Pepper steak is a classic in the Chinese take-out menu. It’s one of my personal favorites and when I’m craving some meat.
This recipe, besides tasty, it’s quite simple. You just need a plate of fluffy white rice to accompany this tender meat with stick sauce and peppers. Perfection.
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Why make pepper steak in the slow cooker?
As always, cooking any type of meat in the slow cooker will give you tender results that can’t be achieved in the stove.
Also, you can take a cheap cut of meat and make wonder with it. In my case, I used flank steak, which is sensible meat. You can go from juicy and tender to dry and hard in a matter of minutes.
The slow cooker gives you more control over the exact point where you want your meat. It’s way more difficult to overcook a piece of meat in the slow cooker.
For this recipe, I like to cook for 3 hours in high or 6 hours in slow. I know this may sound a low amount of time for meat, but in this recipe, the meat is cut into small strips before cooking. This step makes the cooking process quicker than cooking the entire piece of meat and then cutting it.
One thing to consider is that the meat must be completely dry — you can tap it with a paper towel before putting it into the crockpot — to get a thicker sauce and not a watery result. Remember that the slow cooker does not allow enough evaporation. For that reason, I also add 2 tsp of cornstarch to get the right consistency in the sauce.
Regarding the veggies — peppers, and onions —, which are the most iconic part of this recipe, you can add them in the middle of the cooking process. This way they won’t break up into the sauce and disappear.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and I see you in the next one!
- 400 gr flank steak
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup of soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tbsp sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Cut the flank steak into 1-inch wide strips. Place the meat inside the crockpot. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sesame oil, the sugar, the rice vinegar, the soy sauce, the minced garlic, and the cornstarch. Stir well to integrate the cornstarch. Cook for 1.5 hours in high or 3 hours in slow.
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Cut the bell peppers and onion into slices. Add it to the crockpot and cook for another 1.5 hours on high or 3 hours on slow.
I’m Maria and I love cooking—and mostly EATING—food from all around the world. I’ve been sharing my abuela’s secret Latin-American recipes for the last 7 years with the world on this blog. I’ve been a full-time food blogger for many years and I’m always trying new delicious meals that don’t require a culinary degree or a Michelin-star chef. I also love traveling, cats, and knitting.