Beijing Beef – Takeout Copycat! (VIDEO)

Love Panda Express and want to make a Panda Express inspired meal with your Beijing Beef? You have to start with Panda Express Chow Mein and Egg Fried Rice. Add another protein, like Beef and Broccoli, Orange Chicken or the discontinued Sweetfire Chicken Breast. You could even add String Bean Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp! Don’t forget the Egg Rolls and you got yourself a perfect meal!

Beijing Beef Ingredient Tips

Beef

• flank steak, cut into 1/4″ strips – see note below
• baking soda – Baking soda is commonly used in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef. It neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which causes the meat to become more alkaline. This causes the protein to have trouble tightening up, which results in more tender meat.
• white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking. It has an earthier flavor then black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• soy sauce – I recommend using low sodium, light soy sauce – this is also called “all-purpose” soy sauce.
• cornstarch – Cornstarch is a key ingredient in Chinese cooking because it is used for velveting the meat. Velveting is a Chinese technique where protein is marinated in cornstarch and cooked quickly in hot oil, resulting in the meat becoming tender and silky.
• egg (white only)

Vegetables

Cut your vegetables to similar sizes so they cook evenly in your Beijing Beef!

• red bell pepper, cut into 2″ pieces – you can use any color bell pepper; I used red because that is what is most commonly used for Beijing Beef.
• white onion
• garlic

Sauce

• water
• soy sauce
• hoisin sauce
• oyster sauce
• sugar
• sriracha – If you are sensitive to spice, I would recommend halving the amount of sriracha in the recipe.
• ketchup
• vinegar

Cornstarch Slurry

A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of cornstarch and water that is used in cooking to thicken without powdery lumps or additional flavors/colors! This is the secret to so many of your favorite Chinese dishes. My #1 tip is make sure your cornstarch slurry has not separated before adding it in – I always try to re-stir right before!

• cornstarch
• water

Neutral oil for frying – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil. I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.

Recipe Instructions for Beijing Beef

1. Prepare and Marinate the Beef

Slice steak into 1/4″ strips, against the grain. Cutting against the grain is important in order to shorten the muscle fibers (“the grain”) resulting in a more tender cut of beef!

Once the beef is thinly sliced, in a bowl, add sliced steak with baking soda, white pepper, soy sauce, cornstarch and egg white. Place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Cut the Vegetables and Mix the Sauce

Cut bell pepper and onions into 2” pieces. Chop 2 cloves of garlic. Set all chopped vegetables aside.

In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sriracha, and ketchup to form your sauce.

3. Fry the Beef

Lightly dust marinated beef with cornstarch.

In a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven, heat neutral oil to 350F. Fry dusted, marinated beef for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove and set aside. Then remove the oil from the pan and wipe out any loose food bits.

4. Sauté Vegetables

In a hot wok or pan, add 2 tbsp of neutral oil. Over high heat, saute bell peppers, onions, and garlic for 2 minutes.

5. Add Beef, Sauce, and Mix to Combine

Add beef and pre-mixed sauce to wok or pan. Mix until combined.

Add vinegar, mix again to incorporate, then add cornstarch slurry. Stir for 1-2 minutes to thicken.

Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, serve Beijing Beef with rice and enjoy!

Storage and Reheating

You can store leftover Beijing Beef in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

I like reheat Beijing Beef in the air fryer in order to crisp up the beef. When reheating the beef in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy. (If you love air fryer recipes – try my Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, or Air Fryer Orange Chicken)

Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating Beijing Beef (or any fried food) in the microwave unless you don’t care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.

Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.

My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Beijing Beef not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.

If you tried this Beijing Beef or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!