Better than Take Out Beef Chow Fun Recipe

This recipe was inspired by my Salt and Pepper Wings, Roast Pork and Cha Siu Pork.

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• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🍽️ Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🍗 Substitutions
• 🌶️ Variations
• 🫙 Storage
• 💡 Top tip
• 💭 FAQ
• 🥗 Best Served with
• 🍜 More Rice & Noodle Recipes
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments

🥘 Ingredients

Beef Marinade

• 8 oz Flank Steak
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp White Pepper
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• ½ tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Seasoning Sauce
• 1 tsp Cooking wine
• ½ tsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil (For Marinade)
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil (For Cooking)

Noodle

• 1 lb Fresh Ho Fun Noodles or 8 oz Dried Noodles
• 1.5 tbsp Seasoning Sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• ¾ tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Sesame Oil
• 2 tbsp Cooking wine (shaoxing wine)
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil (For Cooking)

Veggies

• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil (For Cooking)
• 1 slice Ginger
• 1 small Onion
• 3 stalks Green Onions (scallions)
• 1 cup Bean Sprouts

This Beef Chow Fun recipe is so good your favorite take out place might wonder if you've moved out of town! This Beef Chow Fun recipe is sure to be your new favorite. Since this chow fun is meatier than most, it can be eaten as a meal on its own or paired with your favorite sides.

🍽️ Equipment

Most authentic beef chow fun recipes recommend using a wok and a gas stove. However, this may not be practical for every home cook, particularly if you have an electric stove or a less powerful gas stove. With my recipe, you can still achieve fantastic results using a large nonstick skillet.

Where can I buy fresh noodles for this Beef Chow Fun recipe?

Many Asian markets sell fresh noodle packs that can be used for chow fun in either in flat vacuum sealed packs, or the soft plastic wrapped packs on trays.

Vacuum Sealed Fresh Noodles for Beef Chow Fun

The vacuum sealed noodles are a bit stiffer but have a longer shelf life. These noodles can last about 1 week and can be left room temp a day or so but then must be refrigerated. Then after refrigerating they need to be heated up before separating either by steaming for 3-5 minutes before starting the noodles separating process.

Plastic Wrapped Fresh Noodles for Chow Fun

Some markets even carry the super fresh Ho Fun soft noodles wrapped in a plastic white tray (best used same day). These wide rice noodles are my favorite but since they have such a short shelf life, they sell pretty quickly and not all stores carry them. Some Chinatowns may also carry these noodles so call around. In my area we are lucky enough to have some noodle factories that supply our local markets. These softer fresh noodles should not be refrigerated because they become brittle and hard to work with. Try to buy either of these noodles fresh and leave them at room temp to use within a day or so.

Various thicknesses of dried rice noodles.

The top three noodles are dried rice noodles, and the bottom three are the fresh rice noodles. Typically the large rice noodles are used to make chow fun, and pad kee mao (drunken noodles), the medium ones are used for pad thai, and the smaller ones are commonly used in pho. I love the thicker sized noodles so if I feel like it I throw those into my noodle soups as well.

🔪 Instructions

The Beef

• 1. If you are using dried rice noodles, Soak them first in warm water for 30 mins before preparing the beef. *Set a 30 minute timer so you don't forget about them as you are preparing the rest of the ingredients*
• 2. Slice your beef thinly, (was I used 8 oz Flank Steak). If you freeze the beef for 30 minutes before slicing, it will be easier to make thinner cuts. Marinate the beef in a small bowl with ½ tsp Baking Soda, ¼ tsp White Pepper,1 tsp Sugar, 1 tbsp Cornstarch, ½ tbsp Oyster Sauce, 1 tbsp Soy Sauce, 1 tsp Seasoning Sauce, 1 tsp Cooking wine, ½ tsp Dark Soy Sauce, and 1 tbsp Oil

The Veggies

• 3. Prepare your veggies. You will need 1 slice of Ginger, 1 small Onion sliced, 3 stalks of Green Onions cut into 1" segments with the whites separated from the greens, and 1 cup washed Bean Sprouts

The Noodles

• 4. If you are using dried rice noodles, Soak them first in warm water for 30 mins. Once your 30 Minute timer is up, flash cook the noodles for 30 seconds in boiling hot water, remove and strain, and rinse off with cold water. Work through the noodles while rinsing in cold water to make sure they do not clump together until fully cooled down. Set aside noodles and lightly coat noodles in some oil.
• 5. If you are using fresh noodles, take out a handful of noodles from the pack and push on the noodles in a circular motion or back and forth to loosen and separate the noodles. Continue until the entire package has been mostly separated.
• 6. Into a bowl or mixing cup combine the following to make the noodle sauce :1.5 tbsp Seasoning Sauce, 1 tbsp Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce,1 tsp Sesame Oil, and¾ tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

The Cooking process

• 7. Gather all your prepared ingredients before you start cooking and bring them to your cooking station. You will need your fresh rice noodles, or dried rice noodles (soaked and flash cooked), marinated beef, the veggies, and cooking oil.
• 8. Turn your Wok or Pan to high heat. If you are using a Wok, once it starts smoking, let it smoke even more before adding in 1 tbsp oil. If you are using a pan, let it heat up on high heat for about 2-3 minutes on high before adding oil.
• 9. Wait another minute for the oil to heat up before adding in your marinated beef. Cook and brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes until almost fully cooked.

• 10. Remove the beef and set aside for now.
• 11. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, wait a minute for the oil to heat up then add the whites of the green onions, white onion and the ginger.
• 12. Once aromatic, About 1 minute , Add the noodles and carefully spread the noodles out in the pan without mixing. Let the noodles cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to brown up.
• 13. Flip the noodles over once, and add the green parts of the green onions and the bean sprouts. Pour over the noodle sauce and shake the pan to combine.
• 14. Drizzle the cooking wine around the edges of the pan, and after another 1-2 mins add your cooked beef back in and give one final mix or shake. Cook another minute and you're done!
• 15. Time to enjoy your better than take out, beef chow fun!

🥗 Best Served with

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Beef Chow Fun:

🍜 More Rice & Noodle Recipes

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