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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}

Orange Beef (Crispy Beef without Deep-Frying)

By Maggie Zhu
4.91 from 10 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
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}
To make this dish-gluten free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, and tamari instead of light soy sauce.

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 315kcal, Carbohydrates: 23.8g, Protein: 23.7g, Fat: 13.1g, Saturated Fat: 3.9g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 715mg, Potassium: 461mg, Fiber: 1.7g, Sugar: 10.6g, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 3mg