Pepper steak is a Chinese-American dish made with heavily seasoned strips of steak, peppers, ginger, and soy sauce. It can be served as an appetizer or entree with rice or noodles, and is often found in Chinese-American restaurants. The dish can be made easily at home using various cuts of steak and a variety of peppers and other inclusions. The seasoning used in pepper steak is stronger and heavier than traditional Chinese dishes, reflecting American tastes in food. To cook pepper steak, the meat is browned in a pan before adding the vegetables and seasonings. The dish should be served hot or chilled immediately to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Pepper steak is a Chinese-American dish featuring strips of steak heavily seasoned with pepper. It is believed to have its origins in the cuisine of Fujian province in China, where it was probably originally made from pork. This dish can be served as an appetizer or entree with rice or noodles, or on its own. Chinese-American restaurants often have a version of pepper steak on their menus, and this dish can be made very easily at home. In addition to being eaten hot, it can be eaten cold.
This dish typically includes thin strips of steak sauteed with peppers and seasoned with pepper, ginger, and soy sauce. Cornstarch can be added to thicken the sauce. Some cooks add onions for extra flavor, and the dish may also include water chestnuts and other additions. A lot of pepper is added to make the dish strong and spicy, and the dish may include a blend of different types of pepper. If desired, the spiciness can be increased by adding hot peppers.
People have been making various versions of this dish in the United States since at least the 1940s. The seasoning used in pepper steak tends to be stronger and heavier than the seasoning in traditional Chinese dishes. Chinese-American food in general often has bolder, more aggressive flavors, reflecting American tastes in food. The sauce can also be very soupy, designed for soaking up noodles or rice served alongside pepper steak.
Cooks interested in making pepper steak at home can use a variety of cuts of steak. If the steak is difficult to slice, placing it in the freezer for several hours to firm it up before slicing can help. The peppers and other inclusions should be cut evenly so the dish cooks evenly, and it’s advisable to avoid overloading the dish with extra vegetables, to allow the flavor of the steak to dominate.
To cook pepper steak, cooks should brown the meat in the pan before setting the meat aside, draining it, and cooking the vegetables. As the vegetables soften, the meat can be added back to the pan, along with the seasonings. Pepper and other spices can be added to taste and if the sauce is too thin, cornstarch can be added to thicken it as desired. Pepper steak should be served hot or chilled immediately to reduce the risk of attracting bacteria known to cause foodborne illness.
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