Whenever we make homemade “Chinese” food, we always make this version of Ginger Beef — it is a little garlicky, a little gingery and super delicious! It is always well loved by anyone who tries it!
Sure, it may not exactly be an old homestead-type recipe, but my family loves all sorts of cuisines from around the world. It gives us a chance to learn about different cultures and their food (perfect for our homeschooling social studies unit), and explore different countries while tasting new and delicious foods! We thoroughly enjoy making an assortment of cuisines from the comfort of our kitchen where we know exactly what the ingredients are and we can easily adjust recipes as needed to meet our food allergies!
For my version of ginger beef, I used a portion of a roast and cut it into thin pieces and placed it in a freezer bag with seasonings and then placed it in the freezer until I was ready to use it. This is a great way to marinate the meat and add more flavor!
Let’s get started!!
For our homemade “Chinese” food night, we made a veggie stir fry, ginger beef, pineapple chicken and rice. It was absolutely delicious and took me just over an hour to prepare and cook everything.
For the veggie stir fry, I added onion, celery, carrots, cabbage (a coleslaw mix works so well and saves time chopping!), baby bok choy and broccoli along with water to steam and soy sauce (using Tamari, coconut aminos, or Bragg’s aminos works great if you are in need of gluten free). I simply season with salt, pepper, ginger and garlic.
Pineapple Chicken – https://www.ourcityhomestead.com/pineapple-chicken/
I always start cooking the beef first and then add the veggies and seasonings afterwards. First, cut whatever beef you would like to use into thin strips. I used a portion of a beef roast that I chopped up, and froze with the marinade but you can easily add the fresh beef to a bowl, add the marinade and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. I often freeze chopped meat with a marinade or seasonings to add extra flavor!
The marinade is simple for my version of ginger beef! Once you have the beef in a bowl or ziploc bag, add soy sauce (or the gluten free alternatives I mentioned above), garlic, ginger and fresh cracked pepper. I sometimes add sesame oil, but it is completely optional and does not affect flavor that much if omitted! If you would like it spicy, you can add cayenne or chili flakes.
When it is time to cook the beef, place beef in a bowl (thaw ahead of time if frozen) and add an egg and cornstarch. Stir well. It will be sticky and gloopy. Add piece by piece to a hot pan with oil. Cook, flipping until browned well on both sides.
Once cooked, remove from pan to a paper towel lined plate. Cook in smaller batches until done.
To same pan, add onion, splash of soy sauce, pepper and a pinch of salt and sauté until tender. If there is too much oil leftover from frying beef, remove, leaving just a bit. Once onion is tender, add garlic and carrot and saute for 5 minutes.
Add beef back to pan along with water with soy sauce and cornstarch. Pour in and stir well. Cook for a few minutes or until thickened. If you would like more sauce, add more water with cornstarch and soy sauce along with a bit of beef broth. I opted for less sauce and cooked it a bit longer to caramelize the onions and carrots.
Here’s my version of ginger beef from my kitchen of never measuring! I sure hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Homemade Ginger Beef
3 cups beef, cut into strips – I used 1/2 of a beef roast but you can use as much as your family would eat
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp ginger – I use powdered for marinating rather than fresh
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sesame oil – optional
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
fresh cracked pepper
3/4 cup cornstarch
oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, julienned
1 tsp fresh garlic or 2 to 3 cloves, minced
3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup soy sauce with 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed in
Place sliced beef in a bowl or freezer bag along with the first amount of soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame oil if using. Marinate for several hours, or overnight or freeze until ready to use.
Once ready to cook, add beef to a bowl along with the egg, salt, pepper and cornstarch. Stir well. Let stand for 8 minutes. Mix well. The mixture will be quite sticky and gloopy. Add to a hot pan with oil. I use enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Brown well, flip and brown on the other side, about 10 minutes. Cook well so beef is crispy which helps keep it from getting soggy in the sauce (although over time, it will become less crisp). Remove from pan and place on a plate that has been lined with paper towel to soak any excess grease.
In the same pan, remove excess oil and sauté onion until tender. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a splash of soy sauce. Once onion is tender, add garlic. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Add carrot. Stir. Cook for 5 minutes. Add beef back to onion and carrots and stir well. Combine last amount of cornstarch with water, and soy sauce. Pour over beef mixture and stir well. Cook until thickened. If wanting more sauce, add more water or beef broth. Add more cornstarch solution if sauce is not thick enough. Cook about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
