Cooking Every Recipe on the NYT Top 50 List of 2025 | Pepper Steak and Celery Stir Fry #cooking

New York Times Top 50 Recipes of 2025 | Pepper Steak and Celery Stir Fry @nytcooking @andybaraghani

– 1 lb sirloin, set in the freezer for 10 minutes until firm
– Salt and pepper
– 1 tbsp cornstarch
– 1 tsp light brown sugar
– 1 lemon
– 2 tbsp neutral oil
– 5 celery, sliced on a bias
– 3 garlic cloves, grated
– 3 scallions
– 2 tbsp soy sauce
– 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Slice the chilled beef against the grain into thin strips, then toss in a bowl with salt, pepper, cornstarch, and sugar until evenly coated. Sear the beef in a hot skillet with oil in two separate batches, cooking without stirring for two minutes until deeply browned, flipping for another 20 seconds, and then transferring to a plate. In the same pan, sauté the celery, garlic, scallion whites, and wide strips of lemon peel with the remaining oil until softened, about one minute. Return the beef to the skillet along with soy sauce and butter, tossing for 30 seconds until a smooth sauce coats the meat, before turning off the heat, finishing with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and serving topped with scallion greens.