A Beef Stir Fry to die for! Tender strips of beef with a sticky honey black pepper stir fry sauce, this is one of my favourite dishes at my local Chinese restaurant. This may well be the fastest stir fry recipe you make all year – 1 minute to cook the beef, 1 minute to make the sauce. And you’re DONE!
Beef Stir Fry with Honey Pepper Sauce
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.
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??
What you need
I promised you simple, and I exaggerate not! Here’s all you need:
Beef – rule of thumb for stir fries: if you’d serve it as steak, it’s ideal for stir fries! Use a decent-to-good tenderloin, flank, New York strip / Porterhouse / Sirloin (same thing!), boneless ribeye/scotch fillet. It doesn’t need to be a high end dry aged steak! To use a budget slow cooking cut of beef, tenderise it the Chinese way before using (“velveting beef”);
Honey and black pepper – the two dominant flavours in the sauce!
Oyster sauce – loaded with complex flavours, a secret weapon in Chinese/Asian cooking. Sub with Hoisin;
Chinese wine aka Shoaxing wine – the secret ingredient in 99% of Chinese cooking. Read more about it here, sub with Mirin, dry sherry or cooking sake. For a non alcoholic sub, use chicken broth/stock (see recipe notes);
Soy sauce – everyday, ordinary all purpose soy sauce. Or light soy. Don’t use dark soy – too strong!
Garlic and onion – because not much food happens in this kitchen without these two!
How to make it
As with all stir fries, once you start cooking it moves super fast so be sure to have everything ready to toss into the wok before you start cooking!
In this recipe, we cook the beef first, then take it out – this is to control the cook time of the beef. Then we simmer the sauce in the pan until it becomes syrupy, then toss the beef back in.
Intense flavoured stir fry sauce!
My stir fry recipes tend to err on the side of generous amounts of sauce, because a stir fry isn’t a stir fry if you don’t get to eat sauce soaked rice. Nobody wants to be left with a bowl of plain rice after eating the stir fry!!
However, this is particular Beef Stir Fry is one of the exceptions. The flavour of this honey pepper stir fry sauce is quite intense, being a concentrated syrupy sauce as opposed to being thickened with cornflour/cornstarch like they usually are.
So you don’t want nor need loads of sauce. But there’s enough to carry plenty of flavour through the rice!
And another difference to most of my stir fry recipes – this Beef Stir Fry is light on the veg, whereas most stir fries are a kaleidoscope of colour of a small amount of protein with lots of veggies!
So serve this with a fresh side – like a crunchy Asian Slaw, this Chinese Lettuce with Creamy Sesame Dressing or a leafy Asian Side Salad with Sesame Dressing.
You could also sneak some veggies into the stir fry – some julienned carrots and similar shaped vegetables would be ideal.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
PS For a healthy low carb option try Cauliflower Rice – 77% fewer calories and 87% less carbs than rice.
Watch how to make it
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Beef Stir Fry with Honey and Black Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp Oyster sauce (sub Hoisin)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine , Mirin or dry sherry (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp coarsely crushed black pepper (or 1/2 tsp normal ground black pepper)
Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable or canola oil)
- 1 garlic clove , finely minced
- 1/2 onion , peeled and sliced
- 500g/1 lb thinly sliced tenderloin, flank, sirloin/Porterhouse/strip, or any other cut of steak suitable for stir frying (Notes 3)
Instructions
- Mix the Sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy based skillet over high heat until it is smoking.
- 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.
- Add the beef and stir fry for 1 minute until just cooked to your liking, then remove into bowl.
- Turn the heat down to medium high, pour in Sauce – 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.
- 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!
- Serve immediately with rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2015. Updated November 2019 with new photos, new video and the most important thing – Life of Dozer section added!!!
Life of Dozer
It’s Melbourne Cup tomorrow, the race that stops the nation! 🐎🐎🐎 We’re heading out to a lunch and Dozer’s coming. So here he is being fitted for his Race Day outfit! 😂 Turns out his hat is a little small…. need to find a bigger one!
your recipes always work out as followed. This sauce just hits the spot, i am going to use it for a batch of beef jerky in the future…………cheers
Nice!!
Well who would ever be worried about buying cook books again after finding your site Nagi? (Big sigh of relief from long suffering husband😄). Have cooked a few of your recipes now and haven’t had a miss yet👏🏻. Another very tasty dish. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you’re loving them Mandy, thanks so much for letting me know!
Hey Nagi, as always I am in love with this recipe. I actually licked my plate and it’s a staple in my weekly meal prep now. Do you know if this sauce would work as well with chicken? I’m trying to cut down on my red meat consumption… If so what kind of chicken. Thank you!
This would be great with chicken! I prefer to use thighs so they stay super juicy – N x
Unreal Nagi! I’m home alone for a week and ate this for 3 nights. On the third night I stirfried some carrot, celery, red capsicum and brussells sprouts (yes really,) to stretch it out. I’m in heaven, thank you so much.
That’s so great to hear Sue!
Wow, delicious!
I’m so happy you love it Rose!
Words cannot describe how absolutely deliciously lipsmacking this recipe is. I had 3 servings (totally ashamed, but so worth it) Just as good as if not better than the restaurant version. We have been cooking a recipe from your website and your mums almost every day. ADDICTED!!! Thanks Nagi ❤️
YUUUUUUMMMMO!! Another fantastic recipe – thanks Nagi – you’re a legend. 🙂
Aww thank you!!!
Hi Nagi. I came across your site about a month ago and have become totally obsessed with your recipes, instructions and flavour / food info. Love Dozer also!!. I have never posted a comment to anything before, so I may need help there if I am doing this incorrectly. Just one thing I came across today with regards to the “velveting” of meats. Although you say you rarely do this when cooking the Chinese Beef with honey & black pepper, you do give instructions & don’t mentioned washing it off prior to cooking as you have suggested with your beef & broccoli recipe. I’m wondering if it is because you are tenderising the meat with more ingredients than just Bi Carb. Hoping you can put me straight before I attempt cooking this recipe.
Thankyou in advance and for the wonderful job you do in delivering amazing recipes. I look forward to viewing your new recipes every day.
Kind regards, Robyn
Hi Robyn! I’m glad you found me – and that you like what you see! 🙂 Thank you for picking that up. I have since improved the beef tenderising technique to the new one. I find that if you don’t rinse it off, sometimes there is the vague taste of it which I used to try to disguise with those extra flavours. It is much safer to rinse! I have updated the recipe notes for that 🙂 N x
Made this today, it tasted amazing!!! I love it
Glad you enjoyed it Kumbie!! Thanks for sharing your feedback 🙂 N x
Going to make this today, just wondering, when you say soy sauce should it be light or dark?
How did u achieve the colour for ur dish? After following exactly the ingredients and steps, it came out to be very very light color.
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!