In this remarkable recipe, we will unlock the secret to transforming even the most economical cuts of beef into succulent, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Fear not, for we have also included a step-by-step guide to craft your very own black bean sauce from scratch. And for those pressed for time, we offer a shortcut that utilizes store-bought sauce without compromising on taste.
Jump to:
- I love the rich flavor of beef in black bean sauce. Although it requires a little more effort than other stir-fry recipes (especially when you make your own black bean sauce), it’s actually very simple.
- The sauce can be made ahead of time, or made as part of this recipe (aside from the hour needed to soak the beans, the rest of the sauce comes together in minutes).
- We’re also going to use a simple trick to soften or ‘velvet’ the meat, so it’s delicious and soft, just like in a Chinese restaurant.
What do we need?
For the black bean sauce
(or replace with 250ml store-bought black bean sauce)
- Black bean dip is made by first soaking fermented black beans (<– affiliate link) in water for one hour.
- Then we rinse and drain the beans and mash them a little with a fork.
- Next, we fry the garlic, ginger and black beans in a little sesame oil and neutral oil.
- Add rice wine, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, pepper, and broth and bring to a boil.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, before adding a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
- That sauce is now ready to use.
I’ve written an entire post on black bean dip if you’d like more information on the dip and fermented black beans.
for the meat
- I use strip steak, sliced thin, against the grain.
- Velvet the meat by mixing it with 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Rinse meat in cold water to remove baking soda.
- Pat dry with paper towels and use according to your recipe.
I’ve written an entire post on how to make velvety beef if you’d like to learn more about the process, how it works, and why you should.
The rest of the stir fry ingredients
Once the black bean sauce is made and the veal is tender, we put it all together with the rest of the ingredients.
- Season the tender meat with black pepper and a pinch of salt (we don’t need a lot of salt as the sauce is salty enough).
- Fry the beef in a little oil. I like to use a mix of sesame oil and neutral oil (like avocado or rapeseed).
- Add thick pieces of onion and bell peppers and fry for another couple of minutes.
- Add the black bean sauce and heat for one minute.
- Serve with rice. I also like to sprinkle some chopped spring onions (scallions) and mixed sesame seeds on top.
See how to do it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
PRO TIP When you are mashing the fermented beans for the black bean sauce, leave a little whole, so you get those nice black bean specks in the stir fry.
What to serve it with
More Fantastic Stir Fry Recipes
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Beef in black bean sauce
This is how you make perfect Chinese-style homemade beef in black bean sauce. Use my homemade black bean dip recipe, or store-bought, and you’ll have a delicious stir-fry, packed with umami flavor.
- Preparation time 20 minutes minutes
- Cooking time 15 minutes minutes
- soaking time 1 hour hr
- Total time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
- Dinner Course
- Chinese cuisine
- 4 servings
- Calories 431 kcal
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak Black Beans:
- Start by soaking the fermented black beans. Place in a container and cover with cold water. Let soak for an hour.
- 4 tablespoons fermented black beans
Velvety meat:
- Now velvet the meat. Place the meat in a bowl and sprinkle with baking soda.
- 14 oz (400 g) beef steak, 1 tsp baking soda
- Rub the baking soda into the meat so that it is well coated.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Rinse meat well under cold water, drain, and pat dry with kitchen towels. Place it in a bowl, ready to use in your stir-fry.
Preparation of the black bean sauce:
- Once the beans have soaked for an hour, drain and rinse well.
- Place the drained black beans in a bowl and mash them slightly with the back of a fork. I like to shred about three quarters of it and leave the rest whole.
- Add the sesame and rapeseed oil to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat.
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
- Add the garlic, ginger, and black beans and cook for one minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- Add rice wine, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, pepper, and broth.
- 2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing rice wine, or use dry sherry, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons granulated or fine sugar, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 180 ml ¾ cup broth chicken or vegetables
- Stir, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly reduced.
- Add half of the cornmeal mixture to thicken the sauce. Add more if you want the sauce to be thicker, then turn off the heat.
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal (corn starch in the US)
Putting it all together:
- Mix the softened beef with salt and pepper.
- 1 pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- Heat the two-oil oil in a wok over high heat.
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rapeseed/avocado or other neutral oil
- Add meat and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes, until meat is cooked.
- Add the onion, red and green bell peppers and fry for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly softened.
- 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper
- Add black bean sauce, fry, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, until sauce is heated through.
Attend:
- Serve over boiled rice, topped with chives and sesame seeds.
- Cooked rice, Sliced spring onions, Mixed sesame seeds
✎ Notes
Don’t want to make your own black bean sauce? Replace the black bean sauce in this recipe with 250 ml of store-bought black bean sauce. *Taste Tip* – Check the ingredients on the side of the bottle, if it doesn’t contain garlic and ginger, add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon minced ginger into the stir fry at the same time as the onions and bell peppers. Don’t want to velvety the meat? The velveting process is necessary for cheaper, tougher cuts of meat, to make them more tender.
If you don’t want to velvety the meat, but still want tender, juicy meat, you’ll need to choose a more expensive cut of steak, such as ribeye or sirloin. Cut steak into thin strips, against the grain, before using. Nutrition information is approximate, per serving (this recipe makes 4) – DOES NOT INCLUDE rice.
