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Pepper Steak

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 6, 2011

Yield

Serves 4

Pepper Steak

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for passing at table1 pound sirloin steak tips, sliced very thin against the grain1 cup low-sodium beef broth plus 2 additional tablespoons2 tablespoons dry sherry 4 teaspoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced thin1 medium green bell pepper, sliced thin1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin3 cloves garlic, minced½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drainedSalt and pepper

Before You Begin

Serve the pepper steak over buttered egg noodles or rice.

Instructions

  1. Toss soy sauce and steak in medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing other ingredients. Whisk 1 cup beef broth, sherry, and cornstarch together in medium bowl.
  2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of beef and cook, turning once, until browned at edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to clean plate. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan, repeat with remaining beef, and transfer to plate.
  3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan and heat until shimmering. Add peppers, onion, and garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons broth, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until peppers are soft, about 2 minutes.
  4. Return beef to pan along with cornstarch mixture. Increase heat to high and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, passing extra soy sauce at table.
Pepper Steak

Pepper Steak

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for passing at table
1 pound sirloin steak tips, sliced very thin against the grain
1 cup low-sodium beef broth plus 2 additional tablespoons
2 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for passing at table
1 pound sirloin steak tips, sliced very thin against the grain
1 cup low-sodium beef broth plus 2 additional tablespoons
2 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra for passing at table
1 pound sirloin steak tips, sliced very thin against the grain
1 cup low-sodium beef broth plus 2 additional tablespoons
2 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted tender meat in our Pepper Steak recipe, so we thinly sliced rich-flavored steak tips and marinated them briefly in soy sauce to enrich their flavor. Simmering the stir-fried peppers with a little broth made them tender and removed any lingering bitterness. The tomatoes became too mushy and tasted too dominant if cooked for too long, so we reserved them until just before serving and then added them to our steak.

Before You Begin

Serve the pepper steak over buttered egg noodles or rice.

Instructions

  1. Toss soy sauce and steak in medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing other ingredients. Whisk 1 cup beef broth, sherry, and cornstarch together in medium bowl.
  2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of beef and cook, turning once, until browned at edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to clean plate. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan, repeat with remaining beef, and transfer to plate.
  3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan and heat until shimmering. Add peppers, onion, and garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons broth, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until peppers are soft, about 2 minutes.
  4. Return beef to pan along with cornstarch mixture. Increase heat to high and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, passing extra soy sauce at table.

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