What type of beef to use in beef fried rice?

[sugarcanejane]

I would like to try to make beef fried rice. I read a bunch of great marinating tips on the board, but I didn't see any suggestions as to what type of beef to buy.

What do you guys recommend?

[raytamsgv]

I'd recommend flank steak. Chinese restaurants generally use this cut of beef because it has excellent slicing characteristics. The grain is uniform, and there is very little fat.

[egbluesuede]

I'll second that. I stir fry a lot of beef dishes, and love it most with a good flank steak. cut with the grain into three strips, and then thinkly slice across the grain. It helps if you chill the meat in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm it up before slicing. I use a little soy sauce instead of salting the beef.

[OldTimer]

I would say rib eye...chopped coarsely with the fat included for flavor. I can't imagine any dry, tough beef...unless you seek tough, dry fried rice.

[moymoy]

why would you want the beef tough? traditional beef fried rice Cantonese style uses thinly sliced beef marinated to reach a certain tenderness. To each their own of course, but the beef should never be tough in my opinion.

[Sam Fujisaka]

The tough meat was my fault. For beef fried rice, I start with cheaper more flavorful cuts, chop finely, and flash wok so the meat is rare but done--because the pieces are so small, I find starting with better, more tender cuts results in a lack of texture and taste. I use something like flank steak for dishes like ginger beef.

[hannaone]

I agree Sam. Since I do the "Korean" fried rice using soft "sticky rice", the small chewy beef pieces adds to the texture of the dish.

[Sam Fujisaka]

The toughest, cheapest cut of beef so finely diced that the pile looks ground (but isn't). Flash woked at HIGH temp such that the initial toughness is a definite plus rather than a minus. Caviar of true beef flavor. If not, beef fried rice is a bad idea.

[ross33]

I would definitely recommend skirt steak. Marinates really well but also has lots of natural flavor. Make sure you cut against the grain.

[moymoy]

I recommend what most Chinese restaurants use: flank steak. It marinates well and is more tender.

[hannaone]

Any type of steak will work, as well as a firm roast. The stew meat sold in groceries will work also. If you use "tougher" meats, cut them in smaller pieces, and marinate. Tender cuts can be larger or marinated whole.