Beef Fried Rice is a popular Chinese take-out dish consisting of rice stir-fried with beef, vegetables, and eggs. The vegetables can be substituted with any other vegetable. This is one of my favorite Chinese dishes to order when I go out for dinner at a restaurant.
Key Ingredients
With just a few simple ingredients, you can make this flavorful dish quickly. The ingredients are few and can be found at any grocery store.
The main ingredient in beef fried rice is beef. Traditionally, it's made with sirloin or beef chuck, but you may use a different cut of beef, such as flank steak or chuck roast. Be sure to slice the meat against the grain, which means cutting through the fibers and shortening them. This will ensure that each bite is tender and juicy. Some people prefer to use ground beef rather than steak because it has a more consistent texture and doesn't need to be chopped into small pieces. Again, it is a personal preference.
The meat is pre-cooked until it's browned and tender, but not tough or chewy. This gives the beef a nice texture and makes for great flavor contrast when it's time to mix it with the rice and vegetables.
The other ingredients include eggs, sweet peas, red onions, and a few seasonings. About the red onions, I love red onions, they are colorful and have a milder spicy flavor than yellow and white onions. I used different kinds of onions in the fried rice and found that I like the red onions the most. Feel free to use any kinds of onions you like or add more vegetables if you want, it is your personal preference. The vegetables add color, flavor, and nutrition to your dish.
The exact measurements for each ingredient will vary depending on personal preference or how much you want to make at once. As such, it's best to start small until you find what works best for you!
How To Make Beef Fried Rice
Cook the beef: First, start by cutting the beef to ¼ inch strips and putting them into a bowl. Secondly, prepare the marinade sauce: mix salt, white pepper, sugar, cornstarch, Shaoxing cooking wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and water with the beef strips. Stir in the same direction until it's combined. Let it marinate for about 10-15 minutes. Then brown it until they are fully cooked. Set aside.
Scramble the egg: Meantime, heat cooking oil in a wok (different from the beef pan) on medium-high heat until it's hot. Add the beaten eggs and scramble them into small pieces. Set aside.
Stir fry the vegetables: In the same wok, add oil and stir-fry the red onions for about two minutes or until they are soft. Then add the sweet peas and stir fry again. Fold in the cooked rice on top of the red onion and sweet pea mixture and combine well.
Add the sauce: Add the remaining sauces (soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil) around the edge of the wok and stir them into the rice mixture for another two minutes or so.
Mix everything: Pour in the scrambled eggs and cooked beef strips. Toss and turn them with a spatula until they are combined. That's it-garnish with green onions and cilantro and enjoy!
The best beef fried rice should be crispy and tender with well-seasoned garnishes. You can serve up your beef fried rice with a side of your favorite sauce such as chili oil or any other sauce.
Tips
So here are some tips to help you cook the best beef fried rice:
Marinate the beef before cooking it. Pre-marinating meat before cooking improves the flavor and adds moisture, so the beef doesn't taste plain.
It is best to prepare fried rice using leftover rice that is at least a day old. Otherwise, it becomes gummy in the pan very easily. If you don't have any leftover rice from the night before, cook a batch of rice and spread it out on a large baking sheet. Allow the rice to dry for 1 to 2 hours before using it for fried rice. To make perfect Chinese fried rice, I strongly recommend that you leave the rice in the fridge overnight to remove moisture from it. It is easier this way and requires no effort on your part.
Storage and Reheat
I prefer to eat fried rice the same day I make it, but leftovers don't taste bad either! You can store it in the fridge for up to three days.
When it's time to heat the leftover beef fried rice, you can simply put it in a microwave to heat it to your desired temperature. Or if you choose to heat it on the stovetop, sprinkle some water over the rice and quickly stir it once. Turn off the heat as soon as the rice is ready.
Conclusion
This classic Chinese take-out dish is an affordable, healthy, and nutritious meal. Additionally, it's perfect for prepping meals and packing lunches for the family. Try it! Happy cooking.
Beef Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 5 cups cooked white rice
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup chopped red onions
- thinly sliced green onions and cilantro for garnish optional
- white pepper to taste
For the beef marinade:
- 8 ounces beef sirloin
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Cut the beef to ¼ inch strips and put them into a bowl.
- Prepare the marinade sauce: mix salt, white pepper, sugar, cornstarch, Shaoxing cooking wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and water with the beef strips. Stir in the same direction until it's combined. Let it marinate for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat cooking oil in a wok (different from the beef pan) on medium-high heat until it's hot. Add the beaten eggs and scramble them into small pieces. Set aside.
- Heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a non-stick pan and brown the marinated beef strips until they are fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same wok, add oil and stir-fry the red onions for about two minutes or until they are soft. Then add the sweet peas and stir fry again. Fold in the cooked rice on top of the red onion and sweet pea mixture and combine well.
- Add the remaining sauces (soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil) around the edge of the wok and stir them into the rice mixture for another 2 minutes or so.
- Pour in the scrambled eggs and cooked beef strips. Toss and turn them with a spatula until they are combined.
- Garnish with green onions and cilantro and serve hot. Enjoy!
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