Recreating my favorite Crispy Beef recipe from the Pearl Restaurant in New York City

After discovering this dish in New York I knew I had to at least attempt it on my own. But I have to say I was very nervous, I had never attempted such a dish before and it seemed like it would be a hard one to duplicate. But after enough convincing both from myself as well as my husband, who was determined to have me try to make this, I took the plunge.  The key with crispy shredded beef is making sure that you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before hand.  This is a very quick cooking dish so having the ingredients ready is a must. It is fun to be able to create dishes like the ones you have in restaurants, especially when it is from a restaurant that you can't go to very often.

Szechuan Crispy Beef

1 pound beef (flank or sirloin steak is good)
2 regular carrots
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 scallions (spring onions, green onions), white parts only
1 tablespoon sweet bean sauce (or substitute hoisin sauce)
3 teaspoons chili paste or chili sauce
7 1/2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon roasted Szechuan peppercorn

Cut the beef julienne style, across the grain into thin slices less than 1/4-inch thick and 2 1/2 - 3 inches long.


Wash, peel and julienne the carrots into thin strips about 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches long. Mince the ginger. Cut the scallion into lengths about 2 1/2 inches long, and then into into thin shreds.

In a small bowl, combine the bean sauce and chile paste or sauce. Set aside.

Place Szechuan peppercorns in a frying pan on medium-low heat. Heat peppercorns, shaking pan occasionally, until they begin to darken and become fragrant. Remove from pan and cool.







When cooled, grind peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, or crush with a rolling pin. Use as called for in a recipe, or store in a covered jar until needed.




Preheat the wok on medium high heat for at least 30 seconds. (The wok is ready when you can feel the heat when holding the palm of your hand 2 - 3 inches above the wok's surface).

Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the preheated wok, drizzling down the sides. When the oil is hot, add the julienned carrots. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, stirring in the salt. (Do not brown the carrots). Remove from the wok.

Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in the wok over medium high to high heat. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Stir-fry for approximately 10 minutes, until the beef is crispy and dark brown and chewy (you will hear the beef sizzle as it dries out). If you find that the beef is creating too much of its own juice so it is not drying out, go ahead and tip out some of the juice. Once the beef is beginning to crisp splash with the rice wine or dry sherry and allow wine to caramelize the beef and again cook dry.

Push the beef up to the sides and drain all but 2 tablespoons from the wok. Add the bean sauce and chili paste or sauce mixture. Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the ginger and scallions.









Stir-fry for a few seconds, until aromatic, then return the carrots to the wok. Stir in the sugar and the roasted Szechuan peppercorn. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve hot.