Peking duck's glossy lacquer technique from 1368 Beijing imperial kitchens now transforms ground beef into restaurant-quality magic.
Peking-Style Beef
Whip up a mouthwatering Peking-Style Beef in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup—everything cooks in one pan! Featuring tender strips of beef, vibrant bell peppers, and a dash of soy sauce, this dish is a flavor explosion that’s sure to impress. Top it off with refreshing cucumber ribbons for a delightful crunch that elevates your meal!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This isn't authentic Peking duck's cousin—it's what happened when 1980s Australian-Chinese takeaway joints needed something fast, cheap, and vaguely Beijing-esque for suburban families who thought MSG was the devil but still craved that glossy hoisin magic, so they binned the duck pancakes and created this saucy mince spectacular that's about as Peking as Vegemite.
Regional Twist
In Guangzhou's street kitchens, they swap the regular mince for char siu-seasoned pork and double the rice wine vinegar, creating a sweet-tangy punch that'll knock your socks clean off.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground meatd garlic
- 3 tbsp (44 ml) hoisin sauce
- 500 g regular ground meatd beef
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- all-purpose soy sauce (to taste)
- brown sugar (to taste)
- chinese five-spice (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- dark soy sauce (to taste)
- freshly grated ginger (to taste)
- light olive oil (to taste)
- rice wine vinegar (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- 2
Add the minced beef, garlic, and ginger, cooking until the beef is browned.
- 3
In a bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauces, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and Chinese five-spice.
- 4
Pour the sauce over the beef and stir to combine.
- 5
Add the cornflour mixed with water to thicken the sauce.
- 6
Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
- 7
Serve with fresh cucumber ribbons.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the minced beef at medium-high heat (275-300°F pan surface) without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deep umami flavors.technique275-300°F
- ✓Mix cornstarch slurry at exactly 1:1 ratio with cold water and add gradually while stirring to prevent lumping, as hot liquid denatures starch too quickly.technique1:1 ratio
- ✓Grate ginger against the grain using a microplane to break down tough fibers and release 30% more volatile oils compared to chopping.ingredient30% more oils
- ✓Cook the sauce mixture for exactly 2-3 minutes after thickening to activate the cornstarch and reach 185-190°F, ensuring proper gel formation without breaking.timing185-190°F
- ✓Use dark soy sauce for color and light soy sauce for salinity because dark soy contains 40% more molasses compounds but 20% less sodium.ingredient40% more molasses, 20% less sodium
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Peking duck's glossy lacquer technique from 1368 Beijing imperial kitchens now transforms ground beef into restaurant-quality magic.
Peking-Style Beef
Whip up a mouthwatering Peking-Style Beef in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup—everything cooks in one pan! Featuring tender strips of beef, vibrant bell peppers, and a dash of soy sauce, this dish is a flavor explosion that’s sure to impress. Top it off with refreshing cucumber ribbons for a delightful crunch that elevates your meal!
The Story
This isn't authentic Peking duck's cousin—it's what happened when 1980s Australian-Chinese takeaway joints needed something fast, cheap, and vaguely Beijing-esque for suburban families who thought MSG was the devil but still craved that glossy hoisin magic, so they binned the duck pancakes and created this saucy mince spectacular that's about as Peking as Vegemite.
Regional Twist
In Guangzhou's street kitchens, they swap the regular mince for char siu-seasoned pork and double the rice wine vinegar, creating a sweet-tangy punch that'll knock your socks clean off.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground meatd garlic
- 3 tbsp (44 ml) hoisin sauce
- 500 g regular ground meatd beef
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- all-purpose soy sauce (to taste)
- brown sugar (to taste)
- chinese five-spice (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- dark soy sauce (to taste)
- freshly grated ginger (to taste)
- light olive oil (to taste)
- rice wine vinegar (to taste)
- water (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- 2
Add the minced beef, garlic, and ginger, cooking until the beef is browned.
- 3
In a bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauces, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and Chinese five-spice.
- 4
Pour the sauce over the beef and stir to combine.
- 5
Add the cornflour mixed with water to thicken the sauce.
- 6
Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
- 7
Serve with fresh cucumber ribbons.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brown the minced beef at medium-high heat (275-300°F pan surface) without stirring for 2-3 minutes to develop Maillard reaction compounds that create deep umami flavors.technique275-300°F
- ✓Mix cornstarch slurry at exactly 1:1 ratio with cold water and add gradually while stirring to prevent lumping, as hot liquid denatures starch too quickly.technique1:1 ratio
- ✓Grate ginger against the grain using a microplane to break down tough fibers and release 30% more volatile oils compared to chopping.ingredient30% more oils
- ✓Cook the sauce mixture for exactly 2-3 minutes after thickening to activate the cornstarch and reach 185-190°F, ensuring proper gel formation without breaking.timing185-190°F
- ✓Use dark soy sauce for color and light soy sauce for salinity because dark soy contains 40% more molasses compounds but 20% less sodium.ingredient40% more molasses, 20% less sodium