Hunan Beef Recipe

Easy Hunan Beef Recipe

We're cooking up a delicious stir fry in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends. As a spicy food lover, you're going to love this one.

Stir fries are great for those whose palates prefer a bit of spicy heat and flavor, as they often include lots of peppers as well as a warming mix of spices and other ingredients.

This particular stir fry is a Chinese classic from the Hunan region, which is known for its heat and flavor.

It's called Hunan Beef. You may have enjoyed this dish at your local Chinese restaurant, or from Chinese takeout. I enjoy making mine at home, as I can adjust the heat and peppers to my preference.

What is Hunan Beef?

Hunan Beef is a spicy stir fry dish from Hunan, China. The dish is prepared with strips of beef that have been marinated for flavor, then stir fried over high heat with a mix of chilies and vegetables in a hot and sour sauce.

It is a very customizable dish for the home cook, allowing you to control not only the vegetables you prefer, but also the level of spices and heat to suit your personal desired.

How to Make Hunan Beef - the Recipe Method

Marinate the Beef. In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine. Add the beef and stir to cover. Marinate for 30 minutes.

You can marinate the beef longer if you'd like for more flavor penetration.

Make the Hunan Beef Sauce. Whisk together the spicy sauce ingredients – soy sauce, oyster sauce, doubanjiang, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, beef broth, chili flakes, and corn starch slurry - in a small bowl and set aside.

Coat the Beef. Add the corn starch to a large bowl with salt and pepper to taste and add the beef. Toss the beef to evenly coat each piece.

Stir Fry the Beef. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large wok or pan to high heat. Add the coated beef slices and cook, stirring, until browned and crispy. Do this in batches if needed. Should take 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside.

Stir Fry the Peppers. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the wok and add the peppers. Stir fry for 5-6 minutes to soften.

Garlic and Ginger. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 1 minute.

Finish It Up! Add the beef back to the pan and stir in the sauce. Stir to coat the ingredients and thicken the sauce, 1-2 minutes more.

Garnish and serve. You can enjoy it on its own, or serve with steamed rice or prepared noodles.

Boom! Done! Your Hunan Beef is ready to serve. Quick and easy recipe, isn't it? Done so fast! Look at all those peppers!

What Vegetables are in Hunan Beef?

Hunan beef focuses on the use of chili peppers, often using a variety of both fresh and dried pods to infuse the dish with flavor and a touch of heat. However, you can make your dish with any popular stir fry vegetables.

Some common vegetables used in Chinese cooking to consider include snow peas, winter radish, long beans, bok choy and cabbage.

Feel free to include any and all of your favorite vegetables, such as carrots, scallions, broccoli, baby corn, or others.

When it comes to stir fries, they are very forgiving with vegetables.

Hunan Beef Vs Szechuan Beef

While quite similar in many ways, Hunan Beef differs from Szechuan Beef in a few different ways. Szechuan Beef includes Sichuan peppercorns, which offer a tongue-numbing sensation characteristic of Sichuan cuisine.

Hunan Beef tends to use less sauce, and includes the flavors of black bean paste or doubanjiang, which is a fermented paste made from chili peppers and soy beans.

Both dishes are delicious in their focus on chilies and spiciness.