Tender strips of beef stir fried with a lip smacking black pepper and honey sauce. This Chinese Beef with Honey Black Pepper Sauce is one of my favorite dishes at Chinese restaurants is so easy to make at home. 15 minutes, start to finish, zero stress, normal ingredients.
Chinese Beef with Honey Black Pepper Sauce is one of my favourite dishes that I order at Chinese restaurants. Never take out. It has to be at a restaurant because I love the theatrics of how it’s served, sizzling in a cast iron dish. And it’s one of those dishes that really does benefit from being served straight away.
I don’t recreate the sizzle at home – I wish I could! If you have a cast iron dish or a small skillet so you can take it straight from the stove to the table, then you’ll get the sizzle. And I’m jealous.
But I have managed to recreate the glorious sauce for this stir fry! Sweet, salty and with a subtle peppery heat, this really does taste like what you get at restaurants. Look at it! Who could resist that??
Several years ago when I went through my take out copy-cat phase, I remember searching for a restaurant recipe for this Chinese Beef with Honey Black Pepper Sauce. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find any at all. Well, at least, any credible looking ones. I know this sounds snobby, but I can usually tell just by reading a recipe whether it is what I am after or not and none of them were right.
A honey based Asian sauce has more in it than just honey and soy sauce. If you just use those two ingredients, the flavour is quite flat. As soon as you taste it, you know something is missing. (Even if you add garlic and/or ginger).
What it needs is another layer of complexity, whether it be a splash of Chinese cooking wine, hoisin sauce or oyster sauce. Add one of these and you’ll transform a sauce from one dimensional to restaurant standard! It’s a neat trick to have up your sleeve for those fridge clean out days when you’re improvising a stir fry. 🙂
It didn’t take much experimenting to figure out a sauce for this stir fry that I think is pretty close to what you get at restaurants. And it’s easy! So easy, with a short ingredient list. This is one of those stir fries you can get on the table in 15 minutes without any stress.
So….what’s your favourite at Chinese restaurants?? – Nagi
PS The photo below is a complete fabrication. I would never help myself to such a tiny serving of Chinese Beef with Honey Black Pepper Sauce. I just wanted to use those cute Chinese dishes! 🙂
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (or substitute with chicken or beef stock)
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp roughly crushed black pepper (or 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper)
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable or canola oil)
- 1 garlic clove , crushed
- 1 small onion , sliced (or 1/2 large onion)
- 1 lb / 500 g thinly sliced flank , rump, sirloin, fillet or any other cut of steak suitable for stir frying (Notes 1 & 2)
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Whisk together the Sauce ingredients then set aside.
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Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy based skillet over high heat until it is smoking.
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Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute or until the onion becomes translucent. Keep it moving so the garlic doesn't burn.
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Add the beef and stir fry for 40 seconds to 1 minute until just cooked to your liking (depending on the size of the pieces, how heavy based your wok is, strength of stove). Remove beef and onion onto a plate.
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Turn the heat down to medium high. Pour the Sauce ingredients into the wok. It will start simmering very quickly. Let it cook for 1 minute or so until it becomes syrupy - the bubbles will be larger and caramel colour.
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Add the beef and onion back into the wok, along with any juices pooled on the plate. Toss in the sauce until just warmed through - 1 minute at most. Don't overcook the beef - that would be tragic!
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Serve immediately with rice.
1. This recipe is not suitable for cuts like chuck, brisket, ribs or other slow cooking beef cuts.
2. Cut against the grain - When you look at the beef, you will see that the fibres are mostly going in the same direction. When slicing the beef, cut "against the grain" which means cutting the beef 90 degrees to the direction of the fibres. This will produce the most tender beef.
3. Tenderising the beef: Because the beef is flash fried separately from the sauce, this ensures the beef stays tender and juicy. However, if you would like to use the technique used by restaurants to "velvet" (tenderise) the beef, then combine the slices of beef with 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarb soda), 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp soys sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp oil. Marinade for 30 minutes, then use as per this recipe. I rarely tenderise the beef for this recipe.
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Nutrition per serving assuming 4 servings.
Hi,
I have made this twice with roaring success! Hubby loves it.
Cheers Emm
That’s great Emmeline! Thanks for letting me know! – N x ❤️
Hi, First time poster after I just found your site 🙂
You mention, even though you rarely use the ‘other’ method to tenderize the meat, about bicarb/baking soda etc.
Should this be washed off before using? Just thinking if the bicarb/b-soda would leave a taste.
Thanks.
Hi Geoff! You’re absolutely right, always wash off bicarb because the taste is horrid 🙂 Search my site for Beef and Broccoli, it has directions for tenderising beef. Hope that helps! N x
Second time I’ve made this dish Nagi, the first was really good, last night I did use your tenderizing technique and it was just outstanding. It really does taste like we were in a restaurant with the silky smooth texture on the meat. Keep ’em coming loving it…
Yesssss! So glad you enjoyed it Tony! N xx
Hello Nagi,
I’m a french reader/subscriber of your blog. I love it!!! I made a lot of your recipes and they all are awesome.
I tried this one as well and it was really good, as always. Everyone at home enjoyed it and it was so easy to prepare.
Thank you for sharing with us all that yummy-ness!
Alexandra.
It’s so great to hear from you Alexandra! Thank you for taking the time to write in – and I’m so glad you enjoyed this! N xx
Nagi – have you ever seen something similar with a bit more honey and Sichuan peppercorns?
Great recipe by the way!
Adam
Hi Adam! I haven’t but I can absolutely imagine it! grind up those peppercorns! N x
Fantastic recipe!! We made this for dinner tonight and it was so easy and flavorful!! This will definitely be a new family favorite!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Great to hear Joanne! Thank you very much for leaving a review – N x ❤️
Can vouch, was delicious. Didnt have a wok so cooked in a frying pan. Beef strips from Coles. Was a bit tough but might have left it in a little longer than i should have. After 1 minute pieces were still red. Next time will take out sooner, flavours were amazing.
Glad to hear that Jamie! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Made this last night and the fam loved it! I guess I’m a perfectionist and the sauce never thickened. I don’t have a wok nor do I cook on gas. I am guessing I have to simmer the sauce longer to get it to be thick and sticky? I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Thank you so much for your amazing recipe!
Hi Jenny! Yes, simmering is how the sauce thickens. 🙂 I’m glad everyone enjoyed it anyway, hope you give it another go! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi
Made this recipe tonight and was so delicious!! The kids both took one bite and went mmmmm. They both wanted more which is unusual ha. I added broccoli, red capsicum and celery and it’s so easy to make. We all loved it – thank you 😘
I LOVE HEARING THAT!!!! Thank you for letting me know Marnie! N xx
Made this for dinner tonight. Lightly roasted some asparagus and carrots to add to the dish at the end. Loved the flavour of the sauce. But it didn’t thicken as I thought it would (on high heat) but I just added a little corn starch slurry to help it along. 🙂 Will definitely be making this again.
Hi Sandra! Sorry to hear the sauce didn’t thicken, with the honey and oyster sauce it definitely should! Love the addition of the veggies – YUM. Nice pairing!
Nagi.
Another great recipe . Its one of my favourites when I go out so it was great to make it at home especially with our fresh honey. Hubby has put in the order for chicken chow mein tonight…. lol . Always have a jar of Charlie sauce in the fridge. Love your website and recipes. I have recipes coming out of my ears from many sources but yours is one of my favourites.
I’m so pleased you like this Maxine! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know – N x
WOW! I had head and tail pieces from the filet. Found this recipe and I am hooked. So good with so much flavor. Served over Basmati rice.
Fantastic!🙌🏻 I’m so pleased to hear that Lou! N xx
Hi!
The recipe seems very tempting. I’m thinking of trying it today as I already have all the ingredients in my kitchen. One thing I’m wondering though.. the recipe does not mention salt? Do we not need to marinate the beef with salt first or add it at any other stage?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Hi Nimra! You don’t need salt, the sauce provides the salt!
Hi Nagi,
If I wanted to add broccoli to this dish, at what point would i add it?
Thanks!
Right at the beginning, saute it to cook 🙂 It will take longer than the beef to cook. N x
Another winner recipe from Recipe Tin! I made this tonight for dinner and it was amazing. I used a flat iron steak, which was a good choice. I also added more garlic (my brain doesn’t process one garlic clove), instead I used four. Served it over rice as suggested with a side of gently steamed baby asparagus. Very very good recipe which I will make again and again.
Hi Farrel, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for letting me know! ❤️ N xx
Hi Nagi,
I made this tonight and it was delish! Question- how do you get the sauce to thicken? Couldn’t for the life of me get it thicker!
Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed this Ebony! The should definitely thicken because of the honey and oyster sauce. Were you cooking on high heat?? If one low heat juices can leech out of the beef and thin the sauce. N xx
Hi Nagi,
I’m at the prep stage (excited) ive got some tender loin I’ve marinated
and I’m about to cook I’ve left the beef in the fridge for several hours
will let you know the outcome thnx in advance. x
Oooh! Hope you love it! 🙂
Tried this and nailed it. Perfect just like a restaurant, also tried the Cashew Chicken and again nailed it. Thanks Nagi for making it easy to follow and easy to cook.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Stuart! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x
Hi Nagi, Great recipe!! It was easy and super delicious!! I love to cook but usually fail lol I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes!! Thanks for sharing (:
Hi Nagi, I am going to try this today. Normally I do not comment before actually making, but I must have graduated somewhere. I have actually made the Pork Mince bowls, Char Siu Pork, Nasi Goreng and quite a few variations on any one of your recipes. I really appreciate your work. I messed up on the Char Siu by attempting to heat the marinade before reapplying it during the roasting time, my own fault and lesson learned: it separates (it also should have been the culinary death of those nice hunks of pork that I singed it way too much under broiler). Nevertheless even that mistake made great pork for a version of Egg Foo Yung that I found and tried: it was delicious. I used it in the Nasi Goreng and heard the applause of all eaters, it was great. My family now believes that there is only one type of pork, that’s now my mistaken attempt at your classic: Whoops Char Siu. I’ll get it right next time.
This beef interests me, I have never even heard of the use of baking soda as a tenderizer for any meat. I looked it all up and learned all about “velvetize”, wow, no kidding? I appreciate your note that it is not necessary too. Nevertheless, I am going to try it. Your method seems to be the most practical and something belonging in a kitchen rather than a science lab. I can also hear quite clearly your advice on the 3 ingredients and I am about to take off to the store to get the Oyster Sauce.
Thank you.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth! Thanks for your message, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave this message!! I do hope you try it – I promise this method of velveting words just as well as the egg / cornstarch method but is much cleaner and easier!!! Love to know what you think if you try it!
Nagi: I did not try this as the only Oyster Sauce I could find was “Oyster Flavored Sauce”. That would be like getting cheese flavored cheese (we do have American Processed Cheese Food, but it is still a valid point). I did make the Crispy Sticky Mongolian Beef (5 yums) from your site. Great recipe. When and if I can find real Oyster Sauce I’ll be back here. I have a question on the Char Siu but will post it on that recipe. I do want to try the “velvet” concept but I happened to get lucky on the rump steak and the Crispy beef was perfect.
Thank you.
Elizabeth
I always joke that American Cheese is not actually cheese…..it’s not! It’s NOT!!! 😉
I am about to write a very in depth review into the intricacies of this dish. Thusly, if you are short on time, this review is not for you.
I will proceed…
SIZZLE. The trademark noise of any good Chinese meal and a real head turner in the kitchen. This recipe propels kitchen status exponentially onto a galactic scale.
This dish is comparable to a strong cup of jasmine tea, if you know what I mean, and can eradicate and shame felt from dropping a chopstick due to its shear authenticity.
Tasty! The pepper undertones are complementary to the perfectly peppery palate this dish provides. With a delectable sweet lift of the honey. A real touch of class to a takeaway favourite, this dish would not be out of place in the streets of my hometown, Hong Kong.
One of my most favourite aspects of this recepie is its quick, easy and fail safe. A real go to classic that I will definitely be having again.
I hope you enjoyed this review, and as always my friends, Eat Rice!
Thanks for trying my recipe Alex! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x