Create crispy, juicy, and tender restaurant-style orange beef without deep frying, with an aromatic sauce that’s tastier and healthier than takeout. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
If you’re a fan of Chinese takeout, you’ve probably come across orange chicken at some point. It’s one of those iconic dishes that combines tangy citrus with savory, slightly sweet flavors. But what if you could elevate this idea with a different protein? Try out orange beef! The crispy juicy beef works great with the orange sauce, offering an even richer taste.
Orange beef ingredients
Which cut of beef to use
Flank steak or skirt steak is usually my default cut for making stir fried dishes, because it yields a tender result. But this orange beef recipe, I want to introduce a great way to tenderize the beef (see below), so you can also choose other cheaper cuts of beef if preferred. For example, round roast or fajita would work well.
How to slice the beef
You should always slice the beef against the grain and cut it into consistent thin slices. When using flank steak, I usually cut it along the grain into two large pieces first. Then I proceed to slice it against the grain to form long thin slices of beef.
Baking soda
The secret is to marinate the beef with baking soda and some liquid.
According to Cook’s Illustrated, when the baking soda comes in contact with the surface of the beef, it changes its pH level so the proteins within it will not bind as easily. It keeps the meat tender and moist in the hot pan.
That’s it! Now you can use cheaper cuts of beef and simply marinate the beef for 30 minutes. Then you will get great results – crispy beef with a juicy, tender texture.
You might be asking yourself, will the baking soda impart a chemical taste to the meat? The answer is, it’s not noticeable if you don’t overuse it.
Orange beef mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
- Marinated beef
- Cornstarch
- Mixed sauce
- Sliced aromatics (ginger, garlic, green onion)
How to make orange beef
Making orange beef is super easy once you’ve done all the prep work.
First, coat the beef with cornstarch when you’re ready to cook. I usually add a spoon of cornstarch at a time, and mix it into the beef before adding more. So it’s easier to coat the beef evenly.
When searing the beef, you should cook in batches to ensure the pan is not overcrowded and the beef will fry properly. This recipe only uses enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. But due to the baking soda and the cornstarch coating, the beef will crisp up on the outside while staying juicy inside.
It’s important to move the cooked beef onto a plate to prevent it from overcooking. Letting the beef cool down a little also allows the coating to crisp up a bit further.
Once the beef is done, gently saute the aromatics then pour in the orange sauce.
Once the sauce thickens, return the cooked beef to the pan and garnish it with green onion. You only need to quickly stir everything together so the beef is coated with sauce.
Now you can enjoy the dish! Be sure to serve it while it’s hot so the beef remains crispy.
Orange Beef is the perfect blend of flavors: the zestiness of fresh oranges, the rich, savory depth of soy sauce, and a hint of sweetness, all wrapped around slices of succulent beef.
How to serve orange beef
Orange beef tastes the best when served over freshly steamed rice. Although you can also serve it by itself.
To complete your meal, consider serving side dishes such as:
Whether you’re looking for a weeknight meal that feels like a takeout treat or a crowd-pleaser for dinner parties, Orange Beef delivers.
More Chinese takeout recipes
Orange Beef (Crispy Beef without Deep-Frying)
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) flank steak or other cuts , sliced against the grain into 1/4” (5-cm) strips (*Footnote 1)
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon loosely packed orange zest (from 1 large orange)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (*Footnote 2)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Stir fry
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 green onion , sliced, white and green parts divided
Instructions
- Combine sliced beef, Shaoxing wine, salt, and baking soda in a big bowl. Mix thoroughly without your hand so the beef is evenly coated with the ingredients. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients. Chop aromatics while marinating the meat.
- When you’re ready to cook, add the 1/4 cup cornstarch to the marinated beef. Mix again to coat evenly.
- Heat oil in a large pan until hot (*Footnote 1). Cook the beef in batches. Spread the beef with minimal overlap. Cook until the bottom side turns golden brown, 1 minute or so. Flip and cook the other side for 30 to 45 seconds, until lightly browned. Transfer the beef to a big plate and cook the rest of the beef using the same method.
- Once done, turn off the heat. Remove extra oil from the pan using a few layers of kitchen paper towel held in a pair of tongs. Leave just 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. It’s important to let the pan cool off for a moment, so it won’t burn the aromatics in the next step.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and the white part of the green onion. Stir a few times to mix well.
- Whisk the sauce again to completely dissolve the cornstarch. Pour into the pan. Stir immediately to mix. The sauce will thicken in a few seconds. Once the sauce thickens, add back the cooked beef. Stir immediately to mix everything together to coat the beef evenly. Taste the beef carefully. If the sauce doesn’t taste sweet enough for you, you can sprinkle it with a bit more sugar (up to 1 tablespoon), then stir everything again to melt the sugar. Once done, turn off the heat and transfer everything to a big plate. Garnish with the green part of the green onions. Serve hot by itself or over steamed rice as a main dish.
Notes
- This recipe uses baking soda to tenderize the beef, so it’s possible to use a tougher cut and still get a good result. Consider using round roast or fajita meat if you prefer a cheaper cut.
- When I make orange beef, I use fresh squeezed orange juice. It creates a dish that is citrusy with a bit of zest, and not overly sweet. If you prefer a sweeter dish, consider using store bought orange juice or a sweeter variety of orange.
Not only does this orange chicken sound amazing, but I am so excited to use the baking soda tip! I guess I should really start reading my Cook’s Illustrated 🙂 I’ve finally got my wok nice and seasoned so it’s pretty darn non stick which I love. Perfect for this recipe!
This was awesome! Maggie, your recipes are always winners! I have tried to make Orange Beef before, but it either was very complicated or turned out tough after I tried to get the crispy texture. The marinating step was genius. I used a beef top round steak and the meat turned out very tender and delicious. Yummy and economical!
I made the orange beef, the hot and soyr soup and the black bean sauce and all were better than 5 stars. Great recipes on this site. My favourite. I used top round steak sliced thin. My husband went crazy when he tasted it. ♥️
Sensational! A real taste explosion! Thanks Maggie!
I LOVE your site, your recipes & your invaluable tutoring!! Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge. I love you special tips & why things work like they do. I wish the notes were included with the recipe – something I ooop-sey & forget your guidance. 🙂
Thank you for opening my palate!
what type of orange juice did you use? Is it Sunny D or Minutemaid?
Hi Abigail, Minutemaid is good!
Have read a couple of your recipes and have made a few up. they worked well and tasted really great. M y one BIG whinge about your writings is the seemingly total lack of any publication (or book) which could procure by legal or otherwise so as I may peruse your tips, recipes and methodology.
Keep it up.
Bernie Fisher
Hi Maggie,
Greetings from Australia. Today I cooked the sweet and sour tofu. Absolutely tasty. I added one home grown to tomato and two home grown green fresh chillies. I am from Msia so like a little spicy taste.
Could this recipe be made using pork?
Yes you totally can!
I tried this recipe and loved it! The beef turned out super tender and crispy. The only thing that didn’t turn out as expected was the sauce tasting a little bitter, which I suspect came from the zest, and using fresh orange juice rather than store bought. Would not using the zest impact the overall taste of the dish, or do you have any recommendation on how to overcome the bitterness? Thanks!
I think the bitterness might come from the baking soda. Depending on the cut you use, you might not need the baking soda to create a tender result. For example, flank steak is a nice tender cut and will do just well without the baking soda treatment. That bing said, if you’re using a tough cut of meat and used the baking soda to tenderize it, what you can do is to add the baking soda first and mix well. Let sit for 15 minutes then rinse it off with running tap water. Then marinate the beef using the wine and salt etc. That might help eliminating the bitterness.
Great recipe. Easy to make.
Another great recipe. I added a touch of Chile paste this time because I like a little spice but the recipe is great without it.
You did it again, another terrific recipe from Maggie Zhu. Thank you.
Great recipe!! Used london broil which is always tough and it came out very tender. Better than take out. Will add this to my regular menu!
This is a great recipe. It never fails.
Recipe is both easy to follow and excellent. Please, please, please do a cookbook for us meat-eaters!
Maggie I really enjoy your recipes. However, the list of ingredients for this recipe calls for 1/3 cup of corn starch but the instructions call for 1/4 cup of corn starch. Can you clarify what the correct amount of corn starch???
Sorry about the confusion! It should be 1/4 cup of cornstarch.
I am a diabetic and it seems like all Chinese foods always has sugar in them?
There are dishes that contain a lot of sugar (such as this one, or any sweet and sour dishes), and a lot of dishes use a small amount of sugar (1 teaspoon or so) to balance out the flavor in the sauce.
I have a page that has diabetic friendly food: https://omnivorescookbook.com/tag/diabetic-friendly/
Here are some popular ones that have little sugar in it:
https://omnivorescookbook.com/garlic-beef/
https://omnivorescookbook.com/moo-goo-gai-pan/
https://omnivorescookbook.com/beef-and-celery-stir-fry/
https://omnivorescookbook.com/pork-chop-suey/