Black Pepper Beef
Do you like the sharp, earthy taste of black pepper? If so, this dish is for you! Black Pepper Beef is marinated and then coated in a peppery sauce, which means it’s absolutely delicious! Member’s Mark™ Restaurant Coarse Black Pepper gives this recipe its signature slightly spicy notes – but without any of the dust! Pair Black Pepper Beef with broccoli and rice for a complete meal.
What is Black Pepper Beef?
Black pepper beef is a savory Chinese-style stir-fry dish made with thin slices of beef cooked in a bold, peppery sauce with vegetables—most commonly bell peppers and onions.
Key Characteristics
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Strong black pepper flavor: Freshly cracked black pepper is the star ingredient, giving the dish its warm, slightly spicy bite.
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Tender sliced beef: Usually flank steak, sirloin, or another quick-cooking cut sliced thin against the grain.
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Savory sauce: A glossy sauce typically made from soy sauce, garlic, sometimes oyster sauce, and a bit of sugar or stock.
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Stir-fried quickly: Cooked in a very hot pan or wok so the beef stays tender and the vegetables stay crisp.
What It Tastes Like
Black pepper beef is:
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Savory and umami-rich
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Peppery rather than chili-spicy
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Slightly salty and garlicky
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Often glossy and saucy, perfect over rice.
Where it Comes From
The dish is associated with Chinese Cantonese-style cooking and is very common in Chinese-American restaurants and takeout menus.
Black Pepper Beef
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 1 lb Flank steak
- ¼ tsp Baking soda
- 1 tbsp Low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- ¼ tsp White pepper
- 1 tbsp Corn starch
- ½ tbsp Avocado oil
- 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ White onion sliced
- 1 Red bell pepper sliced
For the Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice cooking wine
- 1 tbsp Low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- ½ tbsp Member's Mark™ Restaurant Coarse Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ cup Chicken or beef stock
- ½ tbsp Corn starch
Instructions
- Slice steak against the grain into 2" pieces about ¼" thick. Place in a bowl and add baking soda, low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, corn starch, and avocado oil. Mix well and marinate for 20 minutes. While the steak is marinating, make the sauce.
- In a small bowl, mix together oyster sauce, rice cooking wine, low sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Member’s Mark™ Coarse Black Pepper, sugar, beef stock, and corn starch. Mix until the sauce is thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Heat 4 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large wok or pan over high heat. Add the beef (in batches if needed) and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove the beef and leave about 2 tbsp of oil in the pan.
- Over medium high heat, add the minced garlic to the pan or wok and saute for 30 seconds. Add the sliced onions and bell pepper; cook for 1-2 minutes over high heat, or until the vegetables are slightly softened but still crisp.
- Add the cooked beef back to the pan. Mix the sauce a final time to pick up any corn starch, then pour the sauce along the edge of the wok or pan.
- Mix and toss the sauce and ingredients for another 1-2 minutes over high heat until the sauce has thickened.