Chinese Oyster Beef

By David J. Stewart

Chinese Oyster Beef

Oyster sauce enhances the natural flavor of beef in this quick and easy beef stir-fry recipe.  Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound diced flank beef (or rib eye).

Marinade (place beef into large bowl with following ingredients, hand mix, and let sit for about 15 minutes)

  • 1 tablespoons dark soy sauce (Chinese grocery stores sell dark soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon sherry
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1-2 dashes of white pepper (or about 6 twists of fresh ground pepper)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Other:

  • 1/2 of a yellow onion (diced)
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced (I use a hand garlic press)
  • 1 bundle green onion stalks (I like a lot of fresh green onions, you may want to use less)
  • 1/2 green or red pepper (diced, use 1/4 of each if you use both types of peppers)
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (I use Mama Sitas)
  • 1 Six oz. can of stir-fry-vegetables (contains: bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, straw mushrooms, water and salt); or just use whatever vegetables you like (definitely include some fresh bean sprouts).
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil for stir-frying
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon Accent seasoning
  • I don't add any salt because the soy sauce and oyster sauce already contain salt.

Note: Soy sauce and oyster sauce bottles require refrigeration after opening. 
 

Preparation

Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices, then small pieces.  Add the marinade ingredients to the beef, mix thoroughly.  Marinate the beef for about 15-30 minutes.  Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil (or peanut oil) over high heat in a preheated wok.  Add the beef when wok is hot.  Brown, stirring frequently, until meat changes color and is partially cooked through.  Remove beef from wok and drain most juices, but leave a little.

Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in wok over high heat.  Add yellow onions and garlic, stir-fry until onions begin to brown.  Scrape any roasted garlic from bottom of wok for flavor.  Add the diced peppers, stir-fry for about 30-45 seconds.  Next, add can of stir-fry-vegetables, Accent and coriander—fry for another minute while stirring frequently.  Add the beef back into the pan, and then the oyster sauce.  Mix everything together and fry for about 30 seconds.  Turn heat off, add diced green onion stalks, mix and serve. Tastes great with white steamed rice (I always use a rice cooker).  You may want to try Jasmine rice for a different flavor.

I usually make this meal with a bag of pork pot-stickers fried brown in sesame oil, and a pound of Oscar Meyer bacon friend separately as an appetizer.  Bacon cooked over lower heat will yield chewier bacon... emmm!

This is one of my favorite meals to cook. There are many different ways to make a stir-fry. You may desire to add some garlic powder or onion powder to your stir-fry. For a little hotness, add a few dashes of crushed Red Pepper. Sometimes I'll sauté the onions, garlic and then add the beef a couple minutes later to brown, then set aside. I then brown all the other vegetables and add the onions, garlic and beef afterwards. I don't want to beef to cook a long time to avoid it becoming tough. DON'T use too much soy sauce, as it will make your stir-fry very salty. I never use more than 1 TBSP. Garlic Salt and Onion Powder give a nice taste to a stir-dry; but again, not too much.
 

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