Looking for a quick, delicious, and healthy dinner idea? This oyster sauce beef stir-fry is the perfect weeknight meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes! The tender beef is marinated with simple ingredients to enhance flavor and texture, while the sauce, made with pantry staples, adds a rich umami punch. Stir-fried with bell peppers and your favorite vegetables, this dish is both nutritious and satisfying. Serve it over rice, and you’ve got a complete meal that the whole family will love.
Secret to Extra Tender Beef
There are three secrets to making the beef extra juicy and tender:
Cutting Against the Grain: Cutting beef against the grain is crucial for tenderness. The “grain” refers to the direction of the muscle fibers in the meat. Cutting with the grain results in longer fibers, leading to a tougher, chewier texture. By slicing against the grain, you shorten those fibers, making the beef much more tender and enjoyable to eat.
Baking Soda: Using baking soda in the beef marinade affects the protein structure, causing the beef fibers to loosen and become less likely to bond tightly during cooking. A general rule is to use about 3g of baking soda per 500g of beef. However, be cautious not to overdo it, as too much baking soda can result in a soapy taste, a mushy texture, and poor browning.
Salt and Water in the Marinade: Adding salt and water to the marinade allows the beef to absorb moisture, resulting in an extra juicy texture.
Cooking Tips
Another key point to making this dish better than takeout is to avoid overcooking the beef. Cook it only until it just changes color. Overcooking causes the muscle fibers to contract excessively, squeezing out moisture and making the beef tough.
Restaurants often use very high heat to cook beef quickly and retain moisture. At home, you can achieve similar results by using oil to seal the marinated beef before cooking. Additionally, blanching the vegetables first can reduce the total stir-frying time, ensuring everything cooks evenly.
Here’s the full printable recipe for this delicious oyster sauce beef stir-fry. Enjoy!
Oyster Sauce Beef Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 300 g Beef (flank or your preferred cut) Thinly Sliced, about 3 mm
- 1 Bell pepper (or your favorite veggies) sliced
Marinade:
- 10 g Ginger sliced
- 10 g Green onion 1 small, roughly cut
- 1/8 tsp Salt 1g
- 1/4 tsp Sugar 1g
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper 0.5g
- 1/4 tsp tsp Baking soda 1.5 g
- 2 tsp Cornstarch 6g
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
Sauce
- 1/4 tsp Sugar 1g
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper 0.5g
- 1 tsp Cornstarch 3g
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp Water
- Salt to taste optional
Instructions
Prepare the Beef:
- Slice the beef against the grain into thin pieces.
- In a bowl, mix the marinade ingredients: ginger, green onion, salt, sugar, black pepper, baking soda, and water. Press the mixture to release the juice from the ginger and green onion.
- Pour the marinade over the beef in three batches, massaging it in after each batch to ensure the beef absorbs the liquid.
- Mix in the cornstarch, then seal with oil to lock in the moisture. Let it marinate for 5 minutes.
Prepare the Sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients: sugar, black pepper, cornstarch, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and water. Set aside.
Cook the Beef:
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok or skillet over high heat.
- Stir-fry the marinated beef until it just changes color. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Stir-fry the Vegetables:
- Leave the excess oil in the pan, and stir-fry the ginger, garlic, and green onion until fragrant.
- Add the bell pepper and cook for about 30 seconds until slightly tender. (Blanch the veggies first if they take longer to cook.)
Combine and Finish:
- Add the beef back into the pan with the vegetables. Stir everything together.
- Stir the sauce to ensure it's well-mixed. Pour it into the pan and mix everything together. Cook for another minute until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the beef and vegetables.
- Serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!
