Ah, Sizzling Chinese Pepper Steak with Onions—a classic stir-fry: tender beef, crisp-tender onions, and bell peppers coated in a savory-sweet sauce with a little kick of black pepper. 🍛🔥 Here’s a straightforward recipe you can make at home.
Sizzling Chinese Pepper Steak with Onions
Ingredients (serves 3–4)
For the Beef:
- 1 lb (450 g) flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp rice wine or dry sherry (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
For the Stir-Fry:
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1–2 bell peppers (red, green, or yellow), sliced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 2–3 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Sauce:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup beef or chicken broth
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water (slurry)
Instructions
1. Marinate the Beef
- In a bowl, combine beef slices with soy sauce, cornstarch, rice wine, and sesame oil.
- Let it sit 15–20 minutes while prepping vegetables.
2. Prepare the Stir-Fry
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering.
- Stir-fry beef in batches for 2–3 minutes until browned but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Add a little more oil if needed. Stir-fry onions and bell peppers 2–3 minutes until slightly crisp-tender.
- Add garlic and black pepper; stir-fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Combine & Sauce
- Return beef to the pan.
- Mix sauce ingredients (except cornstarch slurry) and pour over the stir-fry.
- Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until sauce is heated through.
- Add cornstarch slurry, stir until sauce thickens and coats beef and vegetables.
4. Serve
- Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles.
- Optional: garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds.
Tips for Success
- Slice beef thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- High heat and quick stir-fry maintain the crispness of vegetables.
- Adjust black pepper for more or less “sizzle.”
- For extra authenticity, serve on a hot sizzling plate if you have one for restaurant-style presentation.
If you want, I can give a “restaurant-style sizzling pepper steak” hack that makes the beef extra tender and the sauce glossy, almost like it comes straight from a Chinese takeout restaurant.
Do you want me to do that?
