Black Pepper Beef Bao Buns
Black Pepper Beef Bao Buns
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 350 g steak, cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
For the Black Pepper Sauce
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 80 ml beef or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the Seasoned Cucumber
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch salt
To Serve
- 6 bao buns
- 1 green onion, finely sliced
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
Place the 350 g steak, cut into thin strips, into a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the minced 1/2 garlic clove to the beef. Mix well to ensure the beef strips are evenly coated with the marinade. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil to the marinated beef and mix again. Set the beef aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a separate bowl, combine 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 80 ml beef or chicken stock. Add 1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper to this mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. In a small separate bowl, prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Thinly slice 1/2 cucumber. In a bowl, combine the thinly sliced cucumber with 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix gently to coat the cucumber slices. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Heat a pan with a small amount of neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef strips to the hot pan. Cook in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can steam the beef instead of searing it. Cook the beef for approximately 2-3 minutes until it is nicely browned. Remove the cooked beef from the pan and set it aside.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Using the same pan, add the finely chopped 1 small shallot and minced 1 1/2 garlic cloves. Sauté until fragrant, stirring frequently. Pour the prepared black pepper sauce mixture into the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Gradually add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Return the cooked beef strips to the pan and toss them to coat evenly with the thickened black pepper sauce.
⏱️ 8 min
- 6
Arrange 6 bao buns in a steamer. Steam the bao buns until they are soft and fluffy, following package instructions (typically 5-7 minutes).
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Take a steamed bao bun and carefully open it. Fill the bun with a generous portion of the black pepper beef. Add a few slices of the seasoned cucumber. Garnish with finely sliced 1 green onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve the Black Pepper Beef Bao Buns immediately.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Black Pepper Beef Bao Buns
For the Beef
- 350 g steak, cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
For the Black Pepper Sauce
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 80 ml beef or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the Seasoned Cucumber
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch salt
To Serve
- 6 bao buns
- 1 green onion, finely sliced
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
Place the 350 g steak, cut into thin strips, into a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the minced 1/2 garlic clove to the beef. Mix well to ensure the beef strips are evenly coated with the marinade. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil to the marinated beef and mix again. Set the beef aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a separate bowl, combine 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 80 ml beef or chicken stock. Add 1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper to this mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. In a small separate bowl, prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Thinly slice 1/2 cucumber. In a bowl, combine the thinly sliced cucumber with 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix gently to coat the cucumber slices. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Heat a pan with a small amount of neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef strips to the hot pan. Cook in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can steam the beef instead of searing it. Cook the beef for approximately 2-3 minutes until it is nicely browned. Remove the cooked beef from the pan and set it aside.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Using the same pan, add the finely chopped 1 small shallot and minced 1 1/2 garlic cloves. Sauté until fragrant, stirring frequently. Pour the prepared black pepper sauce mixture into the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Gradually add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Return the cooked beef strips to the pan and toss them to coat evenly with the thickened black pepper sauce.
⏱️ 8 min - 6
Arrange 6 bao buns in a steamer. Steam the bao buns until they are soft and fluffy, following package instructions (typically 5-7 minutes).
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Take a steamed bao bun and carefully open it. Fill the bun with a generous portion of the black pepper beef. Add a few slices of the seasoned cucumber. Garnish with finely sliced 1 green onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve the Black Pepper Beef Bao Buns immediately.
⏱️ 5 min