Wild Thing

Thin-sliced sirloin gets a hard sear, then joins long grain and wild rice, corn, stewed tomatoes, and scallions in the same skillet. Everything cooks together in minutes, and you eat straight from the pan if you want.

Slicing the sirloin paper-thin (about ⅛ inch) is what makes this come together so fast. Thin strips brown in seconds over high heat, so the meat stays tender instead of turning chewy.

The stewed tomatoes go in undrained, and that extra liquid brings the whole skillet together into a saucy, cohesive dish rather than a pile of dry ingredients sitting next to each other.

Chef Tips

• Freeze the sirloin for 20 minutes before slicing. Partially frozen meat cuts into thin, even strips much more easily.
• Get the skillet screaming hot before adding the beef. You want a fast sear, not a slow steam.
• Use prepared long grain and wild rice mix to keep the total cook time under 15 minutes.
• Scallions go in with the meat for just a minute so they soften but keep some bite.

Variations

• Swap sirloin for chicken breast strips and adjust browning time to 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add black beans and a pinch of cumin for a heartier Tex-Mex spin.
• Stir in a handful of shredded pepper jack cheese right before serving for a melty, spicy finish.