Black Pepper Beef features thin cuts of beef stir-fried in a rich sauce with onions and bell peppers. It’s the perfect weeknight meal to bring the classic taste of Chinese-American takeout home!
Black Pepper Beef consists of tender slices of marinated beef stir fried in a rich peppery sauce. It’s one of the staples in many Chinese-American takeaway spots, perfect alongside hot steaming fried rice.
Since the main flavor profile of this dish is black pepper, I’d highly recommend you use freshly-ground black pepper for this recipe.
Pre-ground works, no doubt (and it would still be delicious), the only caveat is that after a while of sitting in its pre-ground state, the peppers do begin to dissipate their natural oils and aromatics -which can leave them less flavorful compared to their freshly-ground counterparts.
What is velveting?
A popular technique in this recipe is used by many Chinese chefs, known as “velveting”. The process involves marinating the beef slices in a mixture of wine, cornstarch, and baking soda; which are then briefly fried in hot oil.
In this way, the resulting meat is smooth, silky, and juicy on the inside, ready to be stir-fried (or snacked on). The baking soda further helps in tenderizing the meat as it marinates, which is especially helpful for more tougher cuts of meat, such as flank.
Instructions for Black Pepper Beef
Cut your beef into thin slices against the grain. Marinate this with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, oil, baking soda, and white pepper. Mix gently to coat the beef. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients together until smooth. You may also prepare the bell peppers, onions, garlic, and ginger at this stage.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Briefly fry the marinated beef on all sides until browned all over (you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding). Once seared, set the beef aside.
In the same pan, fry the onions and bell peppers for 2-3 minutes until lightly softened. Add in the garlic and ginger, and continue to stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Pour in the prepared sauce. Let simmer and reduce for about 1 minute until thickened slightly. Add back in the beef and pour in the sesame oil. Stir-fry for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce coats and clings to the beef and vegetables.
Serve warm with rice and veggies. Enjoy!
FAQs
What cuts of beef can I use?
Popular stir-fry meats include either flank or skirt steak. They’re economical, relatively easy to find in most supermarkets, and tasty. For more high-quality meats with more fat content, you could also try rib eye (my personal favorite), sirloin, or NY strip.
How do I store leftovers?
Leftovers can last up for to 4 days stored in an airtight container the refrigerator. To reheat, simply return the Black Pepper Beef to a wok/pan over medium heat, or microwave for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
Can I substitute this with another protein?
For sure, you can definitely substitute the beef with slices of chicken, shrimp, or even firm tofu!
Looking for more tasty takeaway classics? Here’s a couple of our viral recipes:
Black Pepper Beef
Course: MainCuisine: Chinese3-4
servingsBlack Pepper Beef features thin cuts of beef stir-fried in a rich sauce with onions and bell peppers. It’s the perfect weeknight meal to bring the classic taste of Chinese-American takeout home.
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Ingredients
~1 lb beef (flank or ribeye works)
2 tbsp oil, for frying
1 bell pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
- Marinade
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp neutral oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- Black Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup unsalted beef stock
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/4 tsp chicken powder
Directions
- Cut your beef into thin slices against the grain. Marinate this with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, oil, baking soda, and white pepper. Mix gently to coat the beef. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients together until smooth. You may also prepare the bell peppers, onions, garlic, and ginger at this stage.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Briefly fry the marinated beef on all sides until browned all over (you may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding). Once seared, set the beef aside.
- In the same pan, fry the onions and bell peppers for 2-3 minutes until lightly softened. Add in the garlic and ginger, and continue to stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the prepared sauce. Let simmer and reduce for about 1 minute until thickened slightly. Add back in the beef and pour in the sesame oil. Stir-fry for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce coats and clings to the beef and vegetables.
- Serve warm with rice and veggies. Enjoy!
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