Easy black pepper beef recipe for Chinese “takeout” at home

Tangy and spicy black pepper beef is a mainstay in Chinese buffets. When you’re craving that flavor at home, this is the recipe you need. Add in some white rice and you have a simple, quick, and straightforward meal the whole family will love.

Black pepper beef recipe: What to expect

• Taste: The combination of black pepper, soy sauce, garlic, rice wine, and oyster sauce produces a flavor that’s sweet, salty, and earthy at the same time. The marinade and sauce are not overwhelming, though, so your steak and veggies still shine through.
• Texture: You’re in control of the texture. You’ll pan-fry the veggies and steak separately, so you can decide if you want, say, crunchy veggies and tender steak. I like the steak tender, which means it’s barely cooked. But then I prefer the veggies to be more done than the usual “crisp-tender.” Just know that frying the steak longer means a tougher result, while frying the veggies longer makes them softer.
• Foolproof factor: This recipe is straightforward. The first time through, you could possibly mistime the frying of your steak and vegetables. That won’t be the end of the world, though, unless you completely obliterate both ingredients. In that case, you’d end up with tough, charred steak and squishy vegetables. Avoid that by testing along the way. The steak, if sliced into strips, will cook completely in a few minutes. The veggies will take 5 to 12 minutes, depending on how done you like them.  
• Timing: You’ll spend about 20 minutes prepping this recipe, or 25 if you’re having a conversation at the same time. Remember to start early though, as the meat should be marinated for at least 1 hour.   

Black pepper beef ingredients and how to use them

If you cook Chinese at home occasionally, you should have all the ingredients on hand, except the steak and veggies. If you don’t, scroll down for a list of other Asian-inspired recipes that use rice wine and oyster sauce.

Here’s what you need to make Chinese black pepper beef:

• Flank steak: To serve two people, you’ll need ½ lb of flank steak, sliced thinly against the grain.
• Veggies: This dish is traditional made with broccoli. But since my husband hates broccoli, I make it with green beans. One cup of washed and trimmed veggies works perfectly.
• Soy sauce: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, split between the marinade and the black pepper sauce.  
• Rice wine: There’s 1 tablespoon of rice wine in the marinade and another tablespoon in the black pepper sauce.
• Sesame oil: You will use 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, split evenly between the marinade and sauce.  
• Oyster sauce: The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. You could alternatively use fish sauce if that’s what you have.
• Fresh garlic: Peel and mince two cloves of fresh garlic to add to the steak marinade.
• Sugar: 1 tablespoon of white sugar gives the black pepper sauce some sweetness.
• Ground black pepper: Use freshly ground pepper whenever possible. You’ll need 1 teaspoon or more to taste.
• Vegetable oil: You’ll use 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the pan to fry the steak and vegetables. If you don’t have vegetable oil, peanut oil or canola oil will work.

Equipment needed for black pepper beef  

You don’t need a wok to make this recipe. You can do it in a large and deep skillet or even a big pot. You’ll also need a resealable bag for marinating, a bowl for mixing the sauce ingredients, and a sharp knife for slicing the steak.

More healthy stir-fries   

This recipe is a nice combo of lean protein and nutrient-rich veggies. For more dinners like that, try:

• Chicken broccoli stir fry. Quick, full of flavor, and loaded with fresh ingredients.
• Pork and pepper stir fry. Full flavor on a budget can be yours with this simple pork and pepper stir fry.
• Szechuan shrimp. Easy, spicy stir-fry made with shrimp, garlic, and ginger that’s ready in minutes and full of flavor.

Read next: How to stir-fry: Ingredients and recipes for fast, fresh, healthy meals

Side dishes for black pepper beef

White rice is an easy side dish for black pepper beef. If you want to go big, try I enjoy this dish with fried rice and homemade egg rolls.

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