Beef and Onion Stir Fry (Chinese)

chinese-beefonionstirfy Beef and onion stir fry features incredibly tender strips of beef stir-fried with onions in a delicious savoury sauce that takes everything to the next level. It’s incredibly quick and easy and my go-to recipe for busy weeknights.

sirloin, rib eye, flank or blade steak (300 g)
½ white or yellow onion
4-5 slices fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced or sliced thinly
1 stalk green onion. cut into 2" pieces

Marinade:
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
½ Tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine
2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. cornstarch (added after marinating)
1 Tbsp. oil (added after marinating)

Sauce:
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
1½ Tbsp. oyster sauce
½ Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
½ Tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine or dry sherry/rice wine
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
½ cup water

To Serve:
steamed rice

Peel and slice ½ white or yellow onion and separate the segments. Set it aside for later

Peel and thinly slice 3 cloves garlic. Alternatively, you can also mince it as well.

Slice 4-5 slices ginger and set it aside for later.

Cut off the root part of 1 stalk green onion and discard it. Then cut the green onion into 2" pieces. For the chunky white part, slice it in half lengthwise again. Set this aside for later.

Marinate the Beef:
Thinly slice the beef against the grain and put it in a bowl.

(Optional) To make it easier to slice, you can put it in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up slightly.

Add 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, ½ Tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine, 2 Tbsp. water and 1 tsp. sesame oil into the bowl with the sliced beef and marinate it for 15 minutes.

Do not add the cornstarch and oil yet.

Once you have finished marinating the meat, add in 1 tsp. cornstarch and mix well. This will create a velvety layer that will seal in the beef's moisture.

Once the cornstarch is mixed evenly with the beef, add 1 Tbsp. oil to it and mix well again and set it aside.

Make the Stir Fry Sauce:
In a small bowl, mix 1 Tbsp. soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. cornstarch until there are not lumps.

Then add in 1 tsp. sugar, 1½ Tbsp. oyster sauce, ½ Tbsp. hoisin sauce, 1 tsp. sesame oil, ½ Tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine and 1 tsp. dark soy sauce (or reg. soy sauce) and mix everything well.

Then mix in ½ cup water and set it aside for later.

Stir Fry:
Use a large frying pan or a wok and set it on the stove on high heat.

Once the pan is very hot, add in the oil and sliced beef. Don't be shy with the oil, it will help the beef not stick to the pan and sear it better. I use approximately 3-4 Tbsp. of oil.

Spread the beef out throughout the surface of the hot pan to brown it to create an initial sear. Then stir fry the beef until it is about 90% cooked, about 2-4 minutes depending on how thinly you sliced it. Don't worry it will cook the rest of the way in the sauce at the end. Remove it from the pan and set it aside for later.

Add a bit more oil into the pan and the ginger slices. Toast the ginger for 1 minute until it is slightly brown.

Then add in the onion slices and ginger and stir fry it until it is soft and slightly brown, about 2 minutes.

Push the onions, ginger and garlic to the side of the pan.

Mix the stir-fry sauce again (cornstarch will settle to the bottom) and pour the sauce into the hot pan. Keep stirring the sauce in the pan until the sauce has turned thick and it has turned from a milky colour to a dark brown colour.

Once the sauce is thick, mix the onions into the sauce and add the beef back in as well. Add the green onions as well and stir fry everything for about 1 minute.

Plate and enjoy with steamed rice.

Makes 3 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Dark Soy Sauce for Colour: Dark soy sauce is used in the marinade to get that dark brown colour. In case you don’t have it and can’t find it, you can substitute it for soy sauce instead.
Preparation Is Crucial: Once you start stir frying, the process will happen very quickly, so it's important to have everything on hand to make it a smoother and easier process.
Slice Against the Grain: When prepping your beef, it's important to slice against the grain. This breaks up the muscle fibers and results in more tender beef.
Marinate for Maximum Flavour: Let the beef sit in the marinade for at least fifteen minutes before cooking, but the longer you marinade, the more flavour you'll get.
Velvet Your Beef with Cornstarch: After marinating, coat your beef slices in cornstarch. This technique, known as velveting, gives the beef a silky texture and locks in moisture when frying. Make sure you add the cornstarch after you finish marinating, this will ensure the beef will full absorb all the marinade first for the best flavour.
Sear the Beef Slices to 90%: Sear the beef on high heat until it's about ninety percent done, then remove it from the pan before making the sauce. It's okay if you see a bit of pink. This guarantees that the beef won't overcook and become tough.
Baking Soda Method: To get that very tender beef like you get in Chinese restaurants, you can opt to mix in ½ tsp. of baking soda with 2 Tbsp. of water into the sliced beef and let it sit for about 15 minutes. But make sure to do this before the marinating step because you need to rinse the baking soda off of the beef very well and squeeze out any excess water or it will have a funky flavour and smell. I personally skip this step because I find adding water in the marinade is enough to get the beef tender, as long as you slice it against the grain.

Serving Suggestions:

If you're a fan of white fried rice, consider serving this beef and onion stir fry over a bowl of it. The simplicity of the rice will allow the flavours of the stir fry to shine through and goes really well with the salty sauce.
For a more flavourful option, try pairing this dish with egg fried rice, yeung chow fried rice, chicken fried rice or nasi goreng, which is a Indonesian fried rice made with shrimp paste.
Garlic fried rice can also be a great accompaniment to this stir fry. The aromatic garlic rice will enhance the savoury notes of the soy and oyster sauce in the stir fry.
If you're looking to add more vegetables to your meal, a side of ginger soy fried cabbage is a great choice. The tangy and spicy cabbage will provide a nice contrast to the rich beef and onion stir fry.
Another vegetable side dish option could be a colourful stir fry of bell peppers and other vegetables. The crunchiness of the vegetables will add a nice texture contrast to the tender beef.
For a comforting end to your meal, consider serving a bowl of miso corn egg drop soup. The light, savoury soup will balance out the rich flavours of the beef and onion stir fry.

Variations:

This delicious beef and onion stir fry recipe is so flavourful and easy to make, you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations. Here are some great ideas:
Add Red Peppers: If you love bell peppers as much as I do, you’ll love this variation. Simply slice some red peppers and add them to the stir fry. The flavours will work beautifully with the onions and sauce.
Make It Spicier: For a touch of heat, consider adding half a tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce. It’ll make the sauce spicy and even more delicious.
Add More Vegetables: If you want to increase the vegetable content of your stir-fry, this variation is a great choice. Add any of your favourite veggies to the stir fry. Broccoli florets will work great along with some carrots.