Black Pepper Beef
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
With stir-fried strips of tender steak and crisp fresh veggies coated in an incredibly delicious sauce, this restaurant-style Chinese Black Pepper Beef is bursting with flavor! It’s the perfect quick and easy 30-minute meal to curb your craving for take-out!
What Is Black Pepper Beef?
Also called pepper steak, this classic Chinese dish is stir-fried beef, onions, and bell peppers tossed together with a yummy sauce composed of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and lots of black pepper. The recipe comes together in just a matter of minutes and is super easy to make.
So if you’re looking for a fast and flavorful dinner, look no further! Just like my Chinese Szechuan Chicken, this black pepper beef recipe is just as good as your local take-out joint! I’m not kidding. Some of the best recipes are actually the easiest to prepare. And the more you make authentic Asian dishes the more you learn. Before you know it you’re a pro!
The recipe does call for a few ingredients that you’ll probably need to pick up at an Asian market or order online. Yet, I’ve also included ways to substitute those ingredients if needed. However, if you take a look at some of my other Chinese recipes like my Beef Chow Fun and Moo Goo Gai Pan, you’ll find that they call for a lot of the same ingredients. This means that nothing you buy will go to waste! There are plenty of take-out worthy dishes that you can make at home.
Why You’ll Love This Black Pepper Beef
- Easy Recipe! This tasty black pepper steak is a cinch to make in just a few easy steps! It requires no special cooking skills or fancy equipment. In fact, you don’t even need a wok.
- Authentic Flavor! With just a few fairly easy to find traditional ingredients, this recipe shows you how easy it is and the secret to making dishes as good as your local Chinese restaurant.
- Quick Weeknight Meal! On busy nights when you don’t have much time to cook, you can whip this black pepper beef stir fry together with a side of steamed rice in just about 30 minutes.
- Beef – I like to use flank steak for this recipe and find that it comes out the most tender. But you can also use sirloin, skirt steak, or hanger steak if you like.
- Baking Soda – Added to the marinade to work as a meat tenderizer.
- Soy Sauce (Low Sodium) – I always use low-sodium soy sauce to control the amount of added salt. However, regular soy sauce will work just as well.
- White Pepper – Commonly used in Asian dishes it adds a lovely bit of subtle spice.
- Cornstarch – Gives the beef a nice finish and protects the meat from the high heat.
- Oyster Sauce – Yes, there is oyster in the sauce! So be sure to omit this ingredient if you have any shellfish allergies. You can use dark soy sauce in its place.
- Sichuan Peppercorns – A type of peppercorn used in Chinese cuisine that makes your mouth tingle just a bit and enhances taste. If needed you can use a mixture of freshly ground black pepper and cumin seeds as a substitute.
- Black Pepper – The star ingredient of the dish! Use freshly ground black pepper for the best results.
- Shaoxing Wine – A type of Chinese rice wine that can be found in any Asian grocery. It’s very similar in taste to dry sherry, which can be used as a substitution.
- Soy Sauce (Low Sodium) – Regular soy sauce will also work. However, using a low-sodium variety will help you control the saltiness.
- Dark Soy Sauce – Found in Asian grocery stores, it’s thicker and sweeter than regular soy sauce. If you can’t find any just use regular soy sauce and add a pinch of sugar.
- Sugar – A bit of simple sugar helps to balance out all the salty and spicy layers of flavors.
- Cornstarch – Used to thicken the sauce. You can also use arrowroot flour if you prefer.
- Vegetable Oil – Used for stir-frying. Peanut oil is another option.
- Garlic – Always use fresh minced garlic cloves. Store-bought garlic in a jar can have an odd taste due to preservatives.
- Onion – Brown or yellow onions are the best options for stir-fried dishes.
- Red Bell Pepper – I used red bell pepper, but you can use any kind of bell pepper you have on hand.
This easy stir fry recipe only has a few steps but they go super fast! So you need to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you begin cooking.
To begin, you need to start by marinating the beef to give it some flavor and tenderize it a bit. To do this, mix all the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl along with the strips of flank steak. Then put it in the fridge and allow the beef to marinate for 20 minutes.
The black pepper sauce is the star of the dish! It’s super easy to make, but I suggest using a whisk to make sure everything is fully combined. Just mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and then set it aside for a later step.
Now, let’s get the dish going! Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Then add half of the beef strips and stir fry it for about 2 to 3 minutes until it’s golden brown. Then transfer the cooked meat to a plate and stir fry the other half of the steak. You must do this step in 2 batches so that you don’t crowd the wok and the beef has room to evenly cook. Then once the beef is cooked, drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the wok.
After the beef has been removed from the wok, add the minced garlic and cook it for just 30 seconds over medium-high heat. Just long enough for it to become aromatic. Then add the onion and red bell pepper to the wok and cook for just one more minute.
To complete the recipe, put the stir-fried steak back into the wok along with the black pepper sauce. Then toss everything together until it’s fully incorporated and coated. Now, drizzle the meat with a bit more sesame oil and then serve the black pepper beef immediately over some hot steamed rice.
How Do You Cut A Flank Steak For Pepper Steak?
Anytime you are cutting flank steak into strips you always want to cut it against the grain. What this means is that you need to slice the meat parallel to the muscle fibers so that you’re cutting through them. This makes the meat more tender and easier to chew.
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Black Pepper?
Aside from being a delicious spice, black pepper is actually a pretty powerful antioxidant that is known as the “king of spices” in ancient Ayurvedic medicine. It’s said to have anti-inflammatory properties as well as promote better digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Expert Tips
- No wok needed. A wok is not required to make this dish. You can use a large nonstick skillet with a surface big enough to stir fry all the ingredients properly and achieve the same results.
- Use the baking soda. This magic marinade ingredient makes the beef nice and tender. So do not leave it out! And give the beef the full 20 minutes to marinate.
- Any protein can be used. Pork, chicken, shrimp, and tofu can be used in addition to or in place of the beef.
Storage
Black pepper beef leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container. To reheat, just cover it with a bit of plastic wrap and then put it in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or heat it on your stovetop. However, if frozen, you need to let it first thaw out overnight in the fridge prior to reheating.
Other Delicious Asian Dishes To Try
- Korean Beef Bulgogi
- Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Crispy Sticky Beef
- Asian Steak Bites
- Beef Lo Mein
- Beijing Beef
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Black Pepper Beef
Video
Ingredients
Beef Marinade
- 1½ pounds flank steak (cut into thin strips)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercon (ground)
- 2 teaspoons black pepper (coarsely ground)
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Stir Fry
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 medium onions (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 large red bell pepper (cut into 1 inch pieces)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Add all the beef marinade ingredients to a bowl, mix well and cover with plastic wrap. Transfer to the fridge and let marinade for 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients together, set aside.
- Add the vegetable oil to a wok or large skillet and heat over high heat. Add half the beef to the wok and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove the beef to a plate and repeat with remaining beef. Drain the oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok.
- Over medium-high heat, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the onion and peppers to the wok and cook for a minute.
- Add the beef back to the wok and the prepared black pepper sauce. Toss until well combined. Drizzle some extra sesame oil over the beef and stir.
- Serve immediately over rice.
Notes
- No wok needed. A wok is not required to make this dish. You can use a large nonstick skillet with a surface big enough to stir fry all the ingredients properly and achieve the same results.
- Use the baking soda. This magic marinade ingredient makes the beef nice and tender. So do not leave it out! And give the beef the full 20 minutes to marinate.
- Any protein can be used. Pork, chicken, shrimp, and tofu can be used in addition to or in place of the beef.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
