Black Pepper Beef

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.

Recipe by Marc Matsumoto on September 27, 2020

Prep time: PT7M

Cook time: PT7M

Total time: PT14M

Rating

4.53 stars (40 reviews)

Keywords

easy, quick, stir-fry

Ingredients

6 grams whole black peppercorns ((2 teaspoons))
350 grams beef tenderloin ((or other steak cut, cut into 3/4-inch cubes))
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon potato starch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
140 grams onion ((~1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch squares))
100 grams bell pepper ((1/2 red, 1/2 green))
12 grams garlic ((~2 large cloves, chopped))

Cuisine

Best
Chinese

Steps

Put the 6 grams whole 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.
In a bowl, whisk the 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and most of the black pepper (saving a little to garnish). Add the 1 teaspoon potato starch and mix that in until there are no lumps left. Stir the 350 grams beef tenderloin in to coat evenly, and let it marinate while you prepare the vegetables.
Once all the prep is done, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the 1 tablespoon 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.
Fry the beef on one side until golden brown, and then flip each piece and fry the second side until browned.
Dump the 140 grams onion, 100 grams bell pepper, and 12 grams garlic into the pan and turn the heat to high. Stir-fry, tossing the contents of the pan periodically to ensure everything cooks evenly.
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.
Serve with rice and garnish with the remaining black pepper (to taste).

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 428 kcal
Carbohydrates: 11 g
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 32 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Cholesterol: 82 mg
Sodium: 502 mg
Sugar: 3 g

Reviews

John on 2025-09-27 (5 stars):
10/10 because I was able to jump to the recipe without getting swarmed by ads like an Amsterdam brothel on euro night. Recipe was fantastic. 10/10
Diana on 2025-09-23 (5 stars):
Delicious. One of our favorites.
K Stroup on 2025-08-14 (5 stars):
OMG! This is about the tastiest thing I've ever eaten! The beef is just melting in my mouth, and the peppers and onions have that cooked-but-tender texture and they're exploding with juices! The sauce is delicious and so simple and easy. WOW! Going in the rotation for sure.🤩
Mie on 2025-04-03 (5 stars):
Our favorite recipe! It is much better than the black pepper beef served in fancy restaurants. Simple, clean without being greasy. It has been our go to recipe since we discovered it. Thank you Marc!
Kathy Stroup on 2024-08-28 (5 stars):
So delicious and easy! That Megachef oyster sauce is truly magical. Thanks for turning me on to it!😁
Ren on 2023-12-09 (5 stars):
Delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Clara on 2022-11-15 (5 stars):
Fantastic recipe. Made this for dinner tonight, and was surprised by how much this tasted like something that came from a restaurant. It comes together fast...like really fast. Next time I will be better prepared for how quickly everything cooks once you add it to the pan! I really enjoy the crunch the veggies add, and combined with the softness of some rice, it really hit all of the right textures for me. Can't wait to make again!