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This Orange Beef is a wonderful weeknight meal that is so easy to bring together! The crispy, seared beef is paired with a bright, savory orange sauce and pairs so well with a freshly steamed bowl of rice! This recipe comes together in about 20 minutes, and you’ll be making it again and again!
Watch the Orange Beef Recipe Video Below!
Ingredients for Orange Beef
This Orange Beef recipe is a so delicious! The crispy beef pairs so well with that savory, citrusy orange sauce.
What type of Beef should I use?
You can use a wide variety of cuts of beef for this recipe! I prefer flank steak for Orange Beef due to its tenderness and fat ratio, but here are some common cuts you can buy to make this recipe at home:
- Flank Steak
- Sirloin
- Top Round
Ingredients
- flank steak or sirloin cut into 3″ long strips against the grain about ¼” thick
- white pepper
- light soy sauce
- baking soda
- Shaoxing wine
- sesame oil
- cornstarch
- orange zest
- neutral oil
- light soy sauce
- orange juicer
- brown sugar
- chicken stock (or water)
- crushed red pepper
- distilled white vinegar
- cornstarch slurry – cornstarch + water
- garlic
- ginger
Tips for Orange Beef:
- Choose the Right Cut of Beef: Use a tender cut of beef like sirloin or flank steak. Slice it thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Marinate the Beef: Marinate the sliced beef for at least 15-30 minutes to infuse it with flavor and tenderize it. The baking soda in the marinade will help tenderize the beef during this process!
- Extra Crispiness: If you like your Orange Beef extra crispy, before stir-frying, toss the marinated beef slices in cornstarch. This will help create an even crispier texture when you cook it.
- Aromatics: Garlic and ginger add a nice depth of flavor. Sauté them until they’re fragrant first before adding your Orange Beef sauce.
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 Orange 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.
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Orange Beef
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds flank steak or sirloin, cut into 3″ long strips against the grain about ¼” thick
- ½ teaspoon white pepper, 2g
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 30ml
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 15ml
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 16g
- orange zest of 1/2 orange
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 cup oil, for frying
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, 45ml
- 1/4 cup orange juice, 60ml
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 39g
- 1/4 cup chicken stock, 60ml (can sub water)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, 30ml
Cornstarch Slurry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 8g
- 1/4 cup water, 60ml
Instructions
- Slice steak against the grain into strips. Add to a bowl and marinate with white pepper, light soy sauce, baking soda, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, cornstarch and orange zest for 20 minutes.
- Mix together the sauce ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch slurry.
- In a large wok or non-stick pan, add the oil and heat on high. Add the marinated beef and fry until a crust has formed, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the oil and onto a plate to rest. Remove excess oil leaving about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan.
- In the remaining oil, saute garlic and ginger for 30 seconds over medium high heat until fragrant.
- Add the premixed sauce to the pan, and cook over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes until bubbling and slightly reduced. Add the cornstarch slurry and mix for 30-40 seconds until thickened and glossy. Add back the beef to the pan and mix thoroughly until combined. Garnish with orange slices and serve with freshly steamed white rice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve finally found a recipe as good as my favorite Chinese restaurant!!!! I’ve tried at least a dozen, but there’s something magical about this one. Thank you 😊
acccck my absolute fave recipe of his!. next to the list of attempts!
I usually go with orange chicken, but this is better and will replace it in my rotation!
My husbands favorite recipe! Love the fresh orange flavor
One of my favorite ways to cook meat and pairs perfectly with white rice!
This recipe really is better than takeout. This is a big hit with the family too!
Amazing recipe! So much soul in flavor…
Followed this recipe and we absolutely love it!
Followed this recipe and we absolutely love it!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. It really was so good and simple to make. I will 100% be making it again.