Beef & Pepper Stir Fry

This is something easy to throw together but not necessarily quick. It often takes me about an hour from start to finish if I'm not using frozen vegetables (otherwise it'll take about 45 minutes). This recipe can be changed to anything you want, really. You can use broccoli, sugar snap peas, water chestnuts, asparagus, green beans, anything.

Lets start with our cast of characters.




Today we need: about 1 lb. of beef. It really doesn't matter what cut you use, flank steaks and bottom round steaks seem to work the best though. Vegetables of your choice; today we are using an orange and red bell pepper, half a yellow onion and half a bag of frozen cauliflower. White long grain rice, oil, ground ginger, garlic powder, and soy sauce.


Corn starch too, it was late to the meeting and wasn't able to get into the group shot. Party pooper.


Start the rice first. Throw some butter in a pot and melt it.

Put your rice in and toss it around.

Saute it in the butter until it is nice and coated with butter and slightly golden. Add the correct amount of water (remember: 1c. rice to 2c. water!) and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 14 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

Slice your beef into thin strips, this works best if the meat is slightly frozen because it won't slip between your fingers and try to chop your fingers off in revenge.

Yes, I know my meat looks funny. It was a little freezer burnt. But it was fine! Trust me! I'm still alive aren't I?

Prepare the beef strips' coating. A little corn starch, a little water, a little bit of salt (optional) and some garlic powder.

Toss the beef strips in the coating and let sit while do other things.


Slice your peppers into strips and chop the onions into chunky bits.

Don't remind me that my camera sucks.


Now that all that is taken care of, dig out your electric wok that your father would be embarrassed to know that you owned.

It's not my fault, I have an electric range. Have you ever tried to use a wok on an electric range? YOU CAN'T.

Anyways, heat up your wok to about 375 and put somewhere around a tablespoon of oil in it. Throw in your nicely coated meat and stir fry it until your desired done-ness. Keep moving it around for even cooking or let it sit for a moment to get some crispy spots.


Set aside.

If your wok got a little bit dry add a little more oil to it.

Throw in your veggies. Stir them until they're done. If you are using frozen vegetables, add a little water and cover them for about three to five minutes to steam cook them. Nobody likes icy veggies.

While the veggies are cooking, prepare your sauce. Soy sauce, water, ginger, corn starch, and garlic powder. Super easy to remember.

When the vegetables are how you want them, return the beef to the wok.


Start pouring in the sauce you made.

Stir to coat.

Toss it around for a while until everything is covered with that delicious, sweet sauce. It'll thicken as the water boils out and when it cools.

If you are just now checking up on your rice which was done about 45 minutes ago, it should be sticky--perfect for stir-fry. If you checked on it earlier and left the lid off it'll be good too. Notice how soft and buttery it is?

Spoon a pile of rice onto your plate and top it with that delicious combination of meat, soy sauce, and peppers. I would recommend using a wide variety of vegetables so you get a combination of sweet, crisp, and savory. Try not to stick to one spectrum of the vegetable world.