Can I use oyster sauce instead of hoisin?

Yes‚ you can use oyster sauce instead of hoisin sauce in sweet and sour sauce․ Sweet and sour sauce made with oyster sauce may not be as sweet as sweet and sour sauce made with hoisin sauce․ Hoisin sauce is a sweet ingredient․ Taste your sweet and sour sauce to check the flavor before serving․ Use the same amount of oyster sauce as hoisin sauce so that you have enough sauce․

Can I use tamari instead of soy sauce?

Yes‚ you can substitute tamari for low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe․ Tamari is saltier and more flavorful than low-sodium soy sauce․ Use the same amount of tamari as specified in the recipe without added salt․ Taste the finished dish and adjust seasoning as necessary․ Tamari can be substituted for low-sodium soy sauce in both the beef marinade and sweet-and-sour sauce․

What can I do with leftover steak?

Use thinly sliced leftover ribeye‚ sirloin‚ or flank steak in a different stir-fry recipe․ Thinly sliced steak cooks quickly and works well with onions‚ peppers‚ garlic‚ and other vegetables․ Avoid cutting the steak into larger pieces‚ which will take longer to cook than other ingredients․ Pre-slicing steak before marinating avoids differences in the amount of steak used in the recipe․

Can I make Beijing beef without a wok?

Yes‚ you can use a nonstick large skillet instead of a wok․ Choose a nonstick skillet large enough for the beef strips and vegetables and sauce to tumble freely․ Beef strips may not brown as well in a smaller skillet․ You may need to cook the beef strips in batches and combine them with the other ingredients after the vegetables and sauce are ready․

Why is my Beijing beef not crispy?

Beef can become soggy if the oil is not hot enough or if too much beef is added to the pan․ The recipe recommends frying the beef strips in 350°F oil until crispy․ Coat all surfaces of the beef strips with cornstarch before frying․ Drain the cooked beef strips on paper towels․ Add the beef strips back to the pan after the sauce begins to thicken․

Beijing Beef with Crispy Steak and Tangy Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

By Emma CollinsOct 10, 2026

Total

30 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Ribeye or sirloin steak or flank‌ steak can be cut thinly against the grain and marinated with baking soda to tenderize the slices․ Beijing beef is a Chinese-American dish of‌ crisp-coated‚ stir-fried steak‚ onion‚ pepper‚ and chili in a sweet and sour sauce․

Beijing Beef with Crispy Steak and Tangy Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

The beef is prepared‌ by coating it with egg whites and cornstarch․ Other marinade ingredients are low-sodium soy sauce‚ sesame oil‚ white pepper‚ sugar‚‌ and Chinese five spice․ Sauce ingredients are rice vinegar‚ brown sugar‚‌ ketchup‚ tomato paste‚ hoisin sauce‚ cornstarch‚ and soy sauce․ Fresh garlic is a key ingredient in this recipe and helps to‌ flavor the peanut oil in which onions and peppers will be cooked․

A wok of vegetable oil‌ heated to 350°F can be used to assess the doneness of the beef‚ which should be browned in 2 to 3 minutes․ One common mistake when stir-frying beef is adding too much to the wok at once‚ which prevents even browning‌ and a desirable texture․ Lift the beef out of the wok and wipe out the wok to prepare for stir-frying‌ garlic‚ onion‚ and bell pepper in peanut oil․

The sauce may need‌ to cook longer to reduce․ Return the‌ beef and thinly sliced red chilies to the wok along with other vegetables to coat them․ Serve Beijing‌ beef over rice or noodles․ Refrigerate leftover Beijing beef in an airtight‌ container․ Reheat it in the microwave at medium power or‌ on the stovetop․

Why you'll love this recipe

Ribeye‌ or sirloin steak cuts are available․ Thinly‌ slicing flank steak against the grain will help make it easier to eat with breading․
Fresh garlic‚ onion‚ bell pepper‚ and red chili can add volume to small amounts of beef by adding flavor and appearance and mild heat․
Egg whites and cornstarch add a crispy texture to the beef‚ making it suitable to serve as sweet and sour beef․ Plain braised beef is not typically served with sweet and sour sauce․
Low-sodium soy sauce is included in the marinade and sauce to emphasize other flavors‚ including sesame oil‚ five-spice powder‚ vinegar‚ and hoisin sauce․
Brown sugar‚ ketchup‚ tomato paste‚ rice vinegar‚ and hoisin add flavor and shine to sauces made with other ingredients․
Bell peppers of different colors can be used as needed to provide a healthy stir-fry with a variety of textures from vegetables․

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all the beef marinade ingredients.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

In another small bowl, combine all the sweet-and-sour sauce ingredients.

Add the egg whites to the beef mixture and mix well.

Add the cornstarch to a large shallow dish, then dredge the beef strips through it until fully coated.

Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F.

Add the beef to the wok and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until crispy and brown.

Transfer the beef to a plate lined with paper towels.

Drain the oil, then add the peanut oil to the wok and heat over medium heat.

Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until aromatic.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the wok and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour in the sweet-and-sour sauce and cook until it thickens slightly.

Add the cooked beef and red chili pepper, then toss until everything is fully coated.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.

FAQ

Ribeye‚ sirloin‚ and flank steaks are among the cuts that work well in this recipe․ Select steaks that can be thinly sliced with little connective tissue․ General tips for cooking steak apply to this recipe and include slicing across the grain to reduce muscle fiber length․ You may need to chill steak briefly to make it easier to slice thinly․

1 / 3

Dinner Beef Asian Chinese Quick Meals One Pot

Beijing Beef with Crispy Steak and Tangy Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

Name: Beijing Beef with Crispy Steak and Tangy Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 large egg whites; 1 cup cornstarch; vegetable oil (for frying beef); 2 tbsp peanut oil; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 medium onion (cut into 1-inch pieces); 1 large bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces); 1 red chili pepper (thinly sliced); 12 oz beef steak (such as ribeye, sirloin, or flank; cut into thin strips against the grain); 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce; 1/4 tsp white pepper; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp sesame oil; 1/2 tsp sugar; 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice; 3 tbsp rice vinegar; 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed); 1/3 cup ketchup; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp hoisin sauce (or oyster sauce); 1 tsp cornstarch; 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

By Emma CollinsOct 10, 2026

Total

30 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Ribeye‌ or sirloin steak cuts are available․ Thinly‌ slicing flank steak against the grain will help make it easier to eat with breading․
Fresh garlic‚ onion‚ bell pepper‚ and red chili can add volume to small amounts of beef by adding flavor and appearance and mild heat․
Egg whites and cornstarch add a crispy texture to the beef‚ making it suitable to serve as sweet and sour beef․ Plain braised beef is not typically served with sweet and sour sauce․
Low-sodium soy sauce is included in the marinade and sauce to emphasize other flavors‚ including sesame oil‚ five-spice powder‚ vinegar‚ and hoisin sauce․
Brown sugar‚ ketchup‚ tomato paste‚ rice vinegar‚ and hoisin add flavor and shine to sauces made with other ingredients․
Bell peppers of different colors can be used as needed to provide a healthy stir-fry with a variety of textures from vegetables․

Ingredients

Servings4

•2 large egg whites
•1 cup cornstarch
•vegetable oil (for frying beef)
•2 tbsp peanut oil
•3 cloves garlic (minced)
•1 medium onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
•1 large bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
•1 red chili pepper (thinly sliced)
•12 oz beef steak (such as ribeye, sirloin, or flank; cut into thin strips against the grain)
•2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
•¼ tsp white pepper
•½ tsp baking soda
•2 tsp sesame oil
•½ tsp sugar
•½ tsp Chinese five spice
•3 tbsp rice vinegar
•⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
•⅓ cup ketchup
•1 tbsp tomato paste
•2 tbsp hoisin sauce (or oyster sauce)
•1 tsp cornstarch
•2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Instructions

1
In a small bowl, combine all the beef marinade ingredients.
2
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3
In another small bowl, combine all the sweet-and-sour sauce ingredients.
4
Add the egg whites to the beef mixture and mix well.
5
Add the cornstarch to a large shallow dish, then dredge the beef strips through it until fully coated.
6
Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F.
7
Add the beef to the wok and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until crispy and brown.
8
Transfer the beef to a plate lined with paper towels.
9
Drain the oil, then add the peanut oil to the wok and heat over medium heat.
10
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until aromatic.
11
Add the onion and bell pepper to the wok and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
12
Pour in the sweet-and-sour sauce and cook until it thickens slightly.
13
Add the cooked beef and red chili pepper, then toss until everything is fully coated.
14
Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.