Print the recipe page!  crispy orange beef

Have a Chinese restaurant favorite at home, and better yet, planned as a meal in your food storage plan!  This meal goes together really fast.  By the time the rice is cooked, dinner is served!

serves 4-6

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Ingredients:

2 (12 oz.) cans Roast Beef, drained (*my favorite brand is Kirkland)

3 TBS soy sauce

6 TBS cornstarch, sifted

1/8 cup dried Orange Peel

1/4 cup + 2 TBS orange juice (*see note)

3 TBS molasses

1 TBS rice vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 (4 oz.) can green chilies

scant 1/4 tsp. ginger

scant 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

3 cups water (for cooking rice)

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Tools and supplies:

a candy thermometer

paper towels

aluminum foil

Instructions:

Begin by combining the sauce ingredients (2 TBS soy sauce, molasses, orange juice and sesame oil) and set aside.  Next, mix together the dry seasonings, set aside as well.  Line a cookie tray with three layers of paper towel and set aside.  In a separate pot, begin cooking the rice.  Finally, sift the cornstarch.

Heat the oil over medium heat until the temperature reaches 375 degrees.  Meanwhile, combine the beef with 1 TBS soy sauce and sifted cornstarch.  Once the oil is ready, carefully add one-third of beef and fry, stirring occasionally to keep beef from sticking together, until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using a metal slotted spoon, transfer meat to paper towel lined sheet.  Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining beef.  After frying, reserve 2 TBS frying oil.

Heat reserved oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat.  Add green chilies and dry seasonings, stirring to combine.  Add liquid sauce ingredients, stirring until slightly thickened, about 45 seconds.  Add beef and toss.  Serve immediately over cooked rice.

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Prep time:

Begin by measuring the wet and dry ingredients (separately) and setting aside.  Prepare a cookie tray lined with paper towel, sift the cornstarch and begin heating the oil.

In heating the oil, I like to use a small length of aluminum foil over the top of my pot (to guard from splattering), allowing space for the thermometer.

Combine the drained beef with 1 TBS soy sauce and the cornstarch.

When the oil reaches 375 degrees, carefully add beef and fry, working in one-third batches of meat.  Stir (while frying) to keep the beef from sticking together, for about a minute and a half until the beef is crisp and browned.  Transfer to the paper towel lined baking sheet to drain.  Repeat with remaining beef.  Reserve 2 TBS frying oil.

In a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, combine reserved oil and green chilies.  Add in the dry seasonings followed by the sauce ingredients.  Add the beef and gently stir.

Serve immediately with cooked rice.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

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Notes:

• In this recipe I’ve used canned orange juice that I buy as a 6 pack of 6 oz. cans.  The recipe only calls for about half of one can but for a more orange flavor, you could opt to use the entire can.  Using less liquid will keep the beef “crispier”.
• If green onions are on hand, add 2 (sliced on a thin bias) into the sauce.
• I categorized this recipe as a pantry meal for how simple and fast it is to make even though half of the ingredients (for the sauce) are more easily pulled off the shelf and measured when making the meal.
• My 11 year old daughter is telling me I need to let you know ahead of time that it’s a little spicy (PS- it’s not really that spicy).  Turn down the spice if you prefer.