Beef chow mein is a Chinese dish made with egg noodles, sauteed beef and vegetables, and a soy-based sauce. The noodles are often fried for a crunchy texture, and the dish is served hot over the noodles.
Chow Mein is a Chinese dish made mostly of egg noodles combined with sauteed meat or chicken, vegetables, and soy-based sauce. The noodles, traditionally called chow mein noodles, are short and often lightly fried to give a crunchy texture to the dish. A common version of the recipe is beef chow mein, which tends to consist of sauteed beef and vegetables that are tossed in a thick brown soy-based sauce and served with fried chow mein noodles.
Chow mein noodles are usually the main ingredient required in beef chow mein, while other recommended ingredients may vary. A boneless cut of beef, such as a sirloin or flank steak, is typically used when making beef chow mein; however, recipes may occasionally call for ground beef. While the vegetables can vary depending on the recipe and personal preference, a common combination is celery, onions and mushrooms. The sauce for the dish typically uses soy sauce combined with another liquid, such as broth or wine, along with other Asian seasonings such as oyster sauce, a soy sauce and oyster brine, or hoisin sauce, which is composed of soy sauce and vinegar.
All ingredients of Beef Chow Mein ingredients are usually prepared in advance before the cooking process begins. Each ingredient is cooked separately, but for a short amount of time, so there may not be time to prep ingredients to follow what’s already cooking. Recipes usually recommend cutting each ingredient into similarly sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
Chow Mein noodles can be boiled until soft and then used as in beef Chow Mein, but it tends to be more common for them to be lightly fried in oil until brown and crispy. Favorite beef and vegetables are typically sauteed separately in oil on the stovetop. The ingredients for the brown sauce are usually combined in a bowl and then added to a large skillet with the cooked meat and vegetables. If a thinner sauce is desired, the ingredients can simply be stirred until the sauce coats everything and then served. For a thicker sauce, it is often recommended to simmer the ingredients in the sauce until the heat results in the desired thickness of the sauce.
Beef chow mein should be served hot, immediately after cooking. The mixture of beef, vegetables, and gravy is typically poured over the fried chow mein noodles, rather than mixing it all together, to maintain the crunchy texture of the noodles. The dish may be accompanied by Asian condiments such as additional soy sauce or red chili sauce.
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