Hunan Black Pepper Beef

Ingredients

• ¾ lb beef flank steak or sirloin
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the black peppercorns in a small sealed bag or wrap them in a kitchen towel, then press down hard with the flat side of a chef's knife to crack them into coarse pieces roughly the size of match heads.

2. 2

   Place the beef on a cutting board with the grain (the thin lines running through the meat) running left to right. Slice against the grain—perpendicular to those lines—into thin strips about 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches long.

3. 3

   Smash each garlic clove with the flat of a knife until flattened slightly so it releases flavor; leave the papery skin on—you'll easily identify and remove it later.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds—this means it is hot enough for the beef to sear.

5. 5

   Add the beef strips in a single layer and let them sit without stirring for 90 seconds until the bottoms turn dark brown, then stir and cook for another 60 seconds until cooked through.

6. 6

   Push the beef to the side of the pan and add the smashed garlic to the empty space; stir the garlic constantly for 20 seconds until it turns light golden and smells deeply fragrant.

7. 7

   Pour the soy sauce and rice vinegar into the pan, stirring everything together for 30 seconds until the liquid coats all the beef and begins to look glossy.

8. 8

   Sprinkle the cracked black pepper over the beef and stir for 20 seconds until the pepper is evenly distributed and the pan looks slightly dry.

9. 9

   Remove the pan from heat and discard the garlic cloves (they've already flavored the dish), then transfer the beef to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-inch skillet with lid
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• small sealed bag or kitchen towel
• wooden spoon

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