Description
Spicy Szechuan Beef delivers a fiery kick of authentic Chinese cuisine, blending tender meat with numbing peppercorns and bold spices. Quick stir-frying creates a restaurant-quality dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 lbs (680 grams) flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
Spices and Seasonings:
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns, lightly toasted and crushed
- 6 dried red chilies, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Sauces and Oils:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Garnish:
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the beef by slicing it against the grain into thin, uniform strips to ensure tender and quick-cooking pieces.
- Coat the beef slices thoroughly with cornstarch and a pinch of salt, creating a light protective layer that will help develop a crispy exterior during cooking.
- Heat a wok or large skillet with high-temperature oil until it shimmers, indicating the perfect cooking temperature.
- Carefully add beef in small batches, allowing each piece space to brown rapidly without steaming, cooking for approximately 2-3 minutes until edges turn golden and crisp.
- Transfer the seared beef to a separate plate, maintaining its temperature and crispiness.
- In the same cooking vessel, introduce additional oil and quickly toast garlic, ginger, Szechuan peppercorns, and dried chilies, releasing their aromatic oils and creating a fragrant base.
- Pour in soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar, stirring continuously to create a glossy, complex sauce that balances sweet, tangy, and umami flavors.
- Reintroduce the crispy beef into the sauce, gently tossing to ensure each piece is evenly coated and heated through.
- Finish the dish with a drizzle of sesame oil for a nutty undertone and sprinkle freshly chopped green onions for a bright, sharp contrast.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice or noodles, presenting a vibrant, spicy Szechuan beef that promises bold flavors and textures.
Notes
- Choose lean, well-marbled beef like flank or sirloin for optimal tenderness and flavor.
- Partially freeze beef for 15-20 minutes to make slicing paper-thin easier and more precise.
- Use a sharp knife and slice against the grain at a 45-degree angle to ensure maximum softness.
- Pat beef dry with paper towels before adding cornstarch to help achieve an extra crispy exterior.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan when stir-frying to ensure beef browns instead of steaming.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing dried chilies and Szechuan peppercorns.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari and use gluten-free hoisin sauce.
- Add crunchy vegetables like bell peppers or broccoli for extra nutrition and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg