Black Pepper Beef and Celery Stir-Fry

The secret to stir-fry success? Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go, as this dish takes just minutes to come together in the pan. Senior food editor Andy Baraghani also recommends using a very hot pan to let the beef brown properly and cook quickly. If you’re looking for another crunchy veg besides celery, chopped bok choy or cabbage also work well in this mix.

Ingredients

4 SERVINGS

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 tsp. finely grated ginger

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced crosswise

Kosher salt

5 celery stalks, sliced on a diagonal ¼" thick, plus 1 cup leaves

4 scallions, cut crosswise into 1½"–2" pieces

2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cooked rice (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk garlic, ginger, pepper, sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a medium bowl. Add beef, season with salt, and toss to coat.

Step 2

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Wait until you see some wisps of smoke—if it’s not hot enough, the meat will steam instead of getting deeply browned—then, working in batches if needed, arrange steak in skillet in an even layer (it’s okay to crowd it a bit) and cook, pressing down on pieces to ensure good contact with the pan, until brown around the edges, about 1 minute. Turn steak over and add sliced celery and scallions. Cook, tossing often, until celery is slightly tender but still has some good crunch and scallions are lightly charred, about 2 minutes.

Step 3 Remove skillet from heat and add soy sauce, vinegar, butter, and 3 Tbsp. water. Toss, until butter is melted and sauce coats steak (still off heat). Add celery leaves and toss until slightly wilted. Season with more salt if needed.

Step 4 Divide rice among bowls and top with beef stir-fry.