Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry in Black Pepper Sauce (黑椒芥蓝牛肉)

Name: Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry in Black Pepper Sauce (黑椒芥蓝牛肉)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 227g / 8 oz of beef, recommend ribeye or sirloin steak; 1/4 tsp of salt; 1/8 tsp of baking soda; 2 tsp of cornstarch; 1/2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine; 1/2 tbsp of oil to coat the beef; 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp of oyster sauce; 1.5 tsp of soy sauce; 1/2 tsp of dark soy sauce; 2 tsp of sugar; 300g of gailan (Chinese broccoli); 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped; 3-4 tbsp of oil to stir fry

Souped Up Recipes Last updated Oct 23, 2025Jump to recipe

Beef and Broccoli in Black Pepper Sauce (黑椒芥蓝牛肉) is always one of my top recommended Chinese food. I mean, who doesn’t love beef and broccoli, right? The beef is tender and juicy, the gailan (Chinese broccoli) is crisp and vibrant, and the sauce — rich, savory, and full of peppery fragrance — ties everything together beautifully. It’s the kind of dish that makes you keep going back for “just one more bite,” especially with a bowl of hot white rice.

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Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry in Black Pepper Sauce (黑椒芥蓝牛肉)

Mandy Fu

Servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

8 minutes

Ingredients

To marinate the beef

227g / 8 oz of beef, recommend ribeye or sirloin steak
1/4 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp of baking soda
2 tsp of cornstarch
1/2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tbsp of oil to coat the beef

To make the black pepper sauce

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp of oyster sauce
1.5 tsp of soy sauce
1/2 tsp of dark soy sauce
2 tsp of sugar

Others

300g of gailan (Chinese broccoli)
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
3-4 tbsp of oil to stir fry

Directions

Slice the beef into 1/8 of an inch thick pieces. I am using flank steak. Other cuts, such as strip steak, ribeye, and sirloin will also work.
Marinate the beef with 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/8 tsp of baking soda, 2 tsp of cornstarch, and 1/2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine. Mix thoroughly. Last, add a drizzle of oil and mix to coat it. This helps to separate the slices so they don’t stick together while cooking. Set it aside for 10 minutes.
During this time, separate the gailan (Chinese broccoli) stems and the leaves because they will go into the wok at different times. Cut the stem into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the leaves. If you don’t have access to Chinese broccoli, use Western broccoli, and the dish will taste just as delicious.
To make the black pepper sauce, combine 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 tbsp of oyster sauce, 1.5 tsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tsp of dark soy sauce, and 2 tsp of sugar in a bowl. Mix well and set it aside.
Turn the heat to high and preheat the wok until smoking hot. Add a big drizzle of oil and swirl it around to create a non-stick coating. Toss in the Gailan stems and stir for a couple of minutes.
Add the marinated beef and garlic. Quickly stir to separate the slices. The heat is on high, so in less than a minute, all of the meat should change color. Then add the gailan leaves and pour in the black pepper sauce. Continue to mix until well combined.

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