Steak and Pepper Stir Fry And Chicken Waldorf Salad

I’m working on reducing our frozen food inventory (again) and when I saw this recipe for Steak and Pepper Stir Fry, I knew it would get some freezer burned beef out of the freezer and prevent some of our recently picked peppers from going in.  A one pan stir-fry meal works well for our Friday group and Mary’s recipe from her “Vegetable Recipes” blog fit the bill.  I used beef tenderloin which I grilled over high heat for a couple of minutes to add another layer of flavor.  The original recipe with great pics like the one below can be found by clicking on the above link.

Steak and Pepper Stir Fry - adapted from Vegetable Recipes

The Ingredients:

Sauce Ingredients:

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ cup beef broth

1tablespoon light brown sugar (I used 1 tsp.)

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon ginger paste or finely minced fresh ginger

Stir Fry Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil divided

1¾ pounds beef filet, cut into bite sized

¼ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste

2 bell peppers, any color sliced into ½-inch wide strips

1 yellow onion sliced into ½-inch wide strips

The Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add the beef broth, brown sugar, pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger. Whisk again to combine and set aside.

2. Trim the steaks if needed and add S&P to both sides.

3. Using a hot grill or skillet, sear the steaks to get a nice crust but cooking the inside only a little - the pan actually worked the best.  This can be done at supper time or I added the crust a few hours earlier.

4. When time to cook, cut the steak into bite sized pieces (no need for thin strips with tenderloin).

5. Heat a wok, or large skillet, over pretty high eat and add 2 tsp oil.

6. If the steak needs to cook more add it and cook to almost where you want it and remove to a plate.

7. Add more oil to the hot pan then add the peppers and onions. Cook until lightly browned and beginning to soften. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl.

8. Lower the heat to medium and pour the sauce into the skillet. Stir and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. 

9. Return the meat and vegetables to the skillet and toss to coat. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Warm for a minute or two and serve on its own or over rice. 

While not a typical side dish, since I had made a big batch of Chicken Waldorf Salad from our leftover rotisserie chicken using the recipe from Claudia on her “What’s Cooking Italian” blog, we served it.  Click on the link for the recipe and her pics.

I didn't get a shot of our bowl of stir fry, but it looked similar to Mary's above.  This is my plate and I should have put some steak pieces on top of the veggies.

The Verdict:

To say the meal was a hit is a big understatement with Cindy saying the salad was awesome and Russ saying this may be the best meal he has had at our place.  I thought the stir fry and salad were both delicious and would definitely make them again - a great use of the leftover rotisserie chicken and the steak that needed to be used.  While much more expensive, tenderloin makes for great stir-fry.  Thanks Mary and Claudia for a great supper.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

10/21/22 meal date