prep time: 7 minutes, plus 2 hours to marinate the beef
•
cook time: 15 minutes
•
yield: 4 servings
prep time: 7 minutes, plus 2 hours to marinate the beef
•
cook time: 15 minutes
•
yield: 4 servings
marinade:
½ cup beef bone broth, homemade ( see here ) or store-bought (see notes)
¼ cup coconut aminos or wheat-free tamari
3 tablespoons MCT oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional, for umami)
4 dried Thai chiles
¼ teaspoon guar gum (optional; see notes)
1 pound flank steak, sliced very thinly against the grain
2 bell peppers, any color, cored and cut in half lengthwise, for serving (see notes)
¼ cup coconut oil
½ cup thinly sliced onions
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Fine sea salt, as needed
1. Place the ingredients for the marinade, except for the guar gum, in a shallow bowl. Give them a stir to combine, then add the steak to the marinade and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
2. Remove the beef and reserve the marinade. If you used store-bought beef broth in the marinade, sift the guar gum into the marinade. (It will help thicken the sauce as it cooks.)
3. To blanch the peppers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the peppers in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain the peppers in a colander and rinse with ice-cold water (this will preserve their bright color).
4. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat, then put the coconut oil in the wok. When the oil is hot, sear the slices of beef for 10 seconds, then remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Place the onions and bell peppers in the hot oil and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the beef and marinade, bring to a boil, and cook until the marinade has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and add salt, if needed.
6. Serve the stir-fry in the blanched bell pepper halves. Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
notes: Homemade beef bone broth is preferred for this recipe because it naturally creates a thick sauce. If you use store-bought broth, you will need to add a small amount of guar gum to thicken the sauce.
I cut the bell peppers into decorative designs for a cute holiday photo, but most days I keep it simple and serve the stir-fry in bell pepper “bowls,” or halved peppers, as described above. To save a step, you can omit the blanched peppers and eat the stir-fry as is.
