Orange Beef

4.95 from 19 votes

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!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

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

Aromatics

2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon ginger minced (10g)

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!

Video

Notes

Slice Against the Grain is my key tip in super tender Orange Beef. If you're not sure if you are slicing against the grain, look at the meat and follow the lines. They should be running in one direction - these lines are the muscle fibers. Slice across the lines. Cutting the muscle fibers will help keep the beef tender, as the fibers of the muscles won't be able to get tough when cooked.

Want Extra Crispy Orange Beef? - If you like your Orange Beef extra crispy, before stir-frying, lightly toss the marinated beef slices in cornstarch. This will help create an even crispier texture when you cook it.

Success is in the Prep! - Once you start cooking, Orange Beef will come together very quickly. The key to pulling this off successfully is having all of your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your premixed sauce, beef, and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.

Re-Stir the Cornstarch Slurry - A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of cornstarch and water that is used often in Chinese cooking to thicken. Before adding it to your dish, make sure your cornstarch slurry has not separated To be safe, I always give my cornstarch slurry one final stir right before adding it.

Avoid Overcrowding - 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.

Storage / Reheating - You can store leftover Orange Beef in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

I like reheat Orange 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 Orange 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.

Nutrition