Have you ever had that serendipitous moment when a friend’s generosity opens up a world of culinary delight? I recently found myself in such a situation when a dear friend shared a taste of her exquisite Chinese pepper steak during our Asian dinner outing. This experience inspired me to create the Crock Pot Pepper Steak, a slow-cooked marvel that brings together the savory goodness of tender beef, vibrant bell peppers, and a rich, almost gravy-like sauce infused with ginger and soy sauce.
Pepper Steak Reimagined for the Slow Cooker
While pepper steak is traditionally prepared as a quick stir-fry, I embarked on a mission to adapt this classic Chinese American dish for the convenience of a slow cooker. Our love for Asian crockpot recipes, like the Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken and Crockpot Beef and Broccoli, fueled my desire to explore the endless possibilities of convenient and flavorful cooking.
Utilizing a slow cooker for pepper steak not only offers the immediate gratification of a ready-made meal upon returning home but also aligns with the nutritional and cost-saving advantages of preparing wholesome meals in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Making the Perfect Sauce
Having sampled the delectable bites of my friend’s pepper steak, I felt a calling to share an easy-to-follow version of this recipe. To enhance the flavor profile, I tweaked the sauce, infusing it with extra ginger for a fresher taste and substituting honey for the conventional brown sugar to achieve a natural sweetness.
Embracing my love for vegetables, I added an abundance of colorful bell peppers to transform this dish into a healthy and wholesome all-in-one meal. The result is a Pepper Steak Delight that balances savory, sweet, and zesty notes, ensuring a culinary journey that satisfies the taste buds and nourishes the soul.
Ingredients Needed:
Let’s delve into the key players in this culinary symphony:
Beef: Choose your cut wisely—sirloin for a leaner option, or opt for tougher cuts like chuck roast, strip steak, or round roast for a budget-friendly alternative. The slow cooker’s magic transforms toughness into tenderness.
Bell Peppers: Celebrate the colors of the rainbow with a medley of bell peppers. Packed with Vitamin-C, potassium, and folate, they add a vibrant crunch to the dish.
Sautéed Onions: Elevate the flavor by browning the onions in the same pan used for the beef, infusing every bite with a delightful depth.
Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes: A seemingly unconventional addition that works wonders—thickening the sauce, imparting a subtle smokiness, and balancing the sweetness.
The Soulful Sauce
Our pepper steak sauce brings together a harmonious blend of flavors:
Soy Sauce: The umami bomb, providing a salty and savory base for the Asian-inspired sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce: Deepening the flavors, this ingredient complements the beef with an additional umami note.
Honey: A touch of natural sweetness and stickiness, transforming the sauce into a culinary masterpiece.
Ginger: Infusing freshness, zippiness, and a hint of sweetness, ginger elevates the sauce to new heights.
Making the Symphony: Step-by-Step
Toss the beef in spices, sauté until lightly browned, and transfer to the slow cooker.
Brown onions in the same pan, add to the slow cooker.
Add bell peppers and fire-roasted diced tomatoes to the slow cooker.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour over the contents of the slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours until the beef is tender.
Whisk a cornstarch slurry, stir into the slow cooker, and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes to thicken.
Serve hot with brown rice and green onions.
Tips for the Perfect:
Achieve the ideal thickness for your sauce with these tips:
Add Time: Leave the slow cooker uncovered on HIGH for an additional 20 minutes.
Additional Cornstarch: Introduce a second round of cornstarch slurry, but don’t go overboard.
Storing and Serving:
Ensure your Pepper Steak Delight stays as delightful as ever:
To Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To Reheat: Gently warm in a skillet or microwave.
To Freeze: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, thaw overnight before reheating.
Perfect Pairings:
Enhance your Pepper Steak Delight experience with:
Rice: Classic brown rice or the low-carb alternative of cauliflower rice.
Vegetables: Elevate the veggie content with Roasted Frozen Broccoli or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Recommended Tools:
Equip your kitchen with essentials for a seamless cooking experience:
Slow Cooker: Opt for a programmable one that switches to warm post-cooking.
Small Whisk: Ideal for preparing sauce ingredients.
Large Skillet: Perfect for browning the beef to perfection.
Crockpot Pepper Steak
4
servings15
minutes6
hours15
minutes396
kcal6
hours30
minutesSavor the taste of homemade Chinese American cuisine with this easy-to-follow Crock Pot Pepper Steak recipe. The slow-cooked symphony of tender sirloin, vibrant bell peppers, and a rich, flavorful sauce makes this dish a delightful addition to your culinary repertoire.
Ingredients
2 pounds sirloin, cut into 2-inch by ½-inch strips
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil, grapeseed oil, or a different neutral oil
1 large yellow onion
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
2 green bell peppers, cored and cut into ½-inch strips
2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, cored and cut into ½-inch strips
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in their juices
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, plus additional to taste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus additional to taste
5 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
Prepared brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice, for serving
Directions
- Place the beef in a bowl and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the beef and cook on all sides until lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer beef and cooking juices to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- In the skillet, add onions. Increase heat to high, pour in 1/4 cup water, and sauté until onions soften and lightly brown. Transfer onions to the slow cooker.
- Add green and red bell peppers and tomatoes to the slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, ginger, red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Pour into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours until beef is tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH and let cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes to thicken. The result should be a saucy, thick gravy. Stir once more.
- Taste and adjust salt, soy sauce, and/or red pepper flakes. Serve hot with prepared brown rice and a sprinkle of green onions.
Notes
- If you prefer crisp bell peppers, add them a little more than halfway through the cook time.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 396kcal
- Fat: 11g
- Cholesterol: 111mg
- Potassium: 928mg
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 14g
- Protein: 42g
- Calcium: 99mg
- Iron: 4mg
