Ginger beef is a dish featuring deep-fried strips of battered beef in a sticky and slightly spicy sauce. The beef is stir-fried with vegetables like bell peppers and onions and served over a bed of rice. It’s said to have been invented by a chef namedGeorge Wong at Calgary’s Silver Inn in the 1970s. It quickly spread around the country. Today, ginger beef can be found in restaurants from coast to coast. Ginger beef is well-loved and is a prime example of Chinese cuisine in Canada that blends Chinese influences with Western ingredients and cooking techniques.
History of Chinese Canadian Food
Immigrants from China first arrived on the West Coast of Canada in the 1850s. These early immigrants mostly came from the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, where Cantonesecooking is the most popular cuisine. As such, many of the first Chinese Canadian restaurants served Cantonese food.
When the first Chinese immigrants to Canada arrived in the late 1850s, they didn’t have access to the same ingredients that they were accustomed to. Plus, Chinese chefs needed to develop dishes that would be popular with their non-Chinese clientele. Disheslike broccoli beef, which substituted the Chinese vegetable gai lan with the more accessible broccoli, became takeout staples and epitomized the fusion between the two cultures.
Other iconic dishes of this era that combined Chinese and North American culinary influences include General Tso’s chicken, chop suey, chicken balls and ginger beef. (See Popular Chinese Dishes in Canada.)
Origins of Ginger Beef
Ginger beef was invented in Calgary in the 1970s at the Silver Inn Restaurant. In 1975, sisters Lily Wong and Louise Tsang opened the restaurant as a chop suey restaurant, servingup Chinese Canadian food. Lily and her husband, George Wong, were running the restaurant together and knew they needed to boost alcohol sales in order to keep the businessafloat. They hoped that adding smaller, snack-like dishes to the menu to serve alongside drinks would help. Wong, who had worked in Peking-style restaurants in Hong Kong, remembered a sweet and chewy beef dish — sort of like beef jerky — that was popularin China at the time. But, when he tried adding it to the menu at the Silver Inn, it wasn’t very popular. Calgarian diners were more used to their Alberta beef being tender, not chewy. (See also Beef Cattle Farming.)Plus, the dish was far too spicy for Canadian palates of the 1970s.
Wong continued to test recipes and noticed that much of his clientele had an affinity for fried foods like French fries. He tried to combine the two by preparing his beef like fries. After some experimentation, Wong created his new dish by first coatingthin strips of beef in a batter. This created a crisp outer layer while the meat inside stayed tender and juicy, which was more familiar for Calgarians. Then, like so many other Chinese Canadian chefs at the time, Wong toned down the spice level. Tocomplete the dish, Wong created a sweet-and-sour chili-ginger-garlic sauce that he thought was like ketchup to go with his new French fries-like dish. He coated the deep-fried beef with this sauce, inventing a brand new dish.
The resulting dish was a thick, slightly crunchy beef stir fry with crunchy and tender beef. The meat was coated in a sweet-and-sour sauce with a very mild spice flavour. The Wongs named the dish “deep-fried shredded beef in chili sauce.”
The dish became a hit. Diners flocked to the Silver Inn to try Wong’s creation. Soon, diners in the region, who mistakenly attributed the sauce's signature spiciness to ginger, began asking their local Chinese restaurants for “ginger beef.” The dish beganto pop up on other menus in Chinese restaurants around Canada and, eventually, abroad.
Ginger Beef’s Legacy
While ginger beef was invented in Calgary, the uniquely Canadian dish soon became a staple of chop suey restaurants and Chinese takeout menus throughout Albertaand the Prairies. Ginger beef is also often seen in food courts and casual Chinese restaurants.
The dish also represents the fusion between Western and Chinese food that was necessary for Chinese Canadians. In order to survive and keep their businesses viable, Chinese Canadians adapted recipes from their country of origin to be more palatable forCanadian diners. Sometimes this meant replacing traditional ingredients with more accessible ones. Other times, it led to the creation of new recipes and dishes that become new classics. (See Chinese Food in Canada.)
FAQs
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.
What does ginger beef taste like? ›
It's made of crispy fried strips of beef tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce flavored with lots of ginger and garlic. If you've never had the pleasure of trying this absolute sweet and savory perfection, you're about to have your mind blown.
Is ginger beef good for you? ›
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).
Why is it called ginger beef? ›
“It caught on and became known as 'ginger beef,'” says Karen Anderson, president of Alberta Food Tours. “Because Canadians mistakenly believed there was ginger in the sauce.”
Is ginger beef authentic Chinese? ›
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. But these dishes often have a painful history.
Where does Costco Canada get their beef from? ›
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.
Why does Alberta beef taste better? ›
Alberta's high-quality barley makes up the largest component of the feed rations used for cattle raised in the province. Alberta's grain-fed beef is known for its tenderness and flavour while the fat is a desirable white colour.
How do you cook ginger beef at Costco? ›
Fry beef in oil heated to 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes. In a wok, add oil, onions, carrots, ginger garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, brown sugar, and sesame seeds. Let sauce thicken for a couple minutes. Add beef back in and toss.
What is the unhealthiest beef to eat? ›
Ground Beef (Regular) Regular ground beef is high in fat and calories and contains more saturated fat than lean beef. It is best eaten in moderation or avoided altogether.
Why do Chinese eat so much ginger? ›
Fresh Ginger has mild warming properties for the stomach, which is beneficial for digestive issues caused by Qi deficiency (low energy). Also, it has properties to dispel cold and dampness. Ingesting ginger increases the secretion of gastric juices. This helps the body digest food more quickly.
Best cuts: Sirloin tip side steak, eye of round roast, top round steak and bottom round steak. Worst cuts: T-bone steak, rib-eye steak, filet mignon and porterhouse steak. Best cuts: Breast. Worst cuts: Thigh, wing, drumstick and leg.
Why is it called rainbow steak? ›
In beef, the microscopic structure of the muscle fibers can cause light hitting them to diffract and form a rainbow on the cut surface of meat. Light can also diffract off other relatively smooth, flat surfaces such as butterfly wings and peaco*ck feathers, giving much the same effect.
What is the difference between Szechuan beef and ginger beef? ›
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.
Is American beef sold in Canada? ›
Some imported prepared products like frozen dinners may be made with American beef. However, Canada has a much larger beef industry than our consumption rates, so almost all steaks and roasts in restaurants and supermarkets are Canadian beef, and Canadians watch for that sort of thing, and prefer Canadian meats.
What country does Canada import beef from? ›
In 2023, just under 60 percent of beef imported to Canada originated from the United States. Uruguay and New Zealand were the second and third leading suppliers of beef for Canada, with about 9.3 percent and 7.6 percent of the import share, respectively.
Is US beef better than Canadian beef? ›
In conclusion, the Canada Prime grade is virtually identical to the U.S.D.A. Prime grade, except that the Canadian grade does not allow dark coloured meat, yellow fat, older animals, or other off-quality characteristics. The Canada AAA grade is virtually identical to the U.S.D.A.
Is Canadian beef the best in the world? ›
Canada's high quality beef grades
These ongoing audits ensure that grading is performed in a manner which is consistent and accurately reflects Canada's national standards. Canada is a global leader in beef grading.
