Black Pepper Beef

This is another of those recipes I used to order out all the time … until I made it at home. And now I never need to order it out again! This Black Pepper Beef doesn’t just rival my local takeout restaurant, it’s better! Not only does it taste incredible, it’s also very simple to make with no specialty ingredients required. It’s ready quickly and it happens to be cheaper than takeout, because I make it using super economical chuck (braising/casserole) steak. This is a lower-cost cut that many of us know as needing to be cooked low and slow – but not in this recipe! A brilliant Chinese cooking technique called “velveting” tenderises the meat before stir-frying. The beef is simply tossed with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and left to sit (refrigerated) for 30 minutes before being rinsed and patted dry with paper towels to remove any excess water. The results are incredibly tender, soft beef with a “velvety” texture, which is then cooked in a super glossy, delicious, peppery sauce.

You can modify the amount of pepper to suit your family’s tastes – it can be as mild or as spicy as you like. I like to go mild for the kids and then adjust my portion with extra freshly cracked black pepper at the end. Served with steamed rice or noodles, this is a fantastic family dinner for any night of the week.

What can I serve with Black Pepper Beef?

This dish pairs perfectly with steamed jasmine rice, fried rice, cauliflower rice or stir-fried noodles. Add some simple steamed greens on the side, such as bok choy, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), broccoli florets or green beans.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Yes, although different cuts will require different velveting (tenderising) times, I have included these instructions in the recipe.

Does velveting beef make it smell different?

Ensure that you use fresh beef and that you keep the beef refrigerated during the velveting process. The smell of the beef will slightly alter, but trust in the process! Once it is rinsed, patted dry and cooked, this smell will dissipate.

How can I make this dish less spicy?

Reduce the amount of black pepper in the sauce. Start with ½ teaspoon for mild spice, 1 teaspoon for medium spice and move up to 1 tablespoon for very hot spice. You can always add more freshly cracked black pepper at the end to adjust the spice level to your liking.

What other vegetables can I add to Black Pepper Beef?

As with any stir-fry, I like to keep it simple to allow the individual ingredients to shine. Capsicum (bell pepper) and onion are a match made in heaven and I highly recommend sticking to these classic flavours, but some other great vegetables to try are: broccoli, snow peas (mangetout), carrots, mushrooms, green beans, baby corn or bok choy.

Hot tips for cooking Black Pepper Beef

Prep first – Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. Stir-frying happens quickly, and you don’t want to overcook anything while you’re chopping or measuring.
Velvet the beef for the full time – Ensure you let the beef sit with the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) for the full 30 minutes to achieve the tender, velvety texture, otherwise it will be tough and chewy.
High heat – Stir-fry over high heat for a quick cook that helps maintain the beef’s tenderness and the vegetables’ crunchiness.
Adjust the spice – Start with less black pepper in the sauce and adjust to taste at the end. It’s easier to add more spice but you can’t really take it away.

Watch how to make Black Pepper Beef

What are some other quick Asian-style beef dishes?

If you enjoyed this quick stir-fry beef, I think you’ll love:

Quick Beef and Broccoli Noodles
Speedy Beef Terikayi
Beef Chow Mein
Caramelised Sticky Beef Noodles
Juicy Thai Beef Lettuce Cups

Black Pepper Beef

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5 from 5 reviews

Tender and juicy Black Pepper Beef in a glossy, delicious sauce, is perfect for a family dinner any night of the week. Serve with rice and steamed greens.

• Total Time: 25 mins plus velveting time
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

BEEF – VELVETING

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) chuck (braising/casserole) steak or oyster blade (flat-iron/butler’s) steak, thinly sliced against the grain (see note 1 for substitutions)
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda – not to be confused with baking powder)

BEEF MARINADE

•  1 tbsp sesame oil
•  1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

STIR-FRY SAUCE

• 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper (see note 2)
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce (you can substitute with the same amount of light soy sauce, but the flavour will be less intense)
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp white sugar

STIR-FRY

• 2 tbsp cooking oil (see note 3)
• 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
• 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 onion, cut into thick wedges
• 4 spring onions (scallions), cut into 2 cm ((¾ inch) batons

TO SERVE

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Extra freshly cracked black pepper (optional)

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Instructions

Beef – velveting

1. Place the beef in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the bicarbonate of soda and use your hands to toss the beef so that it is evenly coated.
2. Set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Rinse the beef well with cold running tap water, then drain in a colander. Remove any excess water by patting the beef dry with paper towels.

Beef marinade 

1. Put the velveted beef and the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Mix well using tongs so that the beef is evenly coated in the marinade.

Stir-fry sauce 

1. Combine the stir-fry sauce ingredients in another bowl.

Stir-fry

1. Heat a large, deep, heavy-based pan over high heat. Once hot, add the oil, then cook the beef in batches for 2–3 minutes until just cooked. Set aside on a plate.
2. To the same pan, add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds before adding the capsicum and onion. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking (I like them with a little bit of crunch).
3. Add the spring onion and the stir-fry sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Return the beef to the pan and stir to coat.
4. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice and extra cracked black pepper, if desired.

Equipment

Chef Knife

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Large Wooden Spoon

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Tongs

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Notes

Note 1 – Rump, porterhouse (New York strip) or sirloin can also be used, but adjust the velveting time to 20 minutes. You can also skip the velveting all together on these cuts, although I recommend it to get truly soft and tender results. Do NOT skip velveting with chuck (braising/casserole) steak or oyster blade (flat-iron/butler’s) steak as these MUST be velveted prior to use, otherwise they will be tough and chewy.

Note 2 – This amount of pepper creates a very spicy, peppery sauce. Reduce the amount of pepper to ½ teaspoon for mild spice or 1 teaspoon for medium spice. Start with less, as it’s easy to add more freshly cracked black pepper at serving time, but you can’t take it out!

Note 3 – My preference is extra-virgin olive oil, but if a neutral flavour is preferred, you can use sunflower, canola (rapeseed) or vegetable oil.

 

Make ahead

Beef – Once you have marinated and velveted your beef, it should be cooked immediately for best results.

Vegetables – Cut and store your vegetables separately, refrigerated, for up to 24 hours, until you’re ready to use them.

Leftovers

This dish is perfect to prep ahead of time, it reheats really well! Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Not suitable to freeze.

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 15 mins plus velveting time
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Beef, Quick and Easy
• Method: Stir-frying
• Cuisine: Asian, Chinese