Beef for stir fry 653

David Hare-Scott snip

Good answer. Many make do as CaptCook does, and he's correct that the fast cooking, thin slicing method helps. But if we're after *good* food, let's start with good ingredients. A better cut of beef allows thicker slices, which if not overcooked will be more succulent. We have even used New York cut steaks, U.S. grade choice, when they are available for not too much money from Costco. Flank steak is a popular choice, in part because it's easy to see the grain and cut across (i.e., perpendicular to) it. Some supermarkets sell cut up scraps of unknown origin as "stirfry beef." By inspection, not actual use, I'd say to avoid it. snips Also good answer. But the preliminary marinade also adds flavor, besides any tenderizing effect. We most commonly put 1 or 2 TB each of soy sauce and rice wine (or sherry) in equal proportions, with a little bit of cornstarch stirred in smoothly, in a bowl and add the beef as we slice it. Let it sit while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Egg white is nice but more trouble than we usually take.

Velveting is a completely different topic and technique. It's a preliminary half-cooking in low to moderately hot oil before the stirfry. I'd not fool with it as a novice, but come back to it later. It's one of the reasons good restaurant food can beat home-cooking.

Final tip: don't overcook the beef. One way to control this is to cook it last. For example, using very high heat throughout: 1. Stirfry dried shiitake mushrooms, pre-soaked, squeezed and sliced, for 1 to 2 minutes. 2. Stirfry snowpeas (peapods), strings removed, for 30 seconds. Push vegetables to sides (or up, in a wok), add a bit more oil if necessary and a smashed garlic clove. 3. Add sliced beef to wok-pan, spread it out so all of it is in contact with pan. When it is cooked *on one side*, 1 to 2 minutes, add oyster sauce to taste (say 2 TB for 1 lb beef), stir everything together, and serve.

-aem