Better than Takeout Beef Chow Mein

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This beef chow mein recipe uses an inexpensive cut of steak, packaged chow mein noodles, and a quick soy-based sauce for an authentic takeout dish without the hassle of driving to your favorite Chinese restaurant! Add whatever veggies you like for a delicious and filling dinner when you’re craving Asian food!

If you’ve ever been left unimpressed by restaurant chow mein and wondered if there’s a better way, you’re not alone. In fact, my first experience with Chinese takeout chow mein was so “meh” that I avoided the dish for well over five years. In fairness, I believe that the dish I had was “American chow mein” – the noodles were fried crispy, more like chips, and then the meat and toppings were piled on top.

But since we love cooking Chinese recipes on our Blackstone griddle – it’s basically just a giant wok – then we decided to give the beloved dish another try.

This recipe stars thinly-sliced, velveted chuck eye steak (a budget-friendly and tender option), crisp green cabbage, carrots, celery, green onions, and the satisfying crunch of bean sprouts, all tossed together with chewy noodles and a light, savory sauce.

But the real magic comes from the cooking method – I’ll show you how to manage your griddle’s heat zones to develop those deep, caramelized flavors – without burning or sticking.

Chow Mein vs Lo Mein – What’s the Difference?

We’ve made lo mein on the Blackstone griddle many times, and it’s one of our favorite Asian noodle dishes. This chow mein recipe is similar, but made with noodles that have a different texture.

Chow mein noodles cook up thinner than lo mein – think the size difference between angel hair and spaghetti. Chow mein is also drier due to a lower hydration level versus lo mein noodles. Both Asian-style noodles are available dry or fresh (refrigerated), and both are delicious for all types of stir fry recipes. The main difference is that chow mein has a bit more “bite” in terms of texture, and lo mein is softer.

The 3 Main Components to Beef Chow Mein

The Beef

This easy Chinese recipe is best with a tender and inexpensive cut of steak like sirloin or skirt steak. I opted for chuck eye steak, aka “poor man’s ribeye”, because it is incredibly tender and budget-friendly. We don’t mind the extra fat in this cut of beef, especially when you slice it super thin, but you can remove the fattier bits if you prefer.

The Sauce

The chow mein sauce is more of a savory, light sauce – not like a sugary-sweet thick sauce like sesame chicken. You only need a few ingredients for the perfect sauce, most of which you can find in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.

The one specialty ingredient, Shaoxing rice wine, may require a trip to an Asian market. Or you can substitute mirin. Shaoxing is a Chinese cooking wine used in many authentic Asian recipes, like twice cooked pork. We already had this on hand, since we frequently cook Chinese takeout at home.

The Noodles and Veggies

We used one 6 oz pack of dried chow mein noodles, found in the Asian aisle of our local grocery store. Our finished dish was packed full of beef and fresh veggies, but that’s the benefit of cooking at home versus getting Chinese at your local restaurant – you don’t have to worry as much about food cost!

The vegetable add-ins are up to you, and this recipe is even a great way to clean out your produce drawer if you have some veggies that are on their last leg. We made our chow mein heavy on the vegetables, adding fresh carrots, celery, sweet onion, green onion, green cabbage, and bean sprouts.

Marinating the Beef

Many Chinese recipes start off with a process called “velveting”. This particular recipe adds in more flavor during the velveting, creating more of a marinade.

To get started, slice the steak into very thin strips against the grain.

In a large mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, a bit of sugar, baking soda, and water. Stir until the baking soda is dissolved. Then add in the sliced beef and mix until all of the slices are well coated. Add a drizzle of cooking oil, and mix again. Set aside to let that tenderizing magic happen.

How to Make Beef Chow Mein at Home

Step 1: Boil the noodles. Traditional chow mein noodles are quick-cooking and only need a few minutes in boiling water. Cook the noodles per package instructions. After draining, rinse the noodles with cold water and let them cool completely. This makes it easier to get a light char on the griddle later.

Step 2: Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Stir together well until the sugar is fully disolved.

Step 3: Start cooking the vegetables. The vegetables take the longest to cook, so they should go on the griddle (or in the skillet first). Add a small bit of cooking oil to the hot side of the griddle. Then add all the vegetables except the green onion tops. When the veggies are mostly cooked but still have a little crisp to them, slide them to the cooler zone on the griddle to make room for the beef.

Step 4: Sear the beef. Add a little more oil to the hot zone on the Blackstone griddle. Quickly sauté minced garlic just until fragrant (watch carefully—it can burn quickly). Then spread the marinated beef in a thin single layer and let it sear untouched for a few minutes to pick up some color.

After a few minutes, sauté the pieces of steak together and move to the other side of the griddle to make room for the noodles.

Step 5: Sauté the noodles. One of the things that sets chow mein apart from other types of Asian noodle dishes is the slightly crispier texture of the noodles – and I love a little bit of char on mine! To accomplish this, add a bit of cooking oil to the hotter side of the griddle, and spread out the noodles on the oiled surface to begin to develop some color.

Resist the urge to stir fry them together right away – just let them cook untouched for a few minutes to develop a bit of color and a slightly crispier texture. This also helps the sauce cling to the noodles a bit more.

Step 6: Mix everything together and add the chow mein sauce. Combine the beef, vegetables, and chow mein noodles on the Blackstone. Sauté everything together briefly, and then pour the sauce evenly over the dish.

Toss everything together until glossy and evenly incorporated. Then serve your beef chow mein, garnished with sliced green onions and topped with sriracha or your favorite Asian condiments.