Black Pepper Beef

Alex suggested that I try to make Chinese Black Pepper beef.  I looked for a recipe, and we had it for dinner!

Ingredients:

Main Dish:

• 675 g (~ 1.5 lbw) thin steak - sliced thinly, (I use the thinly slice sirloin from Costco)
• 3 tsp ground black pepper (I used 2 tsps when sharing with Grammy)
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tablespoons corn oil
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 large Vidalia onion - peeled and chopped into thick slices (or 3 smaller onions) 
• 1 green bell pepper - deseeded and sliced
• 1 red bell pepper - deseeded and sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper - deseeded and sliced
• 2 cups mushrooms, slice (optional)

Sauce:

• 3 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch (use 4 if adding in the mushrooms)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce (use 4 if adding in the mushrooms)
  
• 3 to 4 tablespoons oyster Sauce (use 4 if adding in the mushrooms)
• 1.5 to 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine - (or replace with dry sherry) (use 2 if adding in the mushrooms)
• 180 - 240 ml (3/4 to 1 cup) beef stock (use 240 ml if adding in the mushrooms)
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic - peeled and minced (use 4 if adding in the mushrooms)
• optional - broth at bottom of canned black beans for darker colored dish
   
  

 

Instructions:

1. Toss the steak slices with 1.5 tsps of the black pepper and the 1/2 tsp of salt.
2. Heat 4.5 tablespoons of the corn oil and the 1.5 tsps of sesame oil in a large frying pan over a high heat until hot, then add the steak. (I cooked 1/2 at a time into skillets)
3. Fry the steak for 2-3 minutes, moving it around the pan so it doesn't stick together, until browned.
4. Spoon out the steak into a bowl, leaving any oil behind in the wok. Turn down the heat to medium.
   
   
5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of corn oil to the pan(s). Add in the sliced onions and sliced peppers (and mushrooms if using).
6. Stir fry the vegetables for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
7. While the vegetables are cooking, take a small bowl and add the 3 tablespoons of cornflour, 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1.5 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, 180ml (3/4 cup) beef stock and the remaining 1.5 tsps of black pepper. Stir together the sauce ingredients to combine, then put to one side.
8. After the veggies soften, add in the 3 minced cloves of garlic and the 1.5 tsp of minced ginger to the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
   
9. Add in the sauce to the pan(s) and stir together. Let the food come to a gentle simmer. If it looks too thick you can add in a splash of water.
10. Add the steak back to the pan(s) and stir through to coat in the sauce. Cook for a further 2 minutes to heat the steak back through.
11. Serve the black pepper beef over boiled rice, or as just with the optional mushrooms for a lower carb version.

 

Carole's Notes:

We all liked this! Alex says it is like Chinese fajitas!

The recipe is lightly adapted https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/black-pepper-beef/