Beef Stir Fry
Beef Stir Fry over brown rice is a paired down take on the beef chow mein we make. After spending the day running errands and I had very little creative inspiration for making dinner. While I was waiting for a load of laundry to dry I had just enough time to watch a cooking show.
Oddly enough, I didn’t make what was on the show which was a sheet pan meal. The idea was the same, veggies and meat served over brown rice with some toppings. But, sometimes that’s the great thing about watching cooking shows. I took the idea of the sauce and used what we had on hand to make a tasty dinner. I had actually been thinking about making soup since we had freshly baked bread, but there’s no rule against having bread with stir fry, is there?
Brown rice has not been a household favorite, not because we don’t like it, but I tend to reach for jasmine or basmati first. I’ve also undercooked brown rice so many times that I’ve become a bit insecure about it. This was my opportunity to take the time to get it right since none of us were in a hurry to eat. It turned out perfectly fluffy, nutty, and delicious. It added so much more to the dish than a more delicate white rice would have. You can certainly use a quicker cooking rice and you’ll easily have dinner on the table in 20-30 minutes.
This Beef Stir Fry would be excellent with any protein you have on hand. Shrimp or chicken would be great substitutions. Or, skip the meat and add more veggies for a satisfying vegetarian version. I do think the crunchy toppings are a must, but the peanuts can be traded out for almonds. I also like a little more soy sauce on the side.
Beef Stir Fry
Equipment
- 2 Qt. Saucepan
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter
Sauce
- 3 tbsp hoisin
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Stir Fry
- 1 lb beef thinly sliced
- 4 head baby bok choy or 1 regular head of bok choy
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Toppings
- 2 scallions, sliced
- ¼ cup peanuts, rough chopped for topping
- ¼ cup parsley, rough chopped for topping
- sesame seeds for topping
Slurry
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
Rice
- Pour chicken broth, salt, and butter into a 2 Qt. saucepan, heat to boiling over medium high heat
- Add brown rice, stir briefly so it doesn't clump. Bring back to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium low.
- Cook for 50-60 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside while stir fry finishes cooking.
Sauce
- Stir together all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
Stir Fry Ingredients
- Prepare all ingredients, lighly coat bok choy in sauce, set aside and then add meat to the sauce.
- 5-10 minutes before the rice is finished cooking heat the wok or skillet over medium high heat and add vegetable oil
- When oil is almost smoking, add bok choy, turn when just beginning to char and add meat in the sauce. When the meat is no longer pink, add bell peppers and stir frequently.
- Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes
- If the sauce is runny, mix a slurry of cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the pan, make sure the sauce comes up to a boil and cook until thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve stir fry ingredients over brown rice and top with scallions, parsley, peanuts, and sesame seeds
