Beef fried rice is the perfect leftover recipe. If you ever have leftover rice, brisket or both then dial up this recipe which features all your classic fried rice ingredients and then some! Don't worry if you're missing ingredients, just use what you have.
Fat Rice in Chicago makes the best fried rice period! Their fried rice is unbelievable and Top 10 on things I miss about my years living in Chitown. I ate there a lot, so much that I learned enough from eating and reading every Fat Rice related to develop and improve my fried rice cooking technique. It's been a beautiful everyday struggle to say the least.
I have made fried rice with shrimp, chicken, and even crawfish, but oddly enough never beef brisket.
I've experimented with a brisket fried rice recipe for a while now. I made a few different versions, with and without coconut before settling on a coconut rice version. The coconut flavor was a great pairing with the fresh ginger and garlic infused oil, cilantro, and onions.
This creates a distinctly Asian soul food element that is Texanized with smokey, moist and no knife needed corn beef brisket. Because of the way the simple ingredients and flavors come together, there is little need for extra seasoning. This fried rice is light and aromatic with minimal sauce use, so the vegetables and brisket actually stand-out vs. getting drowned in soy, hoisin, or oyster sauce.
This base fried coconut rice recipe can accommodate any vegetable or protein. Additionally, it's easy to bring the recipe together in less than half an hour. If you're working with leftovers, then it's even faster. Fried rice along with nachos, stews, and chili are my go-to recipes anytime I need to get rid of a bunch of stuff in my fridge! Note regular fried rice is a winner in this recipe as well. Follow the same steps, but just exclude the coconut milk.
Beef Fried Rice Ingredients
This is a leftover recipe so most of the ingredients I had on hand including the co-star (smoked brisket). I had bought brisket from Mum Foods here in Austin for a brunch menu item and had some leftover, intentionally. But I also make my own Texas-style brisket and use it as well.
- Jasmine Rice
- Beef Brisket
- Coconut Milk (canned)
- Eggs
- Scallions (green onions)
- Fresh Ginger
- Fresh Garlic
- Bell Pepper
- Soy Sauce
- Cilantro
- Black Pepper
How to make Beef Brisket Fried Rice (step by step)
Step 1: Make the coconut rice
Rinse the rice thoroughly with cold water. Rice is good to go when water runs clear vs. that cloudy look. Put the rice, coconut milk, water and salt in a large pot stirring gently to combine. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then cover and reduce to a low simmer cooking for 9 minutes undisturbed. Turn-off the heat and leave the rice alone for at least 10 minutes to allow it to absorb any residential moisture in the pot.
While the rice is still warm spread it out in a flat layer. Let cool for about 30 minutes on your counter-top, then transfer uncovered to the refrigerator overnight. Remove rice from the fridge and gently separate the grains into a bowl using your fingertips. Goal is just to separate the rice pieces.
Step 2: Cook the eggs
Heat a large wok or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil. Add the eggs and a pinch of salt then cook, stirring lightly until set (2-3 minutes). Transfer the eggs to a plate, chop and set aside
Step 3: Cook the vegetables
Add 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet. Cook the scallion whites (save green parts for later) and bell peppers. Stir occasionally until fragrant and beginning to soften (3-4 minutes). Add in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute more). Add another teaspoon of oil plus the brisket and cook until warmed through (2-3 minutes).
Step 4: Fry the rice
Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until well incorporated and beginning to crisp (3-4 minutes). Don't be afraid to let the rice sit a spell to crisp up on the bottom. Add the reserved eggs and mix-in. Finish with scallion greens, cilantro, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir until scallions soften a bit (1-2 minutes). Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
The base fried coconut rice recipe works with any protein if you prefer not to use brisket or don't have any on hand. I make enough for a big batch for main entree consideration for all.
Key Tips for Cooking Fried Rice -Flavor
- A small amount of soy sauce goes along way and will suffice.
- Add some kosher salt for additional seasoning and to keep moisture amounts in check.
- Add green onion whites at the beginning with the aromatics then add greens at the end for lift and crunchiness
- Less is more; too many ingredients make this something other than fried rice
- Toss the fried rice well so that each grain of rice is separate from the others and that there is an even distribution of all the ingredients and mix-ins.
- This base fried coconut rice recipe can accommodate any vegetable or protein.
- Note regular fried rice is a winner in this recipe as well. Follow the same steps, but just exclude the coconut milk
Key Tips for Cooking Fried Rice - Texture
Great texture is essential to fried rice. You want it sticky enough to pickup small clumps with chopsticks but also separate enough to appreciate that fried texture.
- Dryness is essential - allows food to get that wok taste. Moisture cools skillet down and you want that bad boy really hot otherwise the rice will start to stick to the wok
- Rinse the rice to remove excess starchiness (starch causes rice to clump)
- You want individual grains of rice when all is done not lumpy clumps. Break-up the rice before adding to the wok
- Don't overcook eggs and vegetables. you want them light and vibrant
- Use Jasmine rice for the perfect balance of stickiness and individual grains
- Dry your rice by spreading onto a sheet pan/tray after cooking then refrigerate overnight. This will result in dry, but not stale rice which is ideal
- Make sure that the pan is really hot before adding the rice to allow the rice to brown and acquire some texture
- Serve with Korean-style Flanken Short Ribs
Additional Fried Rice Notes
- Cut/chop/prepare all your ingredients beforehand
- Cook eggs beforehand and chop it up into small strips to be added near the end of cooking
Beef Fried Rice Recipe Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best type of rice to use for fried rice?
Jasmine rice is preferred since it has a great balance of stickiness and individual grains.
Can I use leftover Chinese take-out rice?
Yes, and this a secret level-up move. Obviously you save a lot on time, but also the rice is already cooked to perfection. Just skip all the cooking steps for rice and execute the drying and separation steps pre-cooking.
The downside is you lose the coconut flavor, but if this is important you can use coconut oil to fry the rice. The coconut flavor won't be as strong, but you will get hints of it.
For similar recipes like these you might like, try these:
Instant Pot Collard Greens w/ Smoked Brisket
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Ingredients
Brisket Fried Coconut Rice
- 1 cup coconut rice recipe below
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 whole scallions cut crosswise into ½-inch lengths, white and green parts separated
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger finely chopped and peeled
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 large bell pepper any color, seeded and diced finely
- ¾ pound cooked brisket finely chopped (about 3 cups)
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves coarsely chopped
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Coconut Rice
- 3 cups jasmine rice
- 13.5 oz full fat coconut milk can, shaken well
- 13.5 oz water use coconut milk can to measure
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Coconut Rice
- Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer and put into large bowl. Place under cold water. Gently stir clockwise taking care not to break the rice. Discard the water as it becomes cloudy then repeat until water runs clear. Drain for 10 minutes prior to cooking
- Put the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in large pot and stir gently to combine. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then cover and decrease the heat to low to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 9 minutes without uncovering, without disturbing! Turn off the heat and leave the rice alone for at least 10 minutes prior to serving to allow it to absorb any residual moisture in the pot.
- While the rice is still warm, spread it out in a flat layer (½ inch thick about). Let cool for about 30 minutes outside the refrigerator. Then transfer the sheet pan uncovered to the refrigerator overnight.
- Remove the rice from the fridge and gently separate the grains into a bowl using your fingertips. Just separate them vs. crushing/breaking. Rice is now ready for frying
Fry The Rice
- In a large wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until just set, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a plate, chop, and set aside.
- Add 1 teaspoon oil, the scallion whites, and bell peppers to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. stir in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, then the brisket, and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until well incorporated and beginning to crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the reserved eggs and stir well
- Add the scallion greens, cilantro, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Continue stirring, until the scallions are just tender, about 1 minute more. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Notes
Key Tips for Cooking Fried Rice -Flavor
- A small amount of soy sauce goes along way and will suffice.
- Add some kosher salt for additional seasoning and to keep moisture amounts in check.
- Add green onion whites at the beginning with the aromatics then add greens at the end for lift and crunchiness
- Less is more; too many ingredients make this something other than fried rice
- Toss the fried rice well so that each grain of rice is separate from the others and that there is an even distribution of all the ingredients and mix-ins.
- This base fried coconut rice recipe can accommodate any vegetable or protein.
- Note regular fried rice is a winner in this recipe as well. Follow the same steps, but just exclude the coconut milk
Key Tips for Cooking Fried Rice - Texture
Great texture is essential to fried rice. You want it sticky enough to pickup small clumps with chopsticks but also separate enough to appreciate that fried texture.- Dryness is essential - allows food to get that wok taste. Moisture cools skillet down and you want that bad boy really hot otherwise the rice will start to stick to the wok
- Rinse the rice to remove excess starchiness (starch causes rice to clump)
- You want individual grains of rice when all is done not lumpy clumps. Break-up the rice before adding to the wok
- Don't overcook eggs and vegetables. you want them light and vibrant
- Use Jasmine rice for the perfect balance of stickiness and individual grains
- Dry your rice by spreading onto a sheet pan/tray after cooking then refrigerate overnight. This will result in dry, but not stale rice which is ideal
- Make sure that the pan is really hot before adding the rice to allow the rice to brown and acquire some texture
Additional Fried Rice Notes
- Cut/chop/prepare all your ingredients beforehand
- Cook eggs beforehand and chop it up into small strips to be added near the end of cooking
- Leftover cooked rice or Chinese take-out rice can be used to save even more time. You'll still want to follow the steps for drying and separating the rice pre-cooking
Dave Abner
Thursday 4th of June 2020
As a native Texan hunkered down in SoCal in this age of Covid-19.. I had a strong craving for TX smoked brisket for Memorial Day.. My eyes were exponentially larger than the Fam’s collective stomach and we had cray leftovers.. I used this recipe as inspiration for a last ditch effort to kill off the brisket.. but had to channel my grandmothers cuz we didn’t have all the ingredients- mainly the coconut.. instead I added more veggies from the crisper.. Maan ... if lovin this is wrong I don’t wanna be right.. one of the best fusions of TX and Asia I’ve ever had.. can’t wait to do it with coconut next time!!!
Marwin Brown
Friday 5th of June 2020
Thanks bro. Though this dish is great without the coconut as you already know, the coconut does add a lil sumtin extra
vince
Sunday 16th of February 2020
Just made this with a smoked brisket. it's so good. going to be making it agin!
Marwin Brown
Monday 17th of February 2020
Nice and thank u! Glad it worked for you. One of my favorite ways to eat fried rice or left over brisket