Orange Beef

Method12 steps · about 1 hr 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Slice all 12 oz flank steak against the grain into 2–3-inch (5–7 cm) pieces about ⅛–¼ inch (roughly 0.5 cm) thick. Mix with the 1 tbsp marinade water, 2 tsp marinade cornstarch, 2 tsp marinade orange juice, 2 tsp marinade oil, 1 tsp oyster sauce, ¼ tsp baking soda and optional pinch of five-spice powder (1 pinch). Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. While it marinates, wash and drain the broccoli and scallion (1), slice the ginger (2 slices) and scallion, chop the garlic (1), and have the seven dried chilies, five mandarin-peel pieces and whole star anise (1) ready before heating the wok.

   Marinate beef for 1 hour · 60 minUses 12 oz beef flank steak · 1 tbsp water for beef marinade · 2 tsp cornstarch for beef marinade · 2 tsp orange juice for beef marinade · 2 tsp vegetable oil for beef marinade · 1 tsp oyster sauce · ¼ tsp baking soda · 1 pinch five-spice powder, optional

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Dissolve the 1 tbsp sugar in the ⅓ cup warm sauce water. Stir in the 1 tbsp marmalade, separate ⅓ cup sauce orange juice, 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp Shaoxing wine, ¼ tsp sesame oil and ⅛ tsp white pepper. Set this orange sauce aside.

   Uses ⅓ cup warm sauce water · 1 tbsp sugar · 1 tbsp orange marmalade · ⅓ cup sauce orange juice · 3 tbsp light soy sauce · 2 tsp Shaoxing wine · ¼ tsp sesame oil · ⅛ tsp white pepper

3. 3

   Step 3: In a separate small bowl, mix the 2 tsp slurry cornstarch with its separate 1 tbsp water. Keep ready and stir again before drawing it into the sauce.

   Uses 2 tsp cornstarch for thickening slurry · 1 tbsp water for thickening slurry

4. 4

   Step 4: Put the ¼ cup dredging cornstarch in a shallow dish. Coat a few of the marinated beef slices just before frying and shake off the excess. Keep the remaining marinated beef refrigerated while working in batches; reserve the remaining dredging allowance for those batches and discard any unused starch that contacted raw beef afterward.

   Uses A few marinated beef slices from step 1 for the first batch · Draw from the ¼ cup dredging-cornstarch allowance, as needed

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Heat all the ⅓ cup shallow-frying oil in the wok over high heat, moving it around for even heating until it just begins to smoke. Add the freshly dredged first batch in a single layer, with every slice touching the oil. Sear the first face for 45–60 seconds, checking from 45 seconds, until browned.

   Check the first beef face from 45 seconds · 1 minUses The freshly dredged beef slices from step 4 · ⅓ cup shallow-frying oil reservoir

6. 6

   Step 6: Turn the beef slices and sear the second face for 45–60 seconds, checking from 45 seconds, until browned. Continue as needed until each slice is fully cooked and reaches at least 63°C (145°F). Lift the beef out of the oil onto a clean plate, letting excess oil drain back into the wok. Repeat the same just-before-frying dredge and both searing faces for the remaining marinated beef, without crowding, until all the beef is cooked.

   Check the second beef face from 45 seconds · 1 minUses The first batch of beef and pan oil from step 5 · The remaining marinated beef from step 1, drawn in successive small batches · The remaining dredging allowance from step 4, used only as needed for later batches

7. 7

   Step 7: Let all the fully cooked beef on the clean plate rest for at least 3 minutes. Keep the used frying oil separate in the wok for the next aromatic stage.

   Rest cooked beef for at least 3 minutes · 3 minUses All the fully cooked beef lifted onto the clean plate in step 6

8. 8

   Step 8: Bring all 4 cups blanching water to a boil in a pot and add the ½ tsp blanching salt and separate ½ tbsp blanching oil. Add all the prepared broccoli and, once it is in the boiling water, cook for about 45 seconds, or a few seconds longer for softer broccoli. Drain thoroughly, discard the cooking liquid and arrange the broccoli around the serving plate.

   Blanch broccoli for 45 seconds · 1 minUses All two cups of washed broccoli from step 1 · 4 cups water for broccoli blanching · ½ tsp salt for broccoli blanching · ½ tbsp vegetable oil for broccoli blanching

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Remove the excess used frying oil from the wok, leaving exactly 1 tbsp behind. Over medium-low heat, add all the prepared ginger, dried chilies, mandarin peel and star anise. Stir for about 30–60 seconds, checking from 30 seconds, to caramelize the ginger and toast the spices without burning.

   Check toasted spices from 30 seconds · 1 minUses Exactly 1 tbsp of the used frying oil left after removing the beef in step 6 · All two ginger slices, seven dried chilies, five mandarin-peel pieces and whole star anise from step 1

10. 10

    Step 10: Add all the prepared finely chopped garlic and sliced scallion to the aromatic oil. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds.

    Fry garlic and scallion for 30 seconds · 1 minUses All the toasted aromatics and retained tablespoon of oil from step 9 · All the chopped garlic and sliced scallion from step 1

11. 11

    Step 11: Pour all the prepared orange sauce into the wok and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer. Stir the prepared slurry again and slowly add it only as needed, stirring over the heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.

    Uses All the fried aromatics and oil from step 10 · All the orange sauce from step 2 · The slurry from step 3, stirred again and drawn gradually as needed

12. 12

    Step 12: Toss all the cooked, rested beef through the thickened orange sauce until evenly coated and hot. Scoop into the middle of the broccoli-bordered plate, share between four portions and serve immediately.

    Uses All the thickened orange sauce and aromatics from step 11 · All the fully cooked beef after its rest in step 7 · All the drained broccoli arranged on the serving plate in step 8