Description
Pepper steak from China brings sizzling flavors straight to your dinner table with tender beef strips dancing through a perfectly balanced sauce. Juicy meat mingles with crisp bell peppers, creating a quick weeknight meal that delivers restaurant-quality taste without complicated cooking techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound flank steak
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 4 ounces mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger
Cooking Liquid and Seasonings:
- ½ cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Thickeners and Spices:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Serving Accompaniments:
- 1 serving cooked white rice
- 1 serving chopped green onions
- 1 serving sesame seeds
Instructions
- Freeze your flank steak for 30 minutes to make slicing easier. Cut the meat into thin ⅛-inch strips against the grain.
- Create a marinade by mixing 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Coat your steak pieces thoroughly in the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavor and tenderness.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl: ½ cup beef broth, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Slice your bell pepper and onion into thin strips. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and 1 inch of fresh ginger.
- Heat a large wok or skillet to high temperature (425°F). Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan.
- Cook your marinated steak in a single layer for 2-3 minutes, ensuring each piece browns nicely. Remove and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the hot wok. Stir-fry bell peppers and onions for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Toss in minced garlic and ginger. Cook for an additional minute until aromatic.
- Return steak to the wok with the vegetables. Pour sauce over everything and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Serve your pepper steak immediately over steamed white rice.
- Sprinkle chopped green onions and sesame seeds on top for extra flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Freezing the steak slightly before slicing helps achieve those perfectly thin, even cuts that are key to tender pepper steak.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and use cornstarch as a thickener instead of flour-based options.
- Selecting a high-quality flank steak with minimal fat marbling ensures the most tender and flavorful results when stir-frying.
- Avoid overcrowding the wok when cooking the steak, which can cause steaming instead of the desired crisp, caramelized exterior.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Stir-Fried
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 238 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg