This beef fried rice recipe starts with one of my all-time favorite dishes - Asian Short Ribs.
The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and coated in a rich, flavorful sauce. Toss in some shallots, green beans and broccoli, and flavor everything with pomegranate molasses, and you have a deeply satisfying one-pot meal about an hour.
Beef Fried Rice with Tender Asian Short Ribs
Fried rice is one of those dishes that can be created at a moment's notice with leftover rice and pretty much any variety meat and vegetables that you have hanging around inside of your refrigerator. At least that's usually what fried rice means at my house.
Because, really, fried rice is the perfect solution for leftovers. Suddenly that ¼ pound of this and ½ cup of that are revived into an entirely different meal.
This version of fried rice with hunks of tender short rib meat and veggies is no exception. If you've made a batch of Asian Short Ribs and somehow managed to not inhale them all in one sitting, making fried rice is a delicious way to stretch however much you have left over into a whole new meal. But, here's the thing...
Sometimes I like to make an entire recipe of Asian Short Ribs just for the purpose of adding the meat to this fried rice recipe. That's the beauty of it. Add a little bit of short rib meat or a lot of short rib meat - it's all good.
Use Whatever Vegetables You Like in This Fried Rice Recipe
For the most part, the instructions for any fried rice recipe should be viewed as guidelines rather than rules. With the exception of the rice, all the other ingredients can generally be swapped out for others.
Usually when I make this, I like to use broccoli florets and green beans. But, there's no reason in the world why you couldn't use bell peppers, cabbage, peas, broccoli rabe, cauliflower... or whatever kinds of vegetables you want.
Just keep the quantity of vegetables more or less the same and chop them into fairly small pieces. Some vegetables take longer to cook than others, so just be mindful of whether the veggies you choose need to stay in the pan for a few minutes longer. As always, when in doubt, taste and taste again.
What's the Best Kind of Rice to Use for Fried Rice?
The two varieties of rice I recomend for fried rice are Jasmine and Basmati. Both varieties are considered long-grain, which means that the rice has a length that's three to five times its width. Long grain rice is preferable for fried rice because it holds its shape and doesn't clump together when stir-fried.
Both Jasmine and Basmati rice have sturdy, slightly dry textured grains that don't stick together or fall apart when stir-fried. Both varieties have a slight floral flavor and aroma that is more pronounced in Basmati and more subtle in Jasmine.
Jasmine rice is also slightly softer and more fine grained than Basmati. In most fried rice recipes, Jasmine rice is the preferred variety. In this recipe, I've found that both Jasmine and Basmati work equally well.
How to Prepare Rice for Fried Rice.
It's really important that the rice for fried rice be well chilled - refrigerated for at least 12 hours - before frying it.
Freshly cooked rice will clump up into a starch mess if you cook it without letting it chill for a long time. Chilled leftover rice undergoes a process called retrogradation, which essentially means that the starch in the rice crystalizes a bit, firming each grain up enough to withstand a second round of cooking.
If you happen to have a couple cups of leftover fried rice in your refrigerator that's been chilled for at least 12 hours, you're good to go. If you don't, no worries. The recipe will take you through a chilling process that only takes 20 minutes. 🙌
To quickly prepare rice for frying, here's what you do:
- Sauté the grains in oil before boiling. This coats the individual grains in oil, which helps keep the grains for clumping together when you fried.
- Cook the rice in a bit less water than you otherwise would and let it sit off-heat for about 10 minutes covered in a dish towel, which will absorb any excess water.
- Spread the rice out on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes to dry it out and firm it up for a second round of cooking.
About Pomegranate Molasses
This recipe calls for ¼ cup of pomegranate molasses which adds a surprising amount of complex flavor to the dish, taking it from good to absolutely delicious. Many grocery stores cary bottles of pomegranate molasses and, like everything else in the world, you can always order it on Amazon.
A bottle will cost you about $15. Or, you can just make it yourself for about ⅓ of the cost. Homemade Pomegranate Molasses only takes about a minute of hands on time - simply put some pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon just in a saucepan and turn on the burner - but it will take 20-30 minutes to cook.
So, if you're making it yourself, plan accordingly and get it started right before you start on the rice.
More Recipes that start with Asian Short Ribs
Asian Short Ribs are melt-in-your-mouth tender and super easy to prepare in the Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or in the Oven. The tender, flavorful meat is coated in a rich, slightly sweet and spicy sauce prepared simply by reducing the liquid that the short ribs have been simmering in.
Use cooked Asian Short Ribs as the starting point for each of the following recipes:
Asian Short Rib Nachos
Light and crispy wonton chips loaded up with tender, saucy Asian short ribs, melted white cheddar cheese, red bell peppers, scallions, jalapeños and cilantro.
Pasta with Asian Short Ribs, Mushrooms, and Asparagus
Short Ribs are cooked low and slow in a rich sauce until meltingly tender, then tossed with caramelized mushrooms, sautéed asparagus, and pasta.
Asian Short Rib Rice and Veggie Bowls
Short Ribs are cooked low and slow in a rich sauce until meltingly tender, then served over sushi rice with roasted cabbage, sautéed asparagus, red bell peppers, and bok choy.
Asian Short Rib Lasagna
Chunks of fall-apart tender slow cooker short ribs are layered between wonton wrappers, white cheddar cheese, and creamy béchamel sauce. THIS is the essence of comfort food.
Black Eyed Peas with Andouille Sausage
Black eyed peas become incredibly creamy and flavorful when cooked low and slow with paprika, garlic, and shallots. Served with sautéed Andouille Sausage and rice, this is a hearty, nourishing dish that’s especially comforting when the nights are cold and the days are short.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me, or take a picture and tag it #alittleandalot on Instagram.
Asian Beef Fried Rice {with Slow Cooked Short Ribs}
This beef fried rice recipe starts with one of my all-time favorite dishes - Asian Short Ribs. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and coated in a rich, flavorful sauce. Toss in some shallots, green beans and broccoli, and flavor everything with pomegranate molasses, and you have a deeply satisfying one-pot meal about an hour.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me!
Ingredients
For the Short Ribs
- 1 recipe Asian Short Ribs: Remove the meat from the bone and shred. Use as much or as little short rib meat as you like for this dish.
- 1 Cup (236ml) Short Rib Sauce: Follow the Asian Short Rib Recipe instructions to turn the cooking liquid into a sauce, reducing the liquid until you have 1 cup of sauce.
For the rice:
- 1 ½ cups (293g) jasmine or long-grain white rice (*If you have 2-3 cups of leftover rice that's been chilled for at least 12 hours, you can use use that instead.)
- 1 ½ tablespoon (23ml) vegetable oil
- 2 cups (472ml) water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the rest of the dish:
- 1 cup (150g) green beans, fresh or frozen and thawed, cut into ½-inch pieces
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon (42g) butter, divided
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup (50g) diced shallot
- 1 cup (91g) broccoli florets
- ¼ cup (59ml) pomegranate molasses (*See note)
Instructions
Prepare 1 recipe Asian Short Ribs. Remove the meat from the bone and shred, and reserve1 cup of the short rib sauce.
Cook and chill the rice:
- Pour the rice into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. This helps remove any excess starch from the grains. Let drain.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot and shimmering. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the water and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until the rice has absorbed all the water, about 17-18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, remove the lid and cover the pan with a clean dish towel that's been folded in half. Replace the lid, setting it over the dish towel and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Spread the rice out in an even layer onto a baking sheet. Let cool 10 minutes then chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. While the rice chills, proceed with the rest of the recipe. (You can prepare the rice up to 2 days ahead of time. Scoop into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.)
Make the Fried Rice:
- Put the green beans in a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of water and about a ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook in the microwave on high for 4 minutes, until crisp-tender. Set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a large non-stick skillet or wok and set over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the eggs. Cook stirring constantly, just until the eggs are scrambled. (Be careful to not over cook. You want the eggs to be set but not dry.) Scrape the scrambled eggs out of the pan onto a plate and set aside.
- Rinse out the skillet, add 1 more tablespoon of butter, and return to medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add the diced shallot and and broccoli florets. Sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
- Add 1 more tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the green beans and stir-fry for 1 minute longer.
- Add the rice, pomegranate molasses, 1 cup short rib sauce, and short rib meat to the skillet. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to medium. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the scrambled eggs and serve.
Notes
About Pomegranate Molasses:
This recipe calls for ¼ cup of pomegranate molasses which adds a surprising amount of complex flavor to the dish, taking it from good to absolutely delicious.
Making pomegranate molasses is simply a matter of boiling pomegranate juice with some sugar and lemon juice until it's reduced to a syrup.
You can also purchase bottles of pomegranate molasses in most major supermarkets and, like everything else in the world, you can always order it on Amazon.
What variety of rice is best for fried rice?
The two varieties of rice I recomend for fried rice are Jasmine and Basmati. Both varieties are considered long-grain, which means that the rice has a length that's three to five times its width. Long grain rice is preferable for fried rice because it holds its shape and doesn't clump together when stir-fried.
Both Jasmine and Basmati rice have sturdy, slightly dry textured grains that don't stick together or fall apart when stir-fried. Both varieties have a slight floral flavor and aroma that is more pronounced in Basmati and more subtle in Jasmine.
Jasmine rice is also slightly softer and more fine grained than Basmati. In most fried rice recipes, Jasmine rice is the preferred variety. In this recipe, I've found that both Jasmine and Basmati work equally well.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 513mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 19g
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