Ginger Beef – Restaurant Style! (VIDEO)
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Ginger Beef is a classic Chinese restaurant dish but now you can make it at home – tender, velveted pieces of thinly sliced beef are coated in a sweet, tangy sauce with lots of fresh ginger that is so good over rice!
Watch the Ginger Beef Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
Ginger Beef is so good!
Ginger Beef originated from Canada but it was always part of my family’s rotation when we went out to our favorite Chinese restaurants! I love how the beef is so soft and tender (the secret is baking soda and cornstarch in the marinade!) – other “Chinese American” dishes Beijing Beef, Orange Beef, Mongolian Beef, Black Pepper Beef, Beef and Broccoli, and Beef Lo Mein all use the same trick!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- steak (you can use flank steak, strip steak or ribeye) – cut into 1/4″ strips; Make sure you are slicing the flank steak against the grain – this is an easy way to ensure your meat will be tender.
- baking soda and cornstarch – both ingredients are used frequently in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef – I’ve tested recipes without them and the difference in the tenderness of the beef is huge!
- chicken stock – if you don’t have chicken stock, you can substitute with water
- distilled white vinegar – I used distilled white vinegar as it is more readily available, but if you have Chinese red vinegar you can use this as well. The original inventor of Ginger beef used this vinegar to create a sweet and tangy sauce ginger-garlic-chili sauce, emulating fries and ketchup.
How to Make Ginger Beef
Marinate the Beef and Make the Sauce – In a bowl, add the sliced steak along with soy sauce, white pepper, baking soda, neutral oil, egg white, and cornstarch. Mix well until a batter forms and let the beef marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients and whisk until combined.
Fry the Beef – Line a plate with paper towels. Add the oil to a wok and heat to 375F. Add half of the beef and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Strain the beef from the oil and place on the plate. Repeat this process with the other half of the beef.
Add the Remaining Ingredients and Stir-Fry to Combine – Strain the oil leaving 2 tablespoons in the wok. Heat over medium high heat and add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir fry for 45 seconds then add the sauce. Mix and cook over high heat for 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly and add the beef and scallions. Mix and toss for 1 minute until the beef and combined and serve with white rice.
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Storage Tips
Store any leftover Ginger Beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until warmed through.
If you tried this Ginger Beef Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Ginger Beef – Authentic! (VIDEO)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound steak, flank steak, strip steak or ribeye, cut to ¼ inch wide strips against the grain
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoons corn starch
- 3 cups neutral oil, for frying
Sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Aromatics
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
- 2 scallion greens, cut into 3 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon sichuan pepper flakes, can sub red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the sliced steak along with soy sauce, white pepper, baking soda, neutral oil, egg white, and cornstarch. Mix well until a batter forms and let the beef marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
- In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Line a plate with paper towels. Add the oil to a wok and heat to 375F. Add half of the beef and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Strain the beef from the oil and place on the plate. Repeat this process with the other half of the beef.
- Strain the oil leaving 2 tablespoons in the wok. Heat over medium high heat and add the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes. Stir fry for 45 seconds then add the sauce. Mix and cook over high heat for 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly and add the beef and scallions. Mix and toss for 1 minute until the beef and combined and serve with white rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
