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Crispy Beef 1 – Sweet and Sour Crispy Shredded Beef
Erwina

Sweet and Sour Crispy Shredded Beef

Crunchy and delicious! Fried shredded beef tossed in sweet and sour homemade sauce, tastes way better than takeout!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef and Vegetables:
  • 1/2 lb sirloin or rump steak thinly sliced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup corn starch or potato starch
  • 1/2 onion sliced
  • 1/2 bell pepper sliced
  • 1 medium carrot sliced
  • Oil for frying soybean or vegetable oil
For the Beef Marinade:
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped or pasted
  • 1/2 inch ginger chopped or grated
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt to taste
  • 1 clove garlic chopped or pasted
  • 1/2 inch ginger chopped or grated

Equipment

  • Wok or large frying pan
  • Deep-fry or candy thermometer

Method
 

  1. Prepare the vegetables by slicing them thin — onion, red bell pepper, and carrot. (You can add cabbage and green onion too.)
  2. Cut the beef against the grain into thin strips.
  3. Marinate the beef with light soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sugar and white pepper. (You can also add 1/4 tsp baking soda if using a tougher cut of beef.)
  4. Mix together and leave for at least 15 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare the sweet and sour sauce by combining light soy sauce, honey, fresh lemon juice and salt. Mix well and set aside.
  6. Add one egg to the marinated beef and mix thoroughly.
  7. Coat the beef strips with corn or potato starch, making sure all the beef strips are separated. Remove the excess flour before frying.
  8. Heat the oil on high heat to about 350°F. Add the coated beef and deep fry for 1-3 minutes, until it's crispy.
  9. After the beef is cooked, transfer to a paper towel or cooling rack, then set aside.
  10. In a medium wok or pan, add a tablespoon of oil, and once hot, add the vegetables, garlic and ginger, and stir well.
  11. Pour in the sauce mix, then add the fried beef strips, and stir well to combine all ingredients on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
  12. Serve immediately with white rice (Jasmine rice is my favorite) and enjoy!

Notes

Choosing the Meat: Use a tender beef steak like rump or sirloin for the quickest, most tender results — this recipe uses sirloin tip steak (also great for fajitas). Pork, chicken, or another favorite cut also works well, but avoid ground meat.
Beef Coating: Corn starch, potato starch, or rice flour will keep the coating crispy — plain flour turns soft quickly, especially once tossed in the sauce. Adding an egg to the marinade before coating helps keep the meat moist.
Sauce Substitutions: This sauce uses just 4 simple ingredients, but for a saucier, stickier result, add 1 tsp corn starch and 2 tbsp water to the mixture. You can also add fresh or dried chilies and sweet chili sauce or ketchup for extra sweetness and heat.