Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry

This easy black pepper beef stir fry is incredibly flavourful and easy! Chinese beef in black pepper sauce is a real guilty pleasure and takes less time than to pick up your order from the nearest takeaway shop. 

Beef stir-fried in black pepper sauce is a typical Cantonese cuisine. Beautifully seared slices of beef, sweet spring onions, and crisp capsicums coated in a glaze made of Chinese sauce essential ingredients which are surprisingly rich in umami flavour. This dish has a perfect balance of tastes, textures, and colours that are sharply accented by the complex heat of the crushed peppercorns. 

I have a few tips for the best results:

  1. This stir fry is especially delicious when made from juicy and tender NZ beef. Most takeaway shops use the cheapest cuts of meats. I would recommend skirt steak, which perfectly suits for stir fry and affordable at the same time. Slice the meat against the grain for the most tender meat.
  2. Try a cast-iron pan. Traditionally, stir fry should be cooked on a wok. But the best pan for a high-quality sear is a well-seasoned cast iron pan. Cast iron does its magic! If you don’t believe in magic, I have another explanation. This is called the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction, or browning, is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavour. Searing any type of meat using your cast-iron skillet will allow you to create a flavourful, crispy outer layer while maintaining a juicy centre.
  3. I would recommend using the freshest black peppercorns. Indian shops sell the freshest black pepper.
Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry
Pin
Print

Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry

Recipe by Leno RegushCourse: Main Course, MeatCuisine: Chinese, Asian, CantoneseDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

300

kcal

Beautifully seared slices of beef, sweet spring onions, and crisp capsicums coated in a glaze made of Chinese sauce essential ingredients which are surprisingly rich in umami flavour. This dish has a perfect balance of tastes, textures, and colours that are sharply accented by the complex heat of the crushed peppercorns. 

Ingredients

  • 350 grams beef stir fry (or skirt steak, thinly sliced)

  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced

  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced

  • 2 spring onions, cut into 3 cm chunks

  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil

  • For black pepper sauce:

  • 1-2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • To Serve:

  • 2 cups of steamed long-grain rice or 2 serves of noodles (chow mien or rice noodles)

Directions

  • Put the black peppercorns in a mortar and use a pestle to crack the peppercorns coarsely. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, whisk the oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, and most of the black pepper (saving a little to garnish). Set aside.
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until hot. Add the cooking oil, and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Keep it moving so the garlic doesn’t burn. Using tongs, add the beef in a single layer.
  • Cook the beef one minute then flip over and cook another minute. Add the bell pepper and sliced white part of spring onion. Stir-fry, tossing the contents of the pan periodically to ensure everything cooks evenly. 
  • Add black pepper sauce and sliced green part of spring onions, and toss everything together until the black pepper beef is shiny and evenly coated with sauce. 
  • Serve with rice or noodles. Garnish with the remaining black pepper (to taste). Enjoy!
 

Comments are closed.