Jamaican-Style Pepper Beef

Ingredients

• 16 oz flank steak (sliced)
• 1 tsp black pepper (for marinade)
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 0.5 tsp ground allspice (for marinade)
• fresh thyme (for marinade)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced, for marinade)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (for marinade)
• 1 tsp browning sauce (optional, for marinade)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (for marinade)
• 1 red bell pepper (small, sliced)
• 1 green bell pepper (small, sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced, for sauce)
• scallions (green part, sliced)
• 0.5 Scotch bonnet (chopped, seeds removed for less heat (up to 1 pepper))
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup beef stock (or water)
• soy sauce (to taste, for sauce)
• Worcestershire sauce (optional, to taste)
• ground allspice (to taste, for sauce)
• fresh thyme (for sauce)
• black pepper (to taste, for sauce)
• browning sauce (optional, for sauce)
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch (for slurry)
• 1 tbsp water (for slurry)
• cooking oil (for searing)

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, mix the sliced flank steak with black pepper, fresh grated ginger, ground allspice, fresh thyme, 3 minced garlic cloves, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp browning sauce (if using), and 1 tbsp cornstarch.

2. 2

   Let the beef marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2+ hours for better flavor development.

3. 3

   Heat a pan with oil on high heat. Sear the beef until browned on the outside, but not fully cooked through. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.

4. 4

   In the same pan, sauté the sliced red and green bell peppers and chopped Scotch bonnet for 2–3 minutes.

5. 5

   Add 2 minced garlic cloves to the pan and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

6. 6

   Stir in 1 tbsp of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.

7. 7

   Pour in the beef stock (or water), soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, ground allspice, and fresh thyme. Let the mixture simmer for 2–3 minutes.

8. 8

   Whisk 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the pan and stir until the sauce turns glossy and slightly thickened.

9. 9

   Add the seared beef back into the pan along with the sliced scallions. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the beef is tender and thoroughly coated in the sauce.

10. 10

    Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot with rice.

Notes

Browning sauce provides a deep color and unique flavor common in Jamaican cooking; if omitted, the dish will be lighter in color. Remove seeds from the Scotch bonnet to significantly reduce the heat level.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Jamaican
• pepper beef
• spicy
• high-protein
• stir-fry
• dinner