Chinese Hunan Beef Recipe

Hunan Beef is a flavorful, popular Chinese-American dish made with tender pieces of beef stir-fried with lots of veggies and tossed in sweet and spicy sauce. The original dish is from the Hunan province of China and is loaded with hot chili peppers, garlic, ginger and tons of flavor!  This recipe honors the traditional Chinese flavors, and we’ve made the steps of this one-pan dish as simple as possible. So, if you want the taste of spicy Chinese cuisine in an easy-to-make dish, you have to try this Hunan beef stir fry.

Hunan Beef FAQs

Before getting started, preview the frequently asked questions about this Chinese recipe. It’s important to understand some basic details about a traditional recipe before preparing it, especially when you want to really rock it!

• What is Hunan beef made of? – Hunan Beef is made of thinly sliced beef, loaded with colorful veggies, and tossed in a hot and spicy sauce. A traditional Chinese one-pan dish that is full of spicy flavors and tender beef pieces. We’ve used flank steak in this recipe.
• What is Hunan beef vs Szechuan beef? – The key difference between the two types of cooking is that besides chili peppers, in Sichuan cuisine you’ll often find the flavor of numbing Sichuan peppercorns. On the other hand, in Hunan cuisine, spicy peppers are used without a numbing agent, creating a “gan la” or “dry spicy” flavor rather than a “ma la” or spicy numbing flavor. Hunan dishes are more purely spicy, with dried, fresh, and/or pickled peppers used to add depth and variation.

• What does Hunan beef taste like? – This original Hunan Beef Chinese stir fry has a mildly spicy, tangy, and lightly sweet flavor that makes for a perfectly balanced dish. Also, the vinegar, ginger, and soy sauce add rich flavor layers. 
• What is Hunan sauce? – Hunan Sauce is a classic Chinese stir-fry sauce that’s a little spicy, a little tangy, and a little sweet. It contains soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, pepper, shallots, and dried chili peppers.

Substitution FAQ’s

• What can I substitute for Chinese Black Vinegar? Chinese Black Vinegar is widely available in Chinese Markets or Global Food stores, but may not be carried at large chain groceries. It has a nice level of acidity, and rich molasses notes from the fermentation process. Rice, wheat, and barley are used in the making of this vinegar, so those with grain allergies may want to substitute Balsamic Vinegar instead. It has a similar acidity and sweetness to Balsamic but does not have the umami flavor of Chinese Black Vinegar. Adding a teaspoon of soy sauce/tamari, or using a teaspoon of Umami powder will compensate for this.
• What can I substitute for the Sichuan dried chili pepper?  If you can’t find Sichuan dried red chilis (or you don’t want to buy an enormous bag of Tien Tsin Chilis like I did!:), you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes. Their flavor is slightly different, but you will achieve a similar level of spice. Some people recommend adding a 1/2 teaspoon of paprika for a smoky note and I bet that would be great, but haven’t tried it yet. 

Hunan Beef Recipe

Now that we know a little more about the Hunan beef recipe, is time to actually learn how to prepare it. The instructions are simple, but here I strongly recommend you follow them, not to improvise too much! Considering the fact that we cook with the heat really high, everything should be prepared and ready to go.

What Ingredients You Need for Hunan Beef Recipe

Here you have all the ingredients you need for this Hunan beef recipe.

What ingredients do you need to prepare the beef pieces?

• 1 pound flank steak (sliced in 1/4-inch thick pieces);
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (this tenderizes the meat);
• 2 tablespoons water;
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce;
• 1/8 cup cornstarch.

What ingredients do you need for the Hunan sauce and the stir-fried vegetables?

• 1 dried sichuan red pepper, chopped;
• 1 small green bell pepper, sliced;
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced;
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar;
• 2 tablespoons hot water;
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese black vinegar (see notes);
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper;
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil (for frying);
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (sliced)
• 1/2 cup shallots (thinly sliced);
• 5 cloves of garlic.

How to Make Hunan Beef Step-by-Step

Now that we noted what ingredients we should have on hand, it’s time to learn the steps of this Chinese beef recipe. We’ll be cooking using high to medium-high heat, so to avoid overcooking your ingredients, have all ingredients measured and prepared

First, Cook the Meat

1. First of all, slice your flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch slices. My cut of meat was very large, so I cut it in half before slicing to make the strips more bite-sized.
2. Next, combine the sliced flank steak with the baking soda, water, and oyster sauce in a medium bowl. Massage these ingredients into the beef until any liquid has been absorbed by the meat. Then, let it marinate for 30 minutes. It may sound strange, but the baking soda helps tenderize the beef by preventing the proteins in the meat from bonding to one another. The process is called “velveting” the meat.
3. Lightly dust all of the beef slices with the cornstarch. Use as little as possible to coat them; too much will absorb excess oil and make the dish taste heavy. They are ready to be fried!
4. Next, heat your wok over med-high heat until smoking. Spread two Tablespoons of the vegetable oil around the wok, and fry the beef in three batches on both sides until browned and slightly crispy on the outside. Add more oil as needed.
5. Remove the cooked beef to a plate lined with a paper towel after cooking.

Cooking the Vegetables for Hunan Beef

6. Next, wipe out your pan with a paper towel before heating the wok over med heat. Spread 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil around the wok, add the sliced ginger, and fry until caramelized, about 30 seconds.

7. Next, add the sliced shallots and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes until they begin to caramelize.

8. Next, add the fresh peppers and dried peppers. Turn the heat up to high and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

9. Stir the sugar into 2 tablespoons of hot water until dissolved. Add the Chinese black vinegar and ground white pepper, and mix until well combined. Set aside.

10. Finally, add the fried beef and pour over the pre-prepared sauce. Maintain the highest heat possible and stir-fry everything together for 1 minute. Continue to cook until most of the sauce has evaporated. It’s ready to serve!

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Enjoy Your Delicious Dinner!

I know that our time is more limited than ever and takeout can be a more enticing alternative to home cooking. However, cooking at home allows you to control the amounts of salt, sugar, fat, and preservatives in your food. Fresh, whole ingredients are the best for our bodies and cooking at home lets you make the most of them.

Lastly, don’t forget to share your feedback about the recipe. It really helps me know what you think and how you would improve my recipes. I am always excited to hear from you!

And if you are looking for more, here are two more Asian-inspired recipes that are easy to prepare at home in no time!