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My Chinese black pepper steak recipe shows you how to create tender, juicy beef with crisp veggies and a rich, peppery brown sauce. Paired with steamed rice, you will have a colorful and satisfying meal in no time.

Black Pepper Steak (黑椒牛柳)

By Maggie Zhu
4.96 from 23 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
My Chinese black pepper steak recipe shows you how to create tender, juicy beef with crisp veggies and a rich, peppery brown sauce. Paired with steamed rice, you will have a colorful and satisfying meal in no time.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb flank steak

Marinade

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup chicken broth (*Footnote 1)
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt (skip this if you use salted Shaoxing wine)

Stir fry

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 teaspoons ginger , minced
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/2 yellow onion , sliced (*Footnote 2)
  • 2 bell peppers (I used green and red, sliced) (*Footnote 2)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • To cut flank steak, divide the steak lengthwise into two equal pieces along the grain. Then slice each piece against the grain into 1/8” (3-mm) thick pieces. If the flank steak you use is quite thin, you can tilt your knife to a 45 degree angle so the slices are wider.
  • Combine steak, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, baking soda, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Gently mix by hand until the beef is coated with a thin layer of the mixture. Marinate for 15 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
  • Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12” skillet (or a wok) over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add the steak. Immediately spread the beef into a single layer using a pair of tongs or chopsticks. Sear without moving until the bottom is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the beef and cook until just cooked through, another minute or so. Turn to the lowest heat and transfer the beef to a plate, set aside.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil into the same skillet and reduce to medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic. Give it a quick stir until fragrant. Add the onion and peppers. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
  • Stir the sauce mixture until the cornstarch is dissolved completely, and pour it into the skillet. Stir with a spatula immediately and cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, a few seconds. Add back the cooked beef. Quickly stir a few times to coat everything with the sauce. Turn off heat and immediately transfer everything to a big plate. Serve hot as a main dish.

Notes

  1. I used chicken stock because it’s something I always have in my pantry. Feel free to use beef stock for a beefier flavor.
  2. I like to slice the onion and pepper into similar pieces as the steak. Instead of slicing them into long, thin slices, I like to slice on the bias into shorter pieces. Check the pictures in my blog post above to see how I cut the vegetables.
  3. For a gluten free dish: use tamari instead of soy sauce and use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 371kcal, Carbohydrates: 14.8g, Protein: 37.4g, Fat: 17.7g, Saturated Fat: 5.6g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 1039mg, Potassium: 616mg, Fiber: 1.3g, Sugar: 7.4g, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 3mg