Beef stir fry marinades are a must-have in Asian cooking. This easy marinade takes just 15 minutes and doesn’t require any chopping or grating. It’s perfect for infusing flavor and tenderizing beef, ensuring your stir fry comes out juicy and delicious—just like the ones from your favorite Chinese takeout! In this guide, you’ll discover the best way to velvet beef for a steak stir fry, unlocking maximum flavor and tenderness with every bite.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb skirt steak, sirloin tip, flank, or sirloin steak
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or ½ tbsp soy sauce)
- ½ tbsp fish sauce (optional)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ¼-½ tsp baking soda
- 2-2.5 tbsp tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice the Beef: Hold your knife at a 45-degree angle to achieve thin, wide slices. Slice the beef against the grain into pieces about ⅛” thick.
- Tenderize and Marinate: In a bowl, add the sliced beef and season with coconut aminos (or soy sauce), fish sauce (if using), olive oil, black pepper, baking soda, tapioca starch, and sesame oil (optional). Gently mix the ingredients to coat the beef. Cover and marinate for 15 to 30 minutes in the fridge or up to 1 day in advance.
- Ready to Cook: Once marinated, your beef is ready to be stir-fried!
NOTES
- If you’re using soy sauce, you don’t need fish sauce.
- For beef strips, stack several slices together and cut into thin strips. Freezing the steak for 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing makes cutting easier.
- For beef cubes, dice into similar-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Make-Ahead: Slice and marinate beef in an airtight container or freezer-friendly bag. If freezing, lay the bag flat for easy defrosting.
- Storage: Marinate the beef for up to 3 days, but overnight marination yields the best results.
- Freezing: Leftovers, whether stir-fried or uncooked, marinated beef strips, can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
NUTRITION (PER ¼ LB SERVING)
- Calories: 205 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0.4g
- Cholesterol: 71mg
- Sodium: 320mg
- Potassium: 339mg
- Fiber: 0.01g
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Vitamin A: 10 IU
- Vitamin C: 0.01 mg
- Calcium: 8 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
