What is the best beef to use in a stir fry?

When it comes to beef stir frys, look for cuts that are inherently tender, and don’t require long, slow cooking in order to become so. Think: tri-tip, ribeye, sirloin, top loin, tenderloin, ranch steak, flat iron, and shoulder petite cuts here. Personally, I like to use strips of sirloin steak for my Crispy Szechuan Beef Stir Fry recipe, as it’s appropriate for high-heat stir frying and also more affordable than some other cuts. But even better are the pre-sliced packages of beef for stir fry, which are available in just about every grocery store. The convenience is just too good.

What are Szechuan Peppercorns?

Sichuan or Szechaun pepper is a signature spice of the cuisine of China's southwestern Sichuan Province. When consumed, it creates a tingling, numbing sensation in the mouth due to the presence of hydroxy-alpha sanshool . "Sichuan pepper, also known as Szechuan pepper, Szechwan pepper, Chinese prickly ash, Chinese pepper, Mountain pepper, and mala pepper, is a spice commonly used in Sichuan cuisine in China, and in Nepal and north east India. Despite its name, Sichuan pepper is not closely related to black pepper or chili peppers." - Wikipedia

What does Szechuan beef taste like?

Thanks to the very well-balanced combination of ingredients in Szechuan beef stir frys, you wind up with a lovely sweet and sour flavor when all is said and done. The combo of soy sauce, sugar, chilis, garlic, ginger, and a splash of wine create an unforgettably fragrant and tasty sauce that coats every bit of that crispy beef perfectly. The bright and deeply flavorful sauce complements the fatty, rich meat perfectly.

What is in Szechuan beef stir fry sauce?

The sauces used for Crispy Szechuan Beef Stir Fry recipes might vary a little bit from one to the next. But, there are typically some usual suspects that you'd be hard-pressed to find missing in any recipe for this dish. Soy sauce, lots of garlic (like, lots and lots), fresh ginger, toasted sesame oil, and sugar all work in tandem to build a very well-balanced sauce.

How does the beef in Szechuan stir fry get crispy?

The trick is all in the cornstarch (cornflour, maize flour). With its high starch content (as the name implies), cornstarch is a great ingredient to use in any manner of breading or coating when frying. It's the secret to my popular Firecracker Chicken , and it adds a great browned crunch to my Peruvian Lomo Saltado as well. The dish will still work without this step, but it will lack that extra bit of crispy texture we're able to achieve thanks to the cornstarch.

What can I substitute for Szechuan peppercorns?

This recipe actually calls for chili crisp - which features Szechuan peppercorns suspended in a chili-laced, garlicky, fiery flavored oil. So, it should follow that chili crisp makes for a great substitution for Szechuan peppercorns, if you can't find them. Chili crisp is widely available now, and I find that it is so widely useful, that I'd go so far as to call it a pantry staple. But if you don't care for heat, you can use lots of freshly cracked black pepper instead of Szechuan peppercorns and call it good. Sure, the finished dish will lack that Szechuan pepper spice, but it will be delicious, nonetheless.

How do you reheat beef stir fry?

This Crispy Szechuan Beef Stir Fry is definitely best eaten right away, when it's super fresh. The "crispy" part tends to fade away the longer the beef mingles with the sauce. That said, I almost always have a little bit left over and find that it reheats beautifully in a hot skillet over medium-low heat. It's saucy, so no need to add any water or any other liquid. A microwave also works just fine, but the direct heat of a hot skillet can better revive that crispy texture of the beef. A shower of chopped scallions or some crunchy sesame seeds adds nice pops of freshness and texture as well.

Best Ever Crispy Szechuan Beef Stir Fry (plus 3 easy stir frying tips)

Crispy Szechuan Beef Stir Fry

Print Recipe

A quick and easy beef stir fry that achieves beautifully crispy slices of browned beef, tender veggies, and a delicious, flavor-packed sauce all in one pan.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
Category: Beef
Method: Stir Fry
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, as needed
1.5 pounds stir fry beef strips (these are typically sold already sliced)
Oil for cooking
1 medium onion, large diced (any color)
3 bell peppers, large diced (any colors)
1 bunch scallions, diced, white and green parts separated
1-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced/grated
5 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry or Chinese Shaoxing wine (cooking sherry works as well)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili crisp (store-bought)
1 teaspoon sugar
Cooked Jasmine rice, for serving

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Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, cumin, and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper. Toss the beef strips in the mixture, ensuring they’re nice and coated.
Add a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil into a large skillet or wok set over medium high to high heat. When it’s super hot, brown the beef pieces in batches as needed, just until they’re crispy looking on the outsides but are still quite pink in the centers; only takes a minute or two. Transfer to a plate/tray for now and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and don’t wipe out the pan. Add a little more oil to the pan, followed by the scallion whites, peppers, and onions. Stir fry until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the browned bits/layer on the bottom of the pan (the fond) is looking too dark, go ahead and add about ¼ cup water and scrape it all up. That stuff is like gold, and will contribute to the very best sauce.
Combine the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sherry/Shaoxing, sesame oil, chili crisp, and sugar.
When the veggies are tender, pour the sauce into the skillet, along with 1 cup of water. Add the beef, along with any collected drippings, into the skillet and simmer on low just long enough for the sauce to thicken and nicely coat the meat; about 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve your stir fry over cooked rice, topped with the scallion greens.

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2023/10/23/crispy-szechuan-beef-stir-fry/