Spicy Orange Beef
9
Points®
Total time: 22 min • Prep: 15 min • Cook: 7 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy
A great Chinese sauce combines several strongly flavored ingredients into one that has no standouts. This orange sauce is a mixture of briny soy sauce, tart-sweet orange juice, and spicy crushed red pepper. The cornstarch is added as a thickener and it adds the familiar glossiness to the final dish you find in restaurants. Beef (or pork or chicken) for stir-frying is best when very thinly sliced. This is most easily accomplished if the meat is partially frozen first. Place the still-wrapped meat in the freezer for at least one hour, or until very firm—then slicing will be a breeze. Ready in just over 20 minutes, this speedy dish is faster than take-out and more delicious. Serve it for any busy weeknight dinner or a quick and filling lunch.
Ingredients
Orange
2 medium, Navel
Reduced sodium chicken broth
⅔ cup(s), or water
Less sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp
Cornstarch
1 Tbsp
Red pepper flakes
½ tsp
Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp
Uncooked lean beef bottom round roast
16 oz, top, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into 2 x 1⁄8-inch strips
Broccoli
1 pound(s), crowns, cut into small florets
Red bell pepper
1 medium, seeded and cut into 3⁄4-inch pieces
Scallions
3 medium, cut into 1-inch pieces
Fresh ginger
2 Tbsp, fresh, peeled and minced
Garlic
2 large clove(s), minced
Cooked long grain brown rice
2 cup(s), hot
Instructions
1
With a vegetable peeler, remove enough zest from one of the oranges to make 2 tablespoons very thinly sliced strips; set aside. Remove the peel and pith from the oranges. Holding an orange over a bowl to catch the juice, cut along either side of each membrane to release the orange sections, allowing the juice to fall into the bowl. Repeat with the other orange; set sections aside.
2
Combine 1⁄3 cup of the broth, the orange juice, soy sauce, cornstarch, and crushed red pepper in a cup until smooth.
3
Heat a nonstick wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, then add the beef. Stir-fry until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate.
4
Add the broccoli, bell pepper, orange zest strips, and the remaining 1⁄3 cup broth to the wok. Cook, covered, until the vegetables are parcooked, about 2 minutes. Uncover, then add the scallions, ginger, and garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the beef to the wok; add the orange sections and cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.
5
Serving size: 1 1⁄2 cups orange beef and 1⁄2 cup rice
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