Black Pepper Beef with Crisp Bell Peppers and Peppery Stir-Fry Sauce
By Mason Brooks
For a quick family dinner, serve this Black Pepper Beef hot with rice and vegetables. Thin slices of marinated beef are stir-fried with crisp bell pepper and onion, then coated in a dark, peppery sauce finished with toasted sesame oil.
The beef is marinated with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, neutral oil, baking soda, and freshly ground black pepper before it reaches the pan. Beef stock, soy sauces, oyster sauce, sugar, more black pepper, cornstarch, and chicken powder make the sauce. Large-cut onion and bell pepper stay present beside the beef, while garlic and ginger bring sharp, fragrant depth.
Have the sauce mixed and vegetables chopped before heating the wok or pan, since the cooking moves quickly once the beef is browned. The sauce is ready when it has reduced slightly and clings to the beef and vegetables after the final stir-fry. Overcrowding the pan is the usual trouble spot; fry the beef in batches if needed so it browns rather than steams.
Bring it straight to the table with fresh or fried rice, plus stir-fried or steamed vegetables for a fuller meal. The article notes that leftovers keep for up to four days in an airtight container, and the dish can be warmed on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Why you'll love this recipe
- It suits a busy family dinner because the beef, peppers, and onion cook quickly in one wok or large pan after the brief marinade.
- Freshly ground black pepper gives pepper fans a sharper aroma and a more pronounced flavor than pre-ground pepper provides in the finished sauce.
- Rice makes this a practical table meal because the extra dark sauce can be spooned over fresh or fried rice alongside vegetables.
- Picky eaters can start with the familiar beef and rice, while the bell pepper and onion remain in large, easy-to-see pieces.
- Leftovers stay useful for several meals because the recipe specifically notes they keep up to four days in an airtight refrigerator container.
- The sauce can be doubled for households that like extra gravy, giving rice or noodles more of the peppery stir-fry sauce.
Ingredients
- •1 lb beef (approximately; sirloin or ribeye)
- •2 tbsp oil (for frying)
- •1 bell pepper (cut into chunks)
- •0.5 onion (cut into chunks)
- •4 cloves garlic (minced)
- •1.5 tsp ginger (minced)
- •1 tsp sesame oil
- •1 tbsp soy sauce (for marinade)
- •1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for marinade)
- •1 tbsp cornstarch (for marinade)
- •1 tbsp neutral oil (for marinade)
- •0.5 tsp baking soda
- •0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper (for marinade)
- •0.5 cup unsalted beef stock
- •1 tbsp soy sauce (for black pepper sauce)
- •1 tbsp oyster sauce
- •1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for black pepper sauce)
- •2 tsp sugar
- •2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (for black pepper sauce)
- •2 tsp cornstarch (for black pepper sauce)
- •1 tsp dark soy sauce
- •0.25 tsp chicken powder
Instructions
- 1
Cut the beef into thin slices against the grain.
- 2
Marinate the beef with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, neutral oil, baking soda, and freshly ground black pepper.
- 3
Mix gently to coat the beef.
- 4
Let the beef marinate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- 5
Combine all black pepper sauce ingredients until smooth.
- 6
Prepare the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger.
- 7
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat.
- 8
Briefly fry the marinated beef until browned on all sides, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.
- 9
Set the seared beef aside.
- 10
In the same pan, fry the onion and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until lightly softened.
- 11
Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- 12
Pour in the prepared sauce and simmer for about 1 minute until slightly thickened.
- 13
Add the beef back to the pan and pour in the sesame oil.
- 14
Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce coats and clings to the beef and vegetables.
- 15
Serve warm with rice and vegetables.
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