Welcome to Graves Academy, where there is no curriculum and the teacher is making it all up as she goes! How is distance learning going for everyone so far? My kids are preschool age, meaning too young for the online curriculum offered through the school system. So I’ve been on my own to come up with preschool lesson plans every day. I was terrified at first, but we’ve fallen into a nice routine. I’ve given each week a letter theme, last week was A (apples, airplanes and alligators) and now we’re onto B week. Bears, boats and birds, plus bagels, blueberries and bacon! Yes, I’m incorporating lots of food and cooking into our daily lessons. Last week we learned about Avocados and made Apple smoothies. I can’t wait for next week, bring on all the Cakes and Cookies. Here at Graves Academy, baking is considered science!

Now that we’re all back into the swing of busy weekday schedules, my Ginger Garlic Beef will help you serve a fantastic, flavorful meal in under 45 minutes. It comes together in just minutes and can be served in a variety of ways. This is essentially a stir-fry recipe, which never fails to impress, even though the method is so simple. Keep your tablespoon handy because that and a large non-stick skillet are just about all you need! We’re keeping mess to a minimum with this one pan dinner.

Some quick notes before you get started:

  • My go-to secret ingredient for Asian inspired dishes is Toasted Sesame Oil. If you enjoy going out for Asian food but the pandemic has you sticking close to home, consider adding Toasted Sesame Oil to your pantry. It will take your homecooked Asian dishes over the top and your kitchen will smell even better than your favorite restaurant. Note: all sesame oils have a low smoke point meaning it’s not a good idea to use them as a base for your stir-fry. Over high heat, sesame oil can burn and become rancid. It’s best incorporated into sauces and dressings or used to finish noodles, soups and vegetables.
  • As with all of my recipes, I encourage you to take some help from the grocery store when selecting the beef for your Ginger Garlic Beef. Nearly all grocery meat sections offer pre-sliced steak (usually flank, skirt or rib-eye) labeled for stir-fry. You can also request that your butcher slice your preferred cut of beef for you. Just let them know what you’re planning to make and they usually offer the service for free! Thinly slicing and tenderizing beef can be a long process. Save yourself the time and trouble and let the grocery store do the hard work for you!
  • If you’re not a family that often cooks with ginger or garlic, one more shortcut option would be to buy the pre-minced versions offered in the produce section. Either vegetable can be a bit intimidating if it’s new for you, but trust me, they aren’t as scary as they look. Ginger root can be easily peeled by scraping the brownish skin away with the edge of a spoon.
  • As always, embrace additions and substitutions! Use what you have and what your family enjoys! Substitute beef for chicken or shrimp, just be sure to mind cooking times (chicken will take longer than steak or shrimp). Add honey or more brown sugar to sweeten. Add sriracha or red pepper flakes to make it spicy!
  • Use any vegetables you have on hand! Onions, broccoli florets, bell peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, and zucchini all work well in stir-fry dishes.
  • Though it’s prepared in a stir-fry method, this Ginger Garlic Beef does not have to be served over rice! Try it over wilted spinach, ramen noodles, cauliflower rice or spiralized zucchini noodles.
  • This dish can be made gluten free by replacing the soy sauce with tamari.

Additional Stir-Fry tips:

  1. Steak and vegetables will cook at different speeds and require different cooking times. Thinly sliced steak will take much less time to cook than the veggies, so you don’t want your meat to end up over-cooked. When in doubt, cook them separately, using the same pan. Cook the beef first, then remove to a plate. The beef will leave behind a layer of flavor that the veggies will pick up when they hit the pan. One pan means less mess!
  2. As I mentioned before, do not use toasted sesame oil as the base of your stir-fry. It burns very easily. Use an oil with a higher smoke point, such as vegetable oil.
  3. Prep your sauce and veggies ahead of time so they’re ready to go when it’s time to add them to the pan. Once the cooking starts, the process moves quickly, plan on sticking close by and giving the pan your full attention.
  4. Try to slice all vegetables into similar sizes, either strips or cubes. This allows them to cook evenly and enhances the final presentation!

GINGER GARLIC BEEF

By: Christy Bray Graves

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb. steak, cut for stir fry
  • 1 medium onion, cut into strips
  • 1 TBSP vegetable oil (plus more if needed)
  • 1 TBSP ginger, grated
  • 1 TBSP garlic, minced (3-4 cloves)

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 3 TBSP low sodium soy sauce (or tamari if gluten free)
  • 1 TBSP cornstarch
  • 1 TBSP toasted sesame oil
  • 1 TBSP brown sugar
  • ½ cup beef broth

TO GARNISH

  • Green onions
  • Sesame seeds
  • Nuts such as peanuts or cashews

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Whisk together the soy sauce (or tamari) and cornstarch until it’s chocolate brown in color and the cornstarch has dissolved. Whisk in all of the remaining sauce ingredients until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
  2. In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat 1 TBSP vegetable oil over medium high heat until the oil is shiny, but not smoking. Add the steak strips in one layer, working in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Allow the steak to cook on one side for one minute, then flip to cook for about one minute more. Remove the steak to a plate to rest, it should still be pink in the center. *
  3. To the same pan (do not wipe clean!), add onions (or other veggies) to steak drippings, adding a bit more vegetable oil if needed. Cook the veggies over medium high heat, scraping up flavor bits left behind by the beef, for 2-3 minutes until just crisp tender. **
  4. Add the garlic and ginger to the veggies only for the last minute of cooking to be sure they do not burn.
  5. Give the sauce another whisk to combine and add to the pan with veggies (still over medium high heat). Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer for 1 minute until the sauce has thickened.
  6. Add the steak back to the pan and combine all ingredients until heated through.

NOTES

*The steak does not need to be cooked all the way through when you remove it from the pan. It will continue to cook as it rests and again when it’s added back to the sauce to heat through.

**Do not overcook the onions and veggies because they will also continue cooking when added back to the sauce.

As a wife and mom of three young boys, I often consider myself a master “chaos coordinator.” Between running our family business, Chapel Hill Toffee, managing our household and balancing busy schedules, I love to create quick and simple recipes that I know my family will enjoy – and my kids will actually eat!

My recipes are more of a guide than a perfect plan. I will always encourage you to use what you have on hand and make substitutions to suit your tastes. I invite you to share your own ideas, questions and final products with us on Facebook  and on Instagram by tagging @christybgraves and @wchlchapelboro.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
Make It Snappy: Grilled Tuna Tacos
Make It Snappy: Two Tablespoon Grilled Salmon With Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Arugula Salad
Make It Snappy: Sausage and Spinach Manicotti
Make It Snappy: Bruschetta Parmesan Shrimp and Grits