Takeout Style Chinese Beef and Mushroom: A Homemade Delight!

4 weeks ago

0 4 minutes read

This Takeout Style Chinese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry is a delightful dish that can be easily made at home, surpassing the taste of traditional takeout. In under 30 minutes, you can enjoy tender flank steak cooked with sliced mushrooms in a rich and savory Chinese brown sauce. Not only is it a healthy and delicious way to satisfy your cravings, but I will also share my secret for achieving the most tender beef. Let’s dive into the details of this simple and satisfying dinner.

Takeout Style Chinese Beef and Mushrooms at Home

Contrary to popular belief, making takeout-style dishes at home is much simpler than you might think. The process follows a few key steps that ensure the authentic flavors and textures you love. Here’s a breakdown of these steps:

Tenderize the meat and cut it correctly.
Use authentic but easily accessible ingredients.
Cook quickly in a suitable pan.

If you’re already a fan of Sprinkles and Sprout’s takeout-style dishes, you may be familiar with these steps. Feel free to skip ahead using the jump menu or the “Jump to Recipe” button on the left.

Do You Need a Wok for Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry?

The answer is no! You can still enjoy this delicious dish without a wok. Most household cooktops don’t have the specialized wok burners found in commercial kitchens. In fact, the flat base of a frying pan is better suited for high heat cooking on standard household cooktops. By using a flat-bottomed frying pan or skillet, you maximize the heating surface and achieve the best results. For further information, check out my Takeout Style Beef and Broccoli post.

How to Make Your Beef Tender like Takeout Beef?

Have you ever wondered why the beef in takeout meals is so tender and soft? The secret lies in a technique called velveting, which involves softening the meat to a velvety texture. Surprisingly, this technique doesn’t require expensive cuts of beef. In fact, cheaper cuts can be transformed into melt-in-your-mouth goodness right at home!

The easiest and most effective way to velvet the meat is by using baking soda. Simply sprinkle the beef with baking soda, stir to coat, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the beef thoroughly under cold running water to remove any traces of baking soda. After patting the beef dry, you’re ready to start stir-frying. For more information on how baking soda tenderizes meat, check out my post on Takeout Style Chicken and Snow Pea.

What Cut of Beef is Best for Chinese Beef and Mushrooms?

For stir-frys like this, I recommend using flank steak or skirt steak. These cuts offer excellent value for money and, when prepared correctly, result in tender and flavorful meat that practically melts in your mouth. To achieve the perfect texture, it’s important to cut the beef across the grain. By identifying the grain’s direction and cutting against it, you ensure that each bite of beef is tender and easy to chew. Take a look at the pictures below for a visual guide on how to cut flank steak.

How to Get the Authentic Takeout Taste

If you’ve ever been disappointed by the flavor of homemade stir-fry, chances are you’re missing a couple of key authentic ingredients. These ingredients can elevate your dish from average to extraordinary. For the Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry, the two essential ingredients are:

Oyster sauce: This thick, rich brown sauce adds depth and a delightful touch of Chinese saltiness to the dish. You can easily find it in the Asian section of your local grocery store. (My personal favorite is the Lee Kum Kee Panda brand.)
Chinese Cooking Wine: Also known as Chinese Rice Wine, Shaohsing Rice Cooking Wine, or Shaoxing Cooking Wine, this ingredient is readily available in most grocery stores’ Asian section. Be sure not to confuse it with rice wine vinegar. If you can’t find Chinese Cooking Wine, a suitable substitute would be dry sherry or sake if you have them on hand.

Using these two authentic ingredients will make a world of difference in the taste of your final dish. Your taste buds will thank you!

Top Tips for Making Chinese Beef and Mushroom

To ensure the best results and a flavorful outcome, here are a few top tips to keep in mind:

Tenderize the beef using baking soda (refer to the detailed pictures above).
Prepare all your vegetables before starting the cooking process. Chinese stir-frying is a fast cooking method, so having everything prepped and ready will save you time and prevent any mishaps.
To achieve an authentic takeout flavor, invest in two key Chinese ingredients, which can be found in grocery stores or online. These ingredients truly elevate the taste of the final dish.
Use cold stock when preparing the sauce to prevent lumps when mixing in the cornstarch or cornflour.
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a measuring cup before cooking. Remember to whisk the mixture well before adding it to the pan.
For optimal heat distribution, use a flat-bottomed frying pan or skillet instead of a wok.

Now that you’re armed with these tips and tricks, it’s time to embark on your culinary adventure and create a memorable homemade Chinese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry. Enjoy!

Takeout Style Chinese Beef and Mushroom