Crispianity: Watch Us Make Crispy Orange Beef
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This recipe is part of Crispianity: a column devoted to all foods crispy and crunchy, two of the most underappreciated attributes of a great dish. Author Adeena Sussman is a food writer and recipe developer, pairing here with her photographer friend Evan Sung. Sussman's most recent cookbook, coauthored with Lee Brian Schrager, is America's Best Breakfasts: Favorite Local Recipes From Coast to Coast.
Between battered proteins, crunchy wok-fried veggies, and pan-crisped noodles (to name a few), Chinese food is a haven for those who, like me, insist on texture as a part of every meal. That's why crispy orange beef has always loomed large in the Chinese takeout canon. I've always loved the dish, but wanted something a little lighter and more citrus-intensive. I started by battering the protein using a technique I cribbed from one of my favorite Asian chefs, Dale Talde. A coating of egg whites, powdery cornstarch and seasonings primes the beef for pan-frying, resulting in deeply crispy meat. I swapped in tangerines for oranges — I love their tangy sweetness — and included the thin-skinned rinds for a slightly bitter edge that cuts through the dish's richness. (Of course, feel free to revert to oranges if that's your preference). A classically tangy-spicy-sweet sauce lightly coats the crisped beef and veggies, resulting in a dish that'll take you off takeout for good.
- 8 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 cup freshly squeezed (or bottled) tangerine (or orange) juice
- 4 tablespoons chianking or rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon hot sesame oil
- 1 1/4 pound boneless ribeye steak
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
- 4 scallions
- 1 small clementine or tangerine
- Cooked rice for serving
- Wrap the beef in plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour (this makes the meat easier to slice). While the meat is freezing, in a medium bowl whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch, then whisk in the tangerine juice, vinegar, brown sugar and sesame oil. Set aside.
- In a very large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add half the beef and cook until the underside is golden and crisped, 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip the meat, and cook an additional 2 minutes. Using a Chinese spider, remove the meat from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Repeat with the remaining oil and beef, leaving the oil in the pan. Add the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and dried peppers to the skillet and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
- Push the aromatics to the side, add the clementine slices and scallion greens, and cook until the underside of the citrus is caramelized and the scallion greens are charred, 2-3 minutes. Add the sauce to the pan and cook until it bubbles and thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the beef to the pan and cook, stirring, until warmed through, 1-2 minutes. Serve with rice.