Crispy salt and pepper beef is a popular Chinese dish made with thinly sliced beef that is lightly seasoned, coated in a light egg-white batter, then deep-fried until crispy. Garnish with sliced green onions or scallions for a beautiful pop of color and serve with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Cuts of Beef
You can use any cut of beef such as sirloin, boneless short ribs, flank steak, tenderloin, and ribeye. However, we are tendering the meat with a bit of baking soda (a restaurant hack), you can use tougher and more economical cuts such as beef round roast or beef chuck.
How to Make It
To make the dish, thinly slice the beef and marinate. Set aside while you make the batter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch and egg whites until fully combined and frothy. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the beef until evenly coated.
Prepare a deep pan or wok with enough oil for deep frying and heat it to 375°F. Deep fry in two batches until crispy and golden brown. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Add the fried beef into a large mixing bowl and give it a final tossing in a salt and pepper mixture for a final layer of flavor.
Traditionally, the crispy fried beef is wok-fried in a stir-fried mixture of aromatics, consisting of garlic, onions, and chili peppers before the additional layer of salt and pepper. For this recipe, I’m keeping it kid-friendly and easy by eliminating the wok-fried aromatics.
Chinese Five-Spice Powder
Chinese five-spice powder is the Chinese equivalent of the American Old Bay Seasoning. It is a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and ginger. Sometimes, the fifth spice is Sichuan pepper, which produces a slight numbing sensation.
These five spices are ground into a fine powder, then used in marinades and rubs in a variety of dishes, such as Cantonese roast pork. Chinese five-spice powder provides a complex and aromatic flavor, with sweet, spicy, and savory notes.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a commonly used ingredient in many restaurant kitchens. When added to marinades or rubs, the scientific property of baking soda helps to break down the tough proteins in the meat, making it more tender.
Pro Tips
Cutting: For easier slicing, freeze the beef for about 30 minutes before cutting it into thin, bite-sized pieces against the grain.
Batter: For the thinnest, crispiest coating, whisk the egg whites with cornstarch until frothy. If you don’t have egg whites, you can substitute 1 whole egg whisked with a little water. However, egg whites are highly recommended.
Related Posts
Enjoyed this recipe? Try these other Chinese / Chinese-American dishes:
- Restaurant-Style Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Panda Express Orange Chicken
- Chinese BBQ Pork
- Dim-Sum-Style Braised Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce
- Crispy Roast Pork Belly
Crispy Salt & Pepper Beef (Thịt Bò Chiên Muối Tiêu)
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A flavorful and crispy deep-fried Asian-style beef dish that’s ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef (sirloin, flank steak, or more economical cuts like round roast or chuck)
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (divided)
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 2 egg whites (can sub with 1 whole egg with 1 tablespoon water)
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Prepare the beef: Thinly slice the beef into bite-sized pieces against the grain. In a large bowl, marinate beef strips with salt (1/2 teaspoon), ground black pepper (1/4 teaspoon), Chinese five-spice powder, and baking soda for at least 10 minutes.
- Make batter: In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and corn starch until there are no longer clumps. Add egg white mixture to the marinated beef. Gently toss until evenly coated.
- Deep-fry the beef in two batches at 375°F for about 2 minutes per batch, or until golden brown and crispy. To prevent the pieces from sticking together, carefully add the beef strips to the hot oil one at a time. Transfer the fried beef to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Finish: Add cooked beef to a large mixing bowl and toss evenly with remaining salt (1/4 teaspoon) and pepper (1/4 teaspoon). Serve immediately for best results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese
