Take-out pepper beef is delicious but expensive. The good news is that there is a solution: making pepper beef at home that tastes better than restaurant quality, is healthier for you, and requires minimal effort. This pepper beef recipe is what you need to satisfy your craving without compromising on flavor or nutrition.
All about Pepper Beef
Pepper beef is a popular Chinese dish that combines the savory flavors of soy sauce and black pepper with tender, juicy beef. The result is a flavorful dish that can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a larger meal.
It’s made with thin sliced beef steak, such as flank or sirloin, marinated in garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and fresh-ground black pepper before being cooked to perfection in a wok or skillet. The resulting beef is succulent and packed full of umami flavor. It is spicy but well balanced.
Pepper beef can be served over steamed rice for a simple dinner solution or paired with stir-fried veggies for a complete meal. With a few ingredients and minimal preparation time, pepper beef is a crowd-pleasing dish that will have everyone at the table asking for seconds.
Pepper beef can be a healthy option if you pay attention to the ingredients used and prepare it in a healthy way. Lean cuts of beef are lower in fat and calories and should be chosen over fattier cuts when preparing pepper beef. Using low-sodium soy sauce and fresh peppers will also help keep the sodium content in check. Pepper beef can provide ample amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for overall health.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Pepper Beef
For the pepper beef:
- Beef brisket steak
- Red bell pepper
- Green bell pepper
- Spring onion
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger
- Salt
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh-cracked black pepper
- Neutral-tasting oil
For the sauce:
- Oyster sauce
- Chinese rice wine
- Soy sauce
- Cornstarch
- Water
For the garnish:
- Finely chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
How to Make Pepper Beef
- Cut the steaks into thin slices. Set aside.
- Cut the bell peppers and the onion into thin slices. Set aside.
- Use a fine grater to mince the ginger and garlic cloves.
- Crack the pepper or use a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Add the beef, salt, minced ginger, and garlic to a bowl and mix well.
- Heat the oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, saute the spiced beef for a couple of minutes until it starts to brown. Do not fully cook. Remove from the pan.
- Add the onion and bell pepper slices to the pan and stir fry over medium-low heat.
- While the veggies are cooking, prep the sauce. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Chinese rice wine to a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
- Add the beef back to the pan and add the sauce. Mix well.
- Mix the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch has dissolved well. Incorporate the cornstarch mixture into the beef and sauce.
- Cook for a couple more minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve over white rice and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Tips and Variations for Pepper Beef
Pepper beef is a versatile dish that can be adapted to suit different dietary preferences and taste preferences. And here are several tips that can help ensure the best results:
- Ask your butcher to cut the steaks into thin slices for you to save time.
- For a vegan or vegetarian variation, substitute a plant-based protein, such as tofu, tempeh, or even mushrooms, for the traditional beef in the recipe.
- Try different types of peppers, such as poblano peppers or jalapeno peppers, to vary the flavor profile.
- To kick up the heat and spice level, add chopped chilies or chili flakes.
- Add additional vegetables, such as celery, mushrooms, and carrots, to round out the dish and make it an even more nutritious meal option.
Pepper Beef FAQs
What if I don’t have a fine grater for the garlic and ginger?
If you don’t have a fine grater, you can use a zester for the garlic and ginger or a garlic press for the garlic. If you don’t have those, you can cut them into tiny pieces with a knife. If all else fails, you can buy pre-minced garlic and ginger in jars at your local grocery store.
What are examples of neutral-tasting oils?
Examples of neutral-tasting oils include grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil. These cooking oils have milder flavors than olive or coconut oils.
How do I store leftover pepper beef?
Store leftover pepper beef in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Other Beef Recipes
Bottom Line
Pepper beef is a delicious and nutritious dish that is much cheaper than take-out. This pepper beef recipe is fast and easy to make, and there are many variations you can use to customize the dish for your own unique flavor palette. Serve pepper beef over rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Pepper Beef
Better than take-out pepper beef, delicious, healthy, and so easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef brisket steak
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 spring onion
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil (grapeseed, sunflower.)
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/3 cup Chinese rice wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish:
- Finely chopped green onion
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cut the steaks in thin slices, you can also ask your butcher to prep the meat like this to save some time. Set aside.
- Cut the bell peppers and the onion into thin slices. Set aside.
- Finely mince the ginger and garlic cloves, for this you can use a fine grater.
- Crack the pepper or use a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- In a bowl add the beef, salt, minced ginger, and garlic and mix well.
- Add the oil to a pan and heat it. Once hot, add the spiced beef and sautee for a couple of minutes until it starts to brown. Do not fully cook. Remove from the pan.
- Add the onion and bell peppers to the pan and stir over medium-low heat.
- While the veggies are cooking prep the sauce: To a bowl add the oyster
sauce, the soy sauce, and the Chinese rice wine, and mix well. Set
aside. - In the pan, add back the beef, and add the sauce. Mix well.
- Mix the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch has dissolved well. Incorporate that into the pan.
- Cook for a couple more minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve over white rice, with some green onion and sesame seeds for garnish.
Notes
This pepper beef can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week. It is spicy but well-balanced.
Leave a Reply