Steak Stir Fry, or Chow Steak Kow, as we used to call it at my parents’ restaurant, is not your standard beef stir-fry. Tender, rich ribeye or sirloin steak bites are cooked in a soy garlic sauce—with some American touches!—and served over a bed of crisp bok choy.
If you’re looking for Pepper Steak Stir-fry or just a regular Beef Stir-fry recipe with Vegetables, you can also check out those recipes!
NOTE:
This recipe was originally posted on January 21, 2020. We have since updated it with higher resolution photos and metric measurements. The recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
What is Chow Steak Kow?
For our older readers, you may remember seeing Chow Steak Kow on your local Chinese restaurant menu. The dish consisted of large chunks of steak stir-fried with a medley of vegetables in a brown sauce.
We’ve updated that retro recipe with big marinated chunks of steak, topped with an addictive Chinese steak sauce, all served on a healthy bed of stir-fried bok choy.
If you like, you can substitute the bok choy with mixed vegetables like snow peas, peppers, mushrooms, or even broccoli. The beauty of cooking at home is using whatever you have handy in the fridge!
How do I make a perfect beef stir fry?
We have many guides to making the perfect stir-fry:
- Marinating the steak is a simple, but important step. To become a true expert and make it second nature, see our post on how to prepare beef for stir fry.
- The steak sauce in this recipe is specific to Chow Steak Kow, but you can also use it for other beef dishes. If you’re looking for a classic all-purpose stir-fry sauce, see our post on how to prepare ready-made stir fry sauce. Using a pre-made sauce for any combination of meats, tofu, or vegetables makes your stir fry dishes that much simpler and faster.
- A step that many overlook is the last one: thickening your stir-fry sauce. We use cornstarch, and we have more details on how to use cornstarch in Chinese cooking.
What is Chinese Steak Sauce?
Back in the day, serving a large piece of meat, steakhouse-style, was quite foreign to most Chinese chefs.
When presented with big American steaks, the solution was to serve marinated steak bites in an Asian-influenced steak sauce (or Western-influenced stir-fry sauce?) made with a little bit of ketchup and Worcestershire.
Steak is a special occasion meal, making this steak stir-fry an ideal dish for a Lunar New Year celebration! Give it a try!
Do I need a wok to make this dish?
While a wok is ideal for stir-frying, you can also make this recipe in a large cast iron skillet or carbon steel pan, both of which can heat up super hot!
Steak Stir Fry Recipe Instructions
Marinate your steak:
When you prepare the steak cubes, leave some of the fat on the steak. This adds key flavor to the dish.
Transfer the cubes to a medium bowl, and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
Toss until the steak is well-coated. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare the stir-fry sauce:
In a small bowl, combine the water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil. Set aside.
Prepare the bok choy base:
Make sure your bok choy is thoroughly cleaned. We always triple wash our bok choy. Not doing a thorough job risks sand ruining your veggies.
Heat your wok over high heat. Spread 1 tablespoon vegetable oil around the perimeter of the wok, and immediately add your smashed ginger slices.
After 5 to 10 seconds, add the chopped garlic and bok choy.
Quickly stir-fry the bok choy (so the garlic doesn’t burn), until it begins to wilt. You can also cover the bok choy for 30 seconds if your wok burner is not producing enough heat.
After the bok choy is cooked and wilted (about 60 seconds or so), add the salt, sugar and MSG (if using). Mix thoroughly, transfer to a warm serving plate, and set aside. MSG is totally optional, but it really brings out the flavor of stir-fried vegetables.
Stir-fry the steak:
Work quickly through these next steps, because your stir-fried bok choy is waiting to be topped with your delicious steak! Carefully rinse your wok with warm water, drain, and wipe off any excess moisture. Place the wok back over the burner set to high heat. Spread ½ tablespoon vegetable oil around the perimeter of the wok.
Once the wok begins to smoke, add the steak in a single layer, fat-side down for any pieces with visible fat.
Sear for 30 seconds or until brown. Use your wok spatula to toss everything together to ensure even cooking and browning, but resist the temptation to stir too much. High heat is essential to ensure you have a good sear and maximum flavor. I like to sear the steak until cooked medium / medium rare, which is why this steak stir fry recipe calls for large 1-inch chunks of steak.
Once done to your liking, turn off the heat, and scoop the steak over the bok choy to rest. (If any liquid has pooled on the bok choy plate, pour the excess off before adding the beef.)
You’ll need at least 1-2 tablespoons of the residual oil in the wok. Pour off any excess and discard. This is pure beef flavor that will make your sauce taste that much better.
Turn the wok back up to medium-high heat. Pour the prepared steak sauce into the wok, using it to deglaze the wok. If you want more sauce, you can add some additional water—bonus if you use the water from the bok choy plate, which has a nice ginger and garlic flavor.
When the sauce is simmering, stir up the cornstarch slurry and drizzle it into the sauce, letting it thicken until it coats a spoon. Simmer for an additional 20 seconds to ensure the cornstarch is cooked.
Turn the heat off, pour the sauce over your steak.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
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Recipe
Steak Stir Fry (Chow Steak Kow)
Ingredients
For the steak and marinade:
- 1 pound beef ribeye or sirloin steak (cut into 1-inch/2.5cm cubes)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (optional tenderizer, depending on the quality of your steak)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
For the steak sauce:
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 1 tablespoon water)
For the bok choy base:
- 12 ounces fresh bok choy (cut and thoroughly washed)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3-4 slices fresh ginger (smashed)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon MSG (optional)
Instructions
- When you prepare the steak cubes, leave some of the fat on the steak. This adds key flavor to the dish. Transfer the cubes to a medium bowl, and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss until the steak is well-coated. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- In a small bowl, combine the water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Make sure your bok choy is thoroughly cleaned. We always triple wash our bok choy. Not doing a thorough job risks sand ruining your vegetables.
- Heat wok over high heat. Spread 1 tablespoon vegetable oil around the perimeter of the wok, and immediately add your smashed ginger slices. After 5 to 10 seconds, add the chopped garlic and bok choy.
- Quickly stir-fry the bok choy (so the garlic doesn’t burn), until it begins to wilt. You can also cover the bok choy for 30 seconds if your wok burner is not producing enough heat.
- After the bok choy is cooked and wilted (about 60 seconds or so), add the salt, sugar and MSG (if using). Mix thoroughly, transfer to a warm serving plate, and set aside. MSG is totally optional, but it really brings out the flavor of stir-fried vegetables.
- Work quickly through these next steps, because your stir-fried bok choy is waiting to be topped with your delicious steak! Carefully rinse your wok with warm water, drain, and wipe off any excess moisture. Place the wok back over the burner set to high heat. Spread ½ tablespoon vegetable oil around the perimeter of the wok.
- Once the wok begins to smoke, add the steak in a single layer, fat-side down for any pieces with visible fat.
- Sear for 30 seconds or until brown. Use your wok spatula to toss everything together to ensure even cooking and browning, but resist the temptation to stir too much. High heat is essential to ensure you have a good sear and maximum flavor. I like to sear the steak until cooked medium / medium rare, which is why this steak stir fry recipe calls for large 1-inch chunks of steak.
- Once done to your liking, turn off the heat, and scoop the steak over the bok choy to rest. (If any liquid has pooled on the bok choy plate, pour the excess off before adding the beef.)
- You’ll need at least 1-2 tablespoons of the residual oil in the wok. Pour off any excess and discard. This is pure beef flavor that will make your sauce taste that much better. Turn the wok back up to medium-high heat. Pour the prepared steak sauce into the wok, using it to deglaze the wok. If you want more sauce, you can add some additional water—bonus if you use the water from the bok choy plate, which has a nice ginger and garlic flavor.
- When the sauce is simmering, stir up the cornstarch slurry and drizzle it into the sauce, letting it thicken until it coats a spoon. Simmer for an additional 20 seconds to ensure the cornstarch is cooked. Turn the heat off, pour the sauce over your steak, and serve immediately with steamed rice.
