The Magic of Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce may sound like it tastes fishy, but nothing could be further from the truth. Oyster sauce is pure savory flavor, and it adds oomph to marinades, sauces, braises, and more. In this recipe, we’re using it in the marinade as well as the sauce. If you’ve never used oyster sauce, go to your local Chinese grocery store, grab a bottle, and taste how this simple ingredient (made with oyster extracts) can transform a dish. We like Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce (it’s a few dollars more than their regular oyster sauce). Read more about oyster sauce in our Ingredients Glossary article! If you’re gluten-free, Lee Kum Kee now makes a gluten-free oyster sauce as well. Look for the green label with the panda on it.
A Perfect Pairing
Oyster sauce is especially great with beef, amplifying and enhancing the flavor of the meat. You’ll see oyster sauce feature prominently in dishes like our Beef and Broccoli, Beef with Black Bean Sauce, and even Beef Lo Mein. The fact that these two ingredients go so well together is perhaps why Beef with Oyster Sauce is a popular dish you’ll find on Cantonese restaurant menus. Such restaurants serve no-frills rice plates, noodle dishes, casseroles, and more. This dish is just that—no frills, homey, tasty, and filling. The flavor of the beef is maximized by the oyster sauce in the sauce and marinade, and complemented by the addition of oyster mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and onion. Let’s get right to the recipe!
Recipe Instructions
Combine the sliced beef with the water, cornstarch, oil, oyster sauce, and baking soda, if using. Set aside for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator). Make the sauce by combining the chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch, dark soy sauce, and white pepper. Fill your wok halfway with water and bring to a boil, along with a teaspoon of oil. Blanch the Chinese broccoli for 1 minute, or until cooked to your desired tenderness. Drain and set aside in a colander. Do not rinse! Arrange the Chinese broccoli around the rim of a serving dish. Heat your wok over high heat until lightly smoking, and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Sear the beef and remove from the wok. Over medium heat, add the remaining oil, along with the ginger. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the garlic. Cook for 15 seconds. Increase the heat to high, and add the onion and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 15 seconds, until the onions are just beginning to scorch. Add the Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds, then stir the sauce mixture to make sure the cornstarch is incorporated. Add the sauce mixture, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Then stir in the beef. Stir-fry until the beef is coated in the sauce. Pour off any liquid that may have pooled on the plate from the Chinese broccoli, and mound the beef mixture in the center. Serve immediately.
