Calgary Style Ginger Beef Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is ginger beef a Canadian thing? ›

While ginger beef was invented in Calgary, the uniquely Canadian dish soon became a staple of chop suey restaurants and Chinese takeout menus throughout Alberta and the Prairies. Ginger beef is also often seen in food courts and casual Chinese restaurants.

Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces.

Canada has very good meat, so it is not surprising that many of its most popular dishes are made from it. One of the best known is Calgary beef, which is served roasted and can be served as a hamburger or accompanied by fries and salad. The best area to try it is in the center of the country.

It also contains flavors of ginger, garlic, and hot peppers, and is commonly served with a small amount of julienned carrots and onions in the sauce. Ginger beef is derived from the original Geung Ngao Yuk (Chinese: 薑牛肉) dish.

Szechuan Beef – This dish is usually breaded and crispy. Then coated in a very spicy-sweet sauce. It is often topped with fresh scallions or bean sprouts to contrast the spicy flavor. Ginger Beef – This is a westernized version of Szechuan Beef, with the addition of carrots, and a little less spice.

Ginger beef is one of many dishes that were created as a result of Chinese Canadian immigration. Chop suey and mu shu pork are two examples of dishes that were created by Chinese immigrants.

Costco Canada was the first company to exclusively sell AAA beef. The high quality product flew off shelves, but fewer cattle and a shrinking herd have made it increasingly difficult. Consequently, products from the United States and Australia are displacing Canadian beef in Costco's 88 Canadian stores.

Mountain Top Foods Frozen Gingered Beef with Sauce, 4.54 kg | Costco.

Cooking & Usage Tips

Remove packaging and spread beef pieces on a baking sheet. Thaw unopened sauce packet in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. 2 HEAT beef on the middle rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway until heated through. 3 SERVE In a bowl, mix heated beef and warmed sauce until fully coated.

Ginger not only adds flavor to your meat but also contains a proteolytic enzyme that naturally breaks down protein enabling it, in a marinade, to soften and tenderize meat. You can add it to your marinade or boil your meat with ginger. Coffee is not only a natural tenderizer, but it also adds flavor.

Why is beef so expensive in Calgary? ›

From parched southern Alberta to water-scarce east Texas, ranchers have been downsizing their herds due to a lack of grass for grazing. The resulting shortfall in cattle supply is reducing overall beef production and helping to push retail beef prices higher.

Geography changes taste

The meat is literally "pre-salted." With Canadian beef, he continues, western cattle will eat more barley, Ontario cattle eat a lot of corn, while P.E.I. cattle might munch on cull potatoes. The resulting taste and texture of the beef are different.

With marbling resembling an artistic masterpiece and a level of tenderness so superior you might as well be eating butter itself, there is no wonder why Japanese Wagyu beef is renowned for being 'the best beef in the world'.

1 Order of ginger beef (Canadian Nutritional Information - Manchu WOK) contains 350 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 31% carbs, 55% fat, and 14% protein. This is a good source of protein (23% of your Daily Value).

Ginger adds a certain earthy spice to meat marinade, but it's also full of a powerful enzyme called zingibain, which acts as a meat tenderizer---leaving you with mushy, soggy junk that falls off the skewer or in between the grill rack. You can deactivate the enzyme, though, by heating up the ginger first.

In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.

Chinese restaurants typically use flank steak, an affordable cut with great flavor. The steak should be cut thinly against the grain. Each slice should be about one-eighth of an inch thick, since thinner slices have more surface area for the marinade.

We source our grass-fed and finished beef from select ranches in Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand, and are committed to offering Canadians burgers they can confidently enjoy.

What is Poutine? Poutine is Canada's national dish, which usually consists of french fries topped with cheese curds and hot gravy.

Is McDonald's beef Canadian? ›

100% of the beef used in our hamburger patties is sourced from Canadian farmers and ranchers and contains no artificial preservatives, flavours, colours or fillers. We proudly serve McCafé Premium Roast Coffee and espresso made with 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified Arabica beans, roasted in Canada.