This beef with oyster sauce recipe is simple, savory, and delicious with steamed rice. Served over a bed of blanched Chinese broccoli, it’s also a full and balanced meal!
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!
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.
Beef with Oyster Sauce
Ingredients
For the beef and marinade:
- 12 ounces flank steak (thinly sliced against the grain)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (optional tenderizer)
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper.
For the rest of the dish:
- 8 ounces Chinese broccoli (washed and cut into pieces)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus 1 teaspoon; can substitute any neutral oil)
- 1 slice ginger
- 1 clove garlic (sliced)
- 1 small onion (cut into wedges)
- 1 cup oyster mushrooms (torn into smaller pieces)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
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.
Great taste. It helps you to understand the value of oyster sauce.
Indeed, Chris!
Beyond amazing!
Thanks Patricia!
I just made this for dinner tonight. Followed the recipe as shared, so I made it to the Asian mart in my area to acquire the Chinese broccoli and oyster mushrooms. It is very good.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, and for the stars!
Thanks so much for this recipe. My family and I have never had Chinese broccoli before and it’s great! Your cooking time for the different steps were right on spot. Next time I’m going to go for 12 oz. of broc.
Hi Blaine, so happy to hear you tried Chinese broccoli and enjoyed it!