finally got to try it last year when I traveled back home. Let me tell you, there’s something truly special about this dish that keeps people coming back for more!
The beef features a slightly crispy, sweet exterior, paired with tender, bouncy meat. And let’s not forget the kick from the fried garlic and black pepper sauce—it’s absolutely flavorful and delicious!
Love beef dishes? Try our mouthwatering or warm up with hearty Instant Pot Chinese Beef Stew.
Secrete to the Perfect Beef Cubes
Which Cut of Beef to Use?
For these Black Pepper Beef Cubes, I’m using Sirloin, but the choice of beef cut is flexible. While Sirloin works great, you can opt for any cut you prefer. For extra tenderness, cuts with more marbling, like tenderloin or rib-eye, are ideal. These cuts have more fat, which helps keep the beef juicy and tender as it cooks.
One of the benefits of marinating with baking soda is that it makes the choice of beef cut less crucial. Baking soda breaks down the fibers in the meat, helping to tenderize even tougher cuts.
Baking Soda
The key to perfect beef cubes is a good marinade. To tenderize the meat while maintaining its cube shape and eliminating any unpleasant flavors, I marinate the beef with baking soda and water. After marinating for 10 minutes, rinse the beef well and pat it dry. If you’re comfortable with the flavor changes, you can leave the baking soda in, but don’t exceed 3g of baking soda per 500g of beef.
HOWEVER, baking soda can slightly diminish the natural taste of the beef. If you’re sensitive to this or prefer to keep the meat’s full flavor, simply skip the baking soda. In that case, opt for a tender cut of beef and cook it for a shorter time to retain its juiciness and tenderness.
Deep Fry
I also opt for deep frying the beef, as this helps to cook it evenly while keeping the inside moist. For an extra crispy finish, you can fry it again on high heat (around 375°F to 400°F) for about a minute. However, if you prefer a lighter version, simply stir fry the beef and garlic instead.
Perfecting the Garlic
When it comes to the garlic, temperature is crucial! Make sure the oil is heated to about 350°F. If the oil is too low, the garlic will dry out before it turns golden. I usually fry the garlic first to ensure the oil remains clear and doesn’t create burnt spots on the garlic.
Recreating this pan-fried beef with golden garlic at home brings a taste of Tianjin to my kitchen, and I couldn’t be happier to share this recipe with you. Whether you decide to deep fry or stir fry, I hope you enjoy making and savoring this dish as much as I do!
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Pan-Fried Beef with Golden Garlic 金蒜牛肉粒
Ingredients
- 20 oz Steak any cut, remove fat and tendon: 10 oz x 2 (~550g)
- 2-3 bulbs Garlic peeled
- ½ tsp Baking soda 3g
Marinade
- 1½ tbsp Chinese cooking wine 23g
- 1½ tbsp Oyster sauce 21g
- 1½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 Egg white
- 1½ tbsp Cornstarch 15g
- 1 tbsp All-purpose flour packed, 15g
- 1 tbsp Oil for sealing the beef
Deep Fry
- 2-3 cups oil
Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp Butter 25g
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce 14g
- 1½ tsp Dark soy sauce 8g
- 1 tbsp Sugar 12g
- 1½ tsp Black pepper 3g
- 1 tbsp Water 15g
- Salt to taste, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Beef
- Cut the steak into bite-sized pieces and remove any fat or tendons.
- Tenderize the beef by mixing it with baking soda and water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse well and pat dry.
Marinate the Beef
- In a mixing bowl, add Chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, black pepper and egg white to the beef. Give it a good massage.
- Then add cornstarch and flour. Mix together.
- Add 1 tbsp of oil to seal in the flavors and let the beef marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Deep Fry or Stir Fry the Garlic and Beef
- Heat 2-3 cups of oil in a pan to 350°F (175℃). Deep fry the garlic cloves at for about 1 minute until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Deep fry the marinated beef and let it sit for about 1 minute without stirring to form a crust.
- Then gently stir to separate the beef cubes and fry for an additional 3-4 minutes until the beef is golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- ***Note: If you prefer not to deep fry the beef and garlic, you can stir fry them instead until fully cooked.
Make the Sauce
- In a bowl, mix oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, and water together.
Stir Fry
- In a pan or wok, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add the cooked beef and fried garlic back into the pan.
- Pour in the sauce. Stir quickly to combine all the flavors, cooking for another 1 minute.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
