Steak and Egg Fried Rice
Thanks, Calphalon, for sponsoring this post!
When life gets busy and I’m unsure of what to make for dinner, the solution will either be take-out (I try to hold out until Friday though) or fried rice! I guarantee you can make a lovely and satisfying fried rice with whatever you have in the fridge at this moment. Fried rice was one of the very first dishes I learned how to make on my own while in college. I would feed all my roommates and friends with a giant batch of rice, random vegetables, and some eggs. It was a hit every time.
However, when I have the energy to actually plan for making fried rice, I love to treat ourselves to a version that’s a little more composed. This steak and egg fried rice is effortless for a chill weeknight meal but also special enough for a fun date night in.
Fried Rice Essentials and How to Make it Special
The foundations of fried rice are pretty simple. All you need is:
Cold or leftover rice! I’ll occasionally have leftover rice in the fridge, but in the instance that I don’t but I still want to make fried rice for dinner I’ll just cook a batch of rice before dinner and allow it to cool and dry out for about an hour. It’s important for the rice to cool so that all that extra moisture escapes and the starch of the rice comes to the surface. Starch=crispness. To speed up the cool down process, spread the rice on to a plate or sheet pan to allow more surface air for steam to escape.
Eggs! I need to have eggs in fried rice. If you’re watching your cholesterol you could substitute with egg whites (maybe mix in a pinch of turmeric for color) or use one of those plant based egg substitutes.
Green Onions! Or some type of allum to give the dish a lot of flavor and aromatics.
Oyster Sauce! This is my mom’s secret ingredient to just about everything. It’s salty, a little sweet, and provides a lot of full umami flavor. But you could also substitute with soy sauce and add a little more sugar for balance.
If you just have these things, you’ll be able to make wonderful simple fried rice. But! If you have some protein and vegetables on hand, you might as well add them in too!
For protein, you can use just about anything. Shrimp, pork, smoked tofu, leftover chicken, bacon, ham. I’ve even made it with anchovies before! For this version I loved the addition of steak! We rarely eat steak so it felt like a treat to have it in the mix. I marinate the steak in cornstarch and oyster sauce. The cornstarch is yet again, a Chinese restaurant trick. It tenderizes the meat and gives it a really nice crisp coating when you fry it up.
Veggies of course add lots of health points to your dinner, but I add them for a balance of flavor and freshness. To pair with the steak, I added shredded carrots and finely diced bell peppers. Both of these vegetables are hearty so they keep a slight crunch when cooking. But their flavors also get a little sweet and caramelized in the pan. I can’t help but love the bright colors they provide too, looks like confetti!
How to Cook Fried Rice
The process of cooking fried rice is hot and fast! I do own a wok, but to be honest I find it a little cumbersome to use in a regular kitchen and it doesn’t get quite hot enough without a proper heat source or wok stand. I love using my Calphalon Premier Nonstick Frying pan! It’s nice and wide so that every grain of rice and vegetable has plenty of contact with the hot pan to get nice and crispy. I’m a huge fan of nonstick cookware because it makes cooking and cleaning up afterwards so easy. It is also dishwasher safe and features a longer lasting nonstick coating. I’ve found myself so frustrated with other pans when food keeps sticking to the pan because the nonstick wears offs too quickly and ruins my dish. I’ve been cooking with Calphalon for years and their latest Premier Nonstick Cookware Set is just a dream!
The first thing that goes into the pan is my steak. I like to sear the meat until mostly cooked through and then remove it from the pan so that I can add it back in later. In the same pan, without cleaning, add garlic and cook that until it’s lightly browned and the kitchen smells really good! Toss in the veggies and cook until tender but with a slight crunch. Next I add the rice and seasonings. I give everything a good mix and let the rice crisp up in the pan. It’s important to not touch the rice too much because it will prevent it from getting crispy. Now is the time to add the egg. Use a spatula to push the rice to the sides of the pan. Add a little more oil to the center if needed and crack the eggs in. This is a trick I learned from my mom. Without touching the eggs, let the egg fry for a couple minutes. Once they are somewhat set, stir everything up to break the egg up. Lastly I add my steak back in, shower it with green onions, and give it a taste. Tweak the seasonings to your liking and continue to fry the rice until you’re happy with the texture (depends on how crispy you like it). Now it’s ready to serve!
The Dramatic Fried Egg Center
Just for some flair, I like to save one last egg to fry into a sunny side up egg in the middle. This is less tricky when you live by yourself because that way you don’t have to share it with anyone else! You don’t need to do this, but I can’t help myself when it comes to a runny yolk.
When the fried rice is done, make a well in the center of your pan again and crack in one single egg. Allow the egg to cook until set. You can cover the pan with the fitted lid to help the egg cook through if needed! You’ll need a sturdy spatula to carefully extract the egg from the pan, but also no biggie if it breaks! Runny yolks are a good thing.
Steak and Egg Fried Rice
Serves 2 to 3
Steamed Rice:
1 cup jasmine rice
1 3/4 cup water
*or 2 to 3 cups leftover rice
Steak:
10oz steak, cut into 1/2 pieces
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
Fried Rice:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 carrots, grated
1/2 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sriracha
3 eggs (1 for fried egg in the middle
3 stalks green onion, chopped
If you don’t have leftover rice, prepare the rice in advance and allow about 1 hour for it to cool. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. In the bowl of the electric rice cooker, combine rice with water. Steam until fully (about 25 minutes simmering in a bowl over medium). Fluffy the rice and transfer the rice to a plate or baking sheet. Spread into an even layer and allow the rice to fully cool and dry out.
To marinate the steak: in a medium bowl, mix to combine steak, oyster sauce, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch. Allow the steak to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the steak and sear on all sides, cook until mostly cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the steak to a plate and set aside.
Add the minced garlic. Cook the garlic until light browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the carrots and bell peppers. Add the salt and toss to combine. Cook until the veggies are tender but with a slight crunch, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and toss to combine. Season white pepper, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha. Give it a good mix and push the rice to the edges of the pan. Add a little more oil to the center and add the eggs (add only 2 if saving one intact fried egg for the end). Without touching the eggs, let them cook until mostly set. Break up the eggs with the spatula and mix into the rice. Add the green onions and mix again. Let the rice cook, tossing occasionally, until crispy, 4 to 5 minutes.
If you want the dramatic egg, make a well in the center of the pan and add the last egg. Cook until set, cover with a lid if needed to help cook the egg.
Serve immediately!