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!
Hi Nagi,
Beef with Honey and Black Pepper Sauce
This has now replaced your Sticky Chicken in my sons required eating when he comes round with his mates for dinner.
I look forward to getting a new recipe every week in my e-mail, they are always so simple to make and always so full of flavour.
Thanks
Ba ha ha!! I burst out into laughter! You should keep a menu on your fridge for your son to choose from!
I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes. Thank you very much for reading! N x
I had a long hard day at work and wasn’t in the mood for cooking. While thinking about where to go out to eat, I remembered this recipe (I had made it earlier in the week – so amazing!). I was going to buy some more beef when my husband reminded me that we had chicken in the refrigerator. What a great way to use it up! We both made this recipe together, substituting chicken for beef and cutting and tenderizing it just like the beef. WOW!!! This was so good! The beef was still my favorite, but the chicken turned out so moist and the sauce flavor can’t be beat. Nagi, your recipe is so good that not only did we want it more than eating out, my husband was also super excited about helping. Thanks!!
P.S. Your blog is now my favorite recipe blog – I’ve made 3 of your recipes (two twice) within the past week or so.
Which three recipes? I am making the honey beef now…smells divine in here!
SARAH!! Thank you SO MUCH for your lovely note! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! And yes, I have to agree, for some reason this sauce goes so well with beef 🙂 Maybe because the sauce is quite a strong flavour it works better with a stronger flavoured meat. Very chuffed to know you’ve made my recipes 3 times in one week!! <3
Oh. Em. GEEEEEEEEEEEE! This was SENSATIONAL! Made it for dinner last night and I’ve never eaten anything THIS nice even in a good Chinese restaurant. The sauce was a perfect blend of sweet and pepper-spicy, and just so so so so so so so good.
J Daddy is looking forward to this one going into our regular rotation – and he wants it on HIGH rotation! Next time I host a Chinese feast at my house with friends, I will DEFINITELY serve this dish, along with the Singapore Noodles. Oh, my word, this was so amazing! Thanks for yet another winner, Ms N! x
Hurrah! Gloria and J Daddy stamp of approval!!
I want to share more Chinese restaurant favorites! What are your favourite things to order at Chinese restaurants? (Other than spring rolls – I rarely deep fry! Too scared!) 😉
I’ll have to consult with J Daddy to narrow down a list. We eat EVERYTHING (except for onion and coriander, and no offal for J Daddy even though I LOVE it). J Daddy is partial to sweet & sour pork – the brighter pink the sauce, the better!
I don’t deep fry either – if I see a recipe that involves frying of any sort – shallow or deep – I try to find a way to cook the dish using the oven. At a push, I will concede to shallow frying. I’m scared of deep frying too – I just know I’ll be that lady on the TV ad from the 80s and be screaming “Oh my goodness, the chips!” as my kitchen springs into flames.
Nagi, this is my husband’s idea of heaven! I will pin it right now so I can make it for him (OK, us: you make it look so nice!). x
Why don’t you guys jump on a plane and come here and I’ll make it for you! 🙂
Wow. This was AMAZING! Just made it tonight for the first time. Followed all of your instructions, down to the velveting and getting a very good cut of meat. The results were restaurant quality. You should have seen my husband’s face when he ate – he looked like he was about ready to cry, it was so good. Thank you!!!
I’m SO GLAD!! Your description about your husband’s face just cracks me up…. 🙂 All credit to the cook! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed this!!
Hey there Nagi
We have just polished off a delicious meal of your
CHINESE BEEF WITH HONEY AND BLACK PEPPER SAUCE !- it was so tasty !
I doubled the recipe and sauce and enjoyed as an after footy meal tonight. Was soo good, soo tender ( I used your tenderise velveting tip, just in case) the boys were very hungry and said it was better than our ‘local’ takeaway.
A definite 5/5 for this recipe
Thank you once again,,
Vanessa
I’m so happy to hear you and the boys enjoyed it!!! Hurrah! I’m grinning away like a fool hearing that your boys even said it’s better than takeout! YAY! – N x
Holy mother of YUM! I’m literally dancing in my chair right now because I have several cast iron pans, so sizzle here I come 😀 Those pictures are gorgeous and have me practically licking the screen. Oh, and I know exactly what you mean by looking at a recipe and being able to tell if it’s credible or not 🙂
Thanks Amanda! I hope you do give it a go, it is SO crazy delish!!! And super simple too 🙂 Good one when you’re rushing for dinner!
Oh, so delicious Nagi and such love pics – as usual – bet Dozer was hanging for some of this:-)
The drool was disgusting. Disgusting!! 🙂
I’m very excited to try this sauce ! Sounds amazing! Love these mouthwatering pictures!
Hope you do Mira! 🙂
Hi Nagi
Made this today and it was absolutely gorgeous and so quick and easy, this will definitely be a regular dish for me .
Your recipes never disappoint and I always looks forward to a one appearing in my inbox !!
Hi Tricia! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know you loved it! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes 🙂 Thank you for reading and trying them!! N x
I cooked this meal for dinner tonight and it was very good. Everyone liked it so we will be eating it again. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’m SO GLAD you loved it! Wow, you made it so quickly after I posted it – I love that! <3
I love re-creating Chinese food dishes at home! I love black-pepper-sauce so will definitely give this one a try!!! and as always, gorgeous mouth watering photos!!!!
Thanks so much Alice! Hope you do try it soon! N x
teeheehee you crack me up with those little plates ! Dang that looks so drool worthy i’m about to lick the screen. Yum!
Teeny tiny plates. Great for food photography but so unrealistic!! Ha ha!! Nx
This seriously looks like perfection, Nagi! And that sauce looks beyond amazing! I totally agree that a splash of oyster sauce can make all of the difference in a plain sauce of honey and soy sauce 🙂 I will definitely be trying this ASAP! Thanks for sharing! 😀
Thanks Kennedy! Hope you do try it soon! 🙂
Oh, my, Nagi–I made this for dinner tonight and it was terrific! It’s not a dish I’m familiar with, despite a long history of eating in Chinese restaurants. (Maybe it’s Australian-Chinese?) Based on the ingredients, it seems almost too simple. As usual, however, your recipes deliver as promised. I had everything on hand, and it really did take about 15 minutes. I made it exactly as written but sprinkled sliced scallions on it before serving. Fabulous flavors! This sauce would also be great on chicken, shrimp or stir fried vegetables. My husband, a/k/a as Mr. Fussy, gave it five stars, too!
Jumping up and down here in Sydney, SO GLAD you enjoyed it Marlene!!! It may well be Australian-Chinese, it’s definitely on the menu of most Chinese restaurants here. I’m SO GLAD Mr Fussy approved too!! I really need to get a stamp or something that I can put against recipes that he approves of!! And I agree, this sauce is fabulous with almost anything (even tofu!) Thank you so much for trying it, loving it and coming back to share!! N x
I love your honesty about serving sizes. 🙂
Ha! What’s the point in denying it? Everyone who reads my blog knows I have a rather….erm….robust appetite!! N x
Nagi!! I’m so mad at you right now! Or maybe I’m mad at myself… Anyways… I was out in a conference all week so today I had ZERO things in my fridge/pantry. So I get the little mac and cheese thingie (I can’t even call it food) that I got on the swag bag, microwave it and bring it with me to the front of the computer. First thing I open? Your blog! How can you torture me like that, with this INSANELY delicious recipe? Oh God, how long til Apple makes a computer where you can actually taste the photos if you lick the screen???
There is NO shame in that. We’ve all done it, plus you’re schedule is so busy!! (And PS So with you on seeing, smelling and TASTING food on computers!!) N x
Nagi, you’re a wizard! 15 minutes to get this beauty – yes please! Can’t wait to try it for myself 🙂
Thanks Sarah! This really is super easy to make! 🙂 Great for midweek!!
*Sigh* I love how easy but undoubtedly delicious and absolutely beautiful this is! I don’t blame you for using those dishes because they are absolutely beautiful but I would definitely need a larger plate, too!
Thanks Sam! Glad you agree! N x 😉
I love this Nagi! Definitely need to try this 🙂 Stir fries are always so good!! … it’s our go to easy meals next to curries! 🙂 and I LOVE blackpepper sauce!
Thanks Dini!! I’m really getting into curries this winter and I can’t wait to share one on my blog – and I mean a proper one with big punchy spicy flavours!!!