Stir-Fry Basics

Skip the takeout and make a simple stir-fry meal at home. Stir-fry your beef strips then add your favorite vegetables, sauce and other ingredients, and you’ll have a delicious one-dish meal on the table in minutes.

Stir-Frying Basics

Skip the takeout — it's just as fast (and fresher) to cook this simple one-pot meal at home. Stir-frying is best done with bite-sized pieces of food and lots of added flavors from aromatics (garlic, ginger, scallion) and Asian condiments (soy, hoisin, chili paste, etc.).

Prep & Preheat

This is a quick-cook technique, so it's important to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. Preheat the wok or skillet and cooking oil per your recipe guidelines.

Cook the Beef

Some recipes recommend cooking the beef completely before moving on to the next step, while others call for giving the beef a quick brown, then removing it from the pan, cooking the vegetables, and returning it to the pan to finish. You can quickly pull out a piece of beef to test for doneness.

Veggie Time

Follow recipe guidelines, but generally it’s important to cook things in order depending on how quickly they cook — onions first, then firm veggies such as broccoli and carrots, and finally leafy ingredients such as spinach.

Sauce it up

Now's the time to add the ingredients for a sauce, or even a bottled sauce, depending on your recipe. Stir well to ensure the beef and vegetables are evenly coated.

serve & Savor

Most stir-fry recipes go straight from pan to plate, and are often served over rice, noodles, or spiralized vegetables.

Cooking Tip

Placing your beef in the freezer for around 30 minutes makes it easier to slice.

Glossary

Smoke Point

This term refers to the temperature at which various cooking oils begin to break down and produce smoke. Oils with higher smoke points — such as canola, peanut or grapeseed — are better suited for cooking at higher temperatures.