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Stir-Fried Black Pepper Beef

Stir-Fried Black Pepper Beef

By Courtney HillOctober 17, 2023

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    20 minutes

This stir-fry is an homage to pepper steak, the Chinese-American takeout staple. A combination of powerhouse ingredients like savory-sweet oyster sauce, spicy black peppercorns and umami-rich soy sauce yields a punchy yet well-rounded dish. Though beef is typical, thinly sliced chicken thighs also work. For maximum heat, use the full 2 tablespoons peppercorns and crush them fresh. A mortar and pestle are best, but if you don’t have one, you also can crush them under a heavy skillet, rocking the pan back and forth over the peppercorns so they crack rather than scatter. Cooking the crushed peppercorns for a couple minutes with the onion and bell pepper blooms their fragrance and flavors.

Ingredients
  • 3

    tablespoons neutral oil, divided

  • 1

    medium red OR yellow onion, halved and sliced ½ inch thick

  • 1

    medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch strips OR 3 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal

  • 1½ to 2

    tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely cracked (see headnote)

  • 1

    pound flank steak, cut with the grain into 2- to 3-inch pieces, then thinly sliced against the grain OR 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thin strips

  • 2

    tablespoons oyster sauce

  • 2

    tablespoons soy sauce

Step 1

In a 12-inch skillet over high, heat 2 tablespoons oil until barely smoking. Add the onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add the peppercorns and cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant and the onion begins to brown at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Step 2

In the same skillet over high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add the beef in an even layer and cook, without stirring, until well browned on the bottom and the pieces release easily from the skillet, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vegetable-peppercorn mixture. Add the oyster and soy sauces; cook, stirring, until the beef is tender and the sauce clings to the meat, 1½ to 3 minutes.

Step 3

Optional garnish: Chopped cilantro OR lime wedges OR a combination