Pioneer Woman Beef with Snow Peas

Pioneer Woman beef with snow peas is a quick flank steak stir fry made with crisp snow peas, scallions and a ginger soy sauce, ready in 20 minutes. This easy weeknight beef stir fry fits busy family dinners, date night and meal prep, since it cooks in one hot skillet and pairs well with rice.

Let the skillet get hotter than you think you need, and leave the beef alone for a full minute before turning it. Stir too soon and the meat steams and turns gray instead of browning.

Slicing the flank steak very thin against the grain on a slight diagonal keeps every bite tender. Searing the beef in two batches and finishing it with the reserved marinade gives you a glossy sauce without stewing the meat.

Pioneer Woman Beef with Snow Peas

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

230

kcal

Thin flank steak sears fast in a smoking hot skillet while the snow peas stay snappy and bright green. The cornstarch in the marinade thickens into a glossy ginger soy sauce as it sits.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
  

• 1/2 c. Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  

• 3 tbsp. Sherry Or Cooking Sherry
  

• 2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
  

• 2 tbsp. Cornstarch
  

• 1 tbsp. Minced Fresh Ginger
  

• 8 oz. weight Fresh Snow Peas, Ends Trimmed
  

• 5 whole Scallions, Cut Into Haf-inch Pieces On The Diagonal
  

• Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)
  

• 3 tbsp. Peanut Or Olive Oil
  

• Crushed Red Pepper, For Sprinkling
  

• Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package
  

Directions

• Make the marinade: Mix 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sherry, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger in a bowl. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve.
• Marinate the beef: Pour half the liquid over 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced flank steak in a bowl and toss it with your hands. Keep the other half of the sauce on the side for later.
• Sear the snow peas: Heat 3 tablespoons peanut or olive oil in a heavy skillet or wok over high heat. Add 8 ounces trimmed snow peas and stir for 45 seconds, then move them to a plate.
• Brown the first batch: Let the pan get very hot again, then add half the beef with tongs, leaving most of the marinade behind in the bowl. Add half the scallions, spread the meat into one layer and leave it alone for a full minute.
• Flip and set aside: Turn the meat and cook for another 30 seconds. Then move it to a clean plate.
• Cook the second batch: Let the pan heat up again before adding the rest of the beef and scallions. Cook it the same way, without stirring for a minute.
• Finish the stir fry: After turning the second batch, add the first plate of beef, the reserved sauce and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
• Season and serve: Taste it and add salt only if it needs it, since the soy sauce is already salty. Serve right away over cooked jasmine or long grain rice with crushed red pepper sprinkled on top.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use chicken or another cut of beef?

Thinly sliced chicken breast works with the same marinade and the same high heat. Sirloin is a decent beef swap, but flank steak stays the most tender when sliced thin against the grain.

How long do leftovers keep?

Store the beef and snow peas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The peas lose their snap after a day, so reheat quickly in a hot skillet rather than the microwave.

Can I slice the beef and mix the marinade ahead of time?

Yes, you can slice the steak and mix the sauce a few hours before dinner. Keep the sauce for the stir fry in a separate bowl so it stays clean until you cook.

What if I don't have a wok or cast iron skillet?

A large heavy stainless steel skillet works as long as it gets very hot before the meat goes in. Skip nonstick if you can, because it won't brown the beef as well at that heat.

Why did my beef turn out gray and tough?

The most common mistake is overcrowding a pan that isn't hot enough, so the meat steams instead of searing. Cook in two batches and keep the meat still for the first minute.