Ingredients
For the Beef & Marinade
- 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
For the Black Pepper Sauce
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
For the Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water
First, Prep the Beef and Sauce
In a medium bowl, combine the sliced flank steak with the soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Add the cornstarch and mix until the beef is evenly coated, then stir in the teaspoon of oil. This velveting technique helps keep the beef tender. Set it aside.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together all the black pepper sauce ingredients, from the beef broth to the black pepper. Set this aside as well.
Next, Stir-fry the Vegetables
Heat one tablespoon of neutral oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until it just starts to smoke.
Add the sliced onion and red bell pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they are crisp-tender and have a slight char. Add the minced garlic and shallot and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove the vegetables from the wok and set them aside.
Finally, Cook the Beef and Finish
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot wok. Carefully place the marinated beef in the wok in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Let the beef sear for ~90 seconds without moving it to get a good brown crust.
Flip the beef and cook for another minute. Add the cooked vegetables back to the wok.
Pour in the prepared black pepper sauce and bring it to a vigorous simmer. Give your cornstarch slurry a quick stir and drizzle it in while stirring. The sauce will thicken almost immediately to a glossy consistency that coats the beef and vegetables.
Serve immediately over hot rice.
Cantonese Black Pepper Beef
Ingredients
For the Beef & Marinade
- 1 lb flank steak thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
For the Black Pepper Sauce
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
For the Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil divided
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water
Instructions
- Combine sliced flank steak with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and oil. Set aside to marinate.
- Whisk together beef broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, and coarse black pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok over high heat until smoking.
- Stir-fry onion and bell pepper 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Add garlic and shallot, cook 30 seconds. Remove vegetables.
- Heat remaining oil, sear marinated beef in single layer 90 seconds.
- Flip beef, cook 1 minute more.
- Return vegetables to wok.
- Add sauce, bring to simmer.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry until sauce thickens.
- Serve over rice.
