Tillie Doyle
Cooking beef stir fry strips in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get a delicious, healthy meal on the table for the whole family to enjoy. With an air fryer, you can achieve the perfect combination of tender beef and crispy vegetables, with minimal prep and in under 10 minutes. This method of cooking ensures a perfectly seared exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender. The best part is that it can be marinated in a homemade sauce, so the flavour is amazing!
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right cut of beef
Flank steak is a popular choice for stir-fry as it has a rich, beefy flavour and is lean yet high in protein. It is butchered from the abdominal muscles of the cow, and its long grain does well with a marinade to eliminate any toughness. It is important to note that flank steak should be cooked on high heat for a short duration to ensure optimal texture and flavour.
Another option is chuck steak, an affordable cut of meat for stir-fry with a rich, beefy flavour. It is important to note that chuck steak comes from a leaner part of the cow, so proper cutting against the grain is necessary to ensure it is tender and easy to chew.
Other suitable cuts of beef for stir-fry include ribeye, skirt steak, sirloin, scotch fillet, and eye fillet. These cuts range in price and tenderness, but with proper cutting, prepping, and cooking techniques, you can create a super-tender stir-fry even on a budget.
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Preparing the beef strips
Next, prepare a marinade. A simple marinade can be made by combining cornflour, baking soda, soy sauce, and oil in a bowl. You can also add Chinese wine, rice vinegar, ketchup, Sriracha, honey, or garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper to taste. Once combined, add the beef strips to the bowl and toss until they are well coated. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours if you have the time.
After marinating, remove the beef strips from the bowl and lay them out on a plate, separating them so they are not overlapping. Mist the beef strips with oil—sesame or vegetable oil works well. Now you are ready to cook the beef strips in your air fryer!
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Making the marinade
Once you have gathered your ingredients, combine them in a bowl and mix well. You can also add oil to your marinade to help achieve a nice char and prevent sticking. If you are using cornflour, baking soda, or cornstarch, you may need to stir the ingredients to combine them properly.
After your marinade is mixed, add the thinly sliced beef strips and toss until each piece is well coated. You can also add vegetables to your marinade, such as onions, peppers, or carrots, to enhance the flavour of your dish. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and let the beef marinate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavours to penetrate the meat. For optimal flavour, marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes. If you have more time, you can even leave it overnight in the refrigerator for even better results.
Finally, when you are ready to cook your beef, remove it from the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. It is important to drain the excess liquid from the beef to avoid excessive smoke in the air fryer. Now your beef stir fry strips are ready to be cooked in the air fryer!
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Cooking the vegetables
The vegetables you choose to include in your stir fry will depend on your personal preference. Some popular options include onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, and green onions. You can also add crushed chillies for a spicy kick.
Before cooking your vegetables, you should pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This will help ensure that they cook evenly and don't become soggy.
To cook the vegetables in your air fryer, start by preheating the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). This will help ensure even cooking and quicker results.
Next, heat some vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add your chosen vegetables to the skillet and sauté until they are crisp-tender, which should take around 5 minutes. You may need to cook the vegetables in batches, depending on the size of your skillet.
Once your vegetables are sautéed, transfer them to the air fryer basket. Spread them out into a single layer, ensuring they are not overcrowded. This will allow them to cook evenly.
Place the basket in the air fryer and cook the vegetables for 8-10 minutes, tossing them halfway through to ensure even cooking. If you are using a marinade, you may want to add the vegetables to the air fryer with the beef to allow the flavours to combine.
Finally, remove the vegetables from the air fryer and serve them with the beef and your choice of sauce. Enjoy your delicious and healthy beef stir fry!
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Serving suggestions
Beef stir-fry strips cooked in an air fryer are best served immediately while they're hot and fresh. They go well with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal. You can also serve them with a side salad or roasted veggies.
If you're making a stir-fry, you can add vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms, or snap peas for added flavour and texture. You can also add a variety of other vegetables such as carrots, green beans, bell peppers, and onions. Just ensure they are cut into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
If you're making a sauce to go with your beef stir-fry strips, it's important to note that it cooks quickly, so you'll need to multitask and get it ready while the beef strips are in the air fryer. If that's too stressful, you can prep the sauce first, take it off the heat, and have it ready before air-frying the beef.
Finally, if you're making a Mongolian beef recipe, it's best served over rice.
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Frequently asked questions
It is best to cut the beef into thin, uniform strips. This ensures even cooking and a tender texture.
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the beef in batches. Each batch should take around 7-10 minutes at a temperature of 400°F (200°C) to achieve a crispy texture.
You can add a variety of vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms, snap peas, carrots, green onions, bell peppers, and garlic. For the sauce, a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil is recommended.
