Equipment
Ingredients
Beef and Marinade
- 450 g beef flank steak, julienned against the grain into matchsticks
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 8 g cornstarch
- 15 ml vegetable oil
Aromatics and Vegetables
- 200 g carrots, peeled and finely julienned
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g ginger, minced
- 10 dried szechuan red chilies, snipped in half, seeds shaken out
- 2 g szechuan peppercorns, whole or lightly crushed
- 4 scallions, cut into 5cm pieces, white and green parts separated
Sauce and Frying
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 15 g pixian doubanjiang (szechuan chili bean paste)
- 10 ml dark soy sauce
- 5 ml chinkiang black vinegar
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
- 4 g granulated sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 552 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbohydrates
- 47 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 21 g
- Sodium
- 622 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1372 mg
- Calcium
- 129 mg
- Iron
- 2.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 68 mg
- Phosphorus
- 196 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1719 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 15 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 89 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.29 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 3.7 mg
- Folate
- 39 mcg
- Water
- 27 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the julienned beef flank steak, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and 15ml vegetable oil in a medium mixing bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat, then set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, Chinkiang black vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and granulated sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat. Add the remaining 60ml of vegetable oil. When the oil reaches approximately 190°C/375°F and begins to smoke, carefully add the marinated beef. Stir-fry vigorously to separate the strands.
Continue frying the beef until it releases its moisture, exceeds a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F, and begins to look dark and slightly crispy around the edges. Push the meat to the upper sides of the wok to clear the center.
Add the Pixian Doubanjiang to the pooled oil in the center of the wok. Fry it for about 30 seconds until the oil turns a vibrant red color and becomes highly fragrant.
Add the minced garlic, minced ginger, dried red chilies, Szechuan peppercorns, and the white parts of the scallions to the center. Sauté and toss together with the beef for 1 minute until the aromatics are toasted.
Add the julienned carrots to the wok. Sauté for 2 minutes, constantly tossing, until the carrots are tender-crisp but still retain their bright orange color.
Pour the prepared sauce mixture around the hot edges of the wok so it sizzles and reduces instantly. Toss all the ingredients together until uniformly coated and any liquid has evaporated, leaving only seasoned oil.
Turn off the heat entirely. Toss in the green parts of the scallions. Plate immediately and serve hot.
Chef's Notes
- Dry-frying (Gan Bian) is a traditional Szechuan technique where the protein is fried until its moisture evaporates and it absorbs the seasoned oil, creating a highly intense, savory flavor and unique chewy-crisp texture.
- Partially freezing the flank steak for 30 to 45 minutes firms up the meat, making it much easier to slice into perfectly uniform julienne matchsticks.
- Pixian Doubanjiang is the soul of Szechuan cooking. Frying it directly in the hot oil first is a crucial step to release its vibrant red color and deeply fermented umami notes.
- Cross-contamination caution: Ensure that the knife and cutting board used to cut the raw beef are washed thoroughly with hot soapy water before being used for any garnishes or raw vegetables.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze without scallion garnish; carrots may soften upon thawing.
Reheating: Stir-fry in a hot pan or wok with a splash of oil until heated through to retain the chewy-crisp texture. Microwave is not recommended.
Troubleshooting
Beef is tough and overly chewy rather than crispy-chewy
Cause: Beef was sliced with the grain or wok was not hot enough to fry rapidly
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always identify the grain of the meat and slice perpendicular to it; ensure the oil is smoking hot before adding the beef
Aromatics taste bitter or acrid
Cause: The dried chilies or garlic burned in the hot wok
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Have all ingredients prepped (mise en place) and act swiftly; if the wok is too hot, lift it briefly off the burner while adding aromatics
Cultural Context
Gan Bian Niu Rou Si (Dry-Fried Shredded Beef) is a cornerstone of Szechuan banquet cuisine. Its hallmarks are the 'ma la' (numbing and spicy) flavor profile and the characteristic chewy, slightly dehydrated texture of the beef, traditionally achieved through master-level wok heat control without the use of deep-frying or heavy batter.
