Black Pepper Beef (黑椒牛柳)

Hei Jiao Niu Liu (黑椒牛柳), or Black Pepper Beef, is a fast, easy stir-fry made with beef, onions, and peppers seasoned with oyster sauce and loads of black pepper. My take on this Chinese classic features big juicy chunks of steak, which gives the dish more substance and a bold, beefy taste.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Put the black peppercorns in a mortar and use a pestle to crack the peppercorns coarsely. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, put the peppercorns in a freezer bag, and use a rolling pin to crush them.

Step 2

In a bowl, whisk the oyster sauce, Shaoxing, soy sauce, sesame oil, and most of the black pepper (saving a little to garnish). Add the potato starch and mix that in until there are no lumps left. Stir the beef in, to coat evenly and let it marinate while you prepare the vegetables.

Step 3

Once all the prep is done, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the vegetable oil, and then use tongs to add the beef in a single layer. Try to leave as much of the marinade in the bowl as possible.

Step 4

Fry the beef on one side until golden brown, and then flip each piece and fry the second side until browned.

Step 5

Dump the onions, bell pepper, and garlic into the pan and turn the heat to high. Stir-fry, tossing the contents of the pan periodically to ensure everything cooks evenly.

Step 6

When the onions become translucent, add the remaining marinade and toss everything together until the black pepper beef is shiny and evenly coated with sauce.

Step 7

Serve with rice and garnish with the remaining black pepper (to taste).