Orange-Flavored Beef
This is our take on the takeout classic - orange-flavored beef - adapted here for taste, time and budget constraints. We use fatty chuck steak (a cheaper cut of meat), thinly sliced and marinated in a sweet-spicy mixture of orange two ways (juice and zest), chili sauce, garlic and ginger. The meat soaks up the flavorful marinade and becomes quite tender in just a couple of hours.
Prep Time
Cook Time
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Ingredients
Instructions
Slice the steak against the grain into very thin pieces; set aside.
In a shallow bowl, combine 1/3 cup of the orange juice with the tamari, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, the garlic, zest, chili and ginger. Add the steak and toss to coat evenly with all of the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; marinate in the refrigerator for two to three hours.
Pat the meat dry with paper towels. You want it as dry as possible. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining sesame oil in a large, wide skillet over high heat. Cook the meat without moving it until it is well browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the meat over and cook for one minute more. The meat might release some of the liquid it has absorbed while marinating into the pan as it cooks. Don’t worry. Cook the steak until it is just cooked through and remove to a plate.
Drain any liquid that the meat has released into the skillet; heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers, onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables have softened slightly. Add the remaining cup of orange juice and simmer until the juice reduces slightly, up to 5 minutes. Add the beef and orange segments to the pan and cook, tossing, until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve over brown rice.