Wok-Charred Black Pepper Beef with Peppers and Celery

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Thin-sliced flank steak gets a quick baking-soda velveting so it stays impossibly tender, then hits a screaming-hot skillet with sweet peppers, celery and a glossy black pepper pan sauce thickened with a pinch of xanthan gum instead of cornstarch. Butter swirled in at the end gives it that restaurant sizzle. Twelve minutes of cooking, zero grains, and it's just as good spooned over buttery cauliflower rice.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb flank steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick against the grain
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum

• 1/3 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dry sherry
• 2 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tsp brown-sugar-style monk fruit sweetener
• 1 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum

• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 celery ribs, sliced 1/4-inch thick on the bias
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 4 scallions, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Pat the sliced flank steak very dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss it with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, the baking soda and 1/4 tsp xanthan gum until every piece is slick and lightly coated. Let sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
2. Whisk the sauce: in a small bowl combine the beef broth, 2 tbsp soy sauce, sherry, rice vinegar, monk fruit sweetener and black pepper. Sprinkle the 1/4 tsp xanthan gum over the surface while whisking hard so it disperses without clumping. Set aside; it will thicken slightly as it stands.
3. Heat a large carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet (or wok) over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until a drop of water vaporizes on contact. Add 1 tbsp avocado oil and swirl.
4. Add half the beef in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds, until deeply browned. Toss once and cook 30 seconds more, then transfer to a plate — it should still be slightly underdone in the center. Repeat with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and the rest of the beef.
5. Return the empty skillet to high heat. Add the bell peppers and celery with the 1/2 tsp kosher salt and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, until the peppers are blistered in spots but still crisp.
6. Push the vegetables to the side, add the garlic and ginger to the bare center of the pan, and stir 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
7. Return the beef and any resting juices to the pan, pour in the sauce, and toss constantly for 60 to 90 seconds until the sauce clings to everything in a glossy coat.
8. Kill the heat, add the butter and scallions, and toss until the butter melts into the sauce, about 30 seconds. Taste and add another few cracks of black pepper if you want more bite. Serve immediately, over buttery cauliflower rice if you like.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem