Beef Chow Mein on the Griddle
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!
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the Beef:
- 1½ - 2 lbs steak like sirloin, chuck eye, or skirt steak
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Chow Mein:
- 6 oz chow mein noodles
- 3 medium carrots julienned
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage about ¼ of a small cabbage
- 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 5 green onions cut into 2" pieces, whites and greens separated
- ¼ large onion thinly sliced
- 8 oz bean sprouts
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1½ tablespoons high-heat cooking oil
Instructions
- Marinate the beef - Slice the steak into very thin slices against the grain. In a large bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients except the cooking oil. Whisk until baking soda and cornstarch are fully dissolved. Add the sliced beef to the bowl with the marinade. Toss to coat evenly. Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil, and mix again. Refrigerate covered for 1-2 hours.
- Cook the noodles - While the beef is marinating, boil the noodles according to package instructions. After draining, rinse the noodles with cold water and let them cool completely.
- Heat the griddle or a large skillet over medium heat. For griddle cooking, create a cooler zone by leaving one burner on low or off.
- Make the chow mein sauce - In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Stir together well until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Cook the vegetables - Add about ½ tablespoon of high-heat cooking oil to the hot side of the griddle. Then add all carrots, celery, cabbage, green onion whites, sliced sweet onion, and bean sprouts to the hot griddle. When the veggies are mostly cooked but still have a little crisp to them, about 4-5 minutes, move them to the cooler zone on the griddle to make room for the beef. *For skillet cooking, cook the vegetables until mostly done, then transfer to a plate.
- Cook the beef - Add about ½ tablespoon of oil to the hot side of the griddle. Quickly sauté the minced garlic in the oil just until fragrant. Then spread the marinated beef in a thin single layer in the garlic oil, and let it sear untouched for about 3-4 minutes to pick up some color. Then sauté the pieces of steak together with the garlic, and move to the other side of the griddle to make room for the noodles.
- Sauté the noodles - Add about ½ tablespoon oil to the hot side of the griddle. Spread out the noodles on the oiled surface, and cook untouched for about 2-3 minutes to develop some color.
- Add everything together with the sauce - Combine the beef, vegetables, and chow mein noodles on the griddle (or add everything back together to the large skillet). Sauté everything together briefly, and then pour the sauce evenly over the dish.
- Stir fry and serve - Stir fry everything together until glossy and the sauce is evenly incorporated. Mix in the sliced green onion tops, and serve with sriracha or your favorite Asian condiments.
Notes
- Slicing the beef - To make the beef easier to slice into very thin slices, place the steak in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes to firm up first.
- For the vegetables - When you first add the veggies to the hot griddle, keep them close together or in an even pile as they cook. This helps to trap steam from the carrots, celery, and onion, softening the cabbage and speeding up the cooking process without drying everything out. Feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables, keeping in mind that some veggies like broccoli may need longer to cook.