Hong Kong-Style Black Pepper Beef Short Ribs

Recreate a classic Hong Kong-style cafe favorite at home with tender beef short ribs, vibrant bell peppers, and a rich, savory black pepper sauce.

Ingredients

• 500 g beef short ribs
• 0.25 onion
• 0.5 green bell pepper
• 0.5 red bell pepper
• 0.5 yellow bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 stalks spring onion
• 1 piece ginger
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp crushed black pepper
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp starch
• 2 tbsp water
• 20 ml brandy
• 1 small knob butter
• to taste cooking oil
• to taste rice wine
• to taste extra salt
• to taste extra crushed black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Pat Beef Short Ribs Dry

   

   Take the prepared raw beef short ribs and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove any excess blood and surface moisture.

   Tip: Patting the meat dry ensures a better sear and prevents excess liquid in the pan.
2. 2Season the Beef Short Ribs

   

   Add salt, crushed black pepper, sugar, rice wine, a little starch, and olive oil to the beef short ribs to prepare them for marinating.

   Tip: Adding a bit of starch and oil helps lock in the moisture of the beef during pan-frying.
3. 3Marinate the Short Ribs

   

   Thoroughly mix the seasonings and the raw beef short ribs together by hand, ensuring each piece is evenly coated, then let it marinate for 30 minutes.

   Tip: Wearing gloves makes mixing the marinade into the meat easy and hygienic.
4. 4Chop the Onion

   

   Take a quarter of an onion and chop it into large chunks on a cutting board to use as part of the side vegetables.

   Tip: Cutting the vegetables into uniform large chunks ensures they retain a crisp-tender texture during stir-frying.
5. 5Slice the Bell Peppers

   

   Use about half of each color of bell pepper (green, red, and yellow) and cut them into large pieces for the vegetable mix.

   Tip: Using multi-colored bell peppers adds vibrant color and natural sweetness to the dish.
6. 6Slice Spring Onions

   

   Trim and cut the spring onion into one-centimeter sections to prepare for aromatics stir-frying.

   Tip: Cut the spring onions evenly so they release flavor smoothly when heated in butter.
7. 7Prepare Black Pepper Sauce

   

   In a small bowl, sequentially combine two tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of oyster sauce, one teaspoon of sugar, a tablespoon of crushed black pepper, half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of starch, and one to two tablespoons of water. Stir everything well.

   Tip: Mix the sauce thoroughly beforehand to ensure the starch and seasonings dissolve evenly.
8. 8Pan-Fry the Beef Short Ribs

   

   Heat a pan and add a little oil, then add the beef ribs. Pan-fry until both sides are nicely browned and aromatic, then take them out.

   Tip: Ensure the pan is hot before adding the beef to achieve a nice caramelized sear.
9. 9Sear the Short Ribs

   

   Continue pan-frying the marinated beef short ribs until the surface appears browned and caramelized, then remove them from the pan.

   Tip: Do not overcrowd the pan so that each piece gets an even brown crust.
10. 10Melt Butter for Aromatics

    

    Turn the heat to medium and melt a small knob of butter in the center of the pan.

    Tip: Watch the heat so the butter bubbles and melts without burning.
11. 11Sauté Aromatics

    

    Add the spring onion, ginger, and garlic to the melted butter. Stir-fry until fragrant, then add another tablespoon of black pepper.

    Tip: Sautéing the aromatics in butter creates a rich flavor base for the sauce.
12. 12Add Veggies and Simmer

    

    Toss in the onion and bell peppers, stir-frying until just tender but still crisp. Return the short ribs to the pan, splash in a little brandy, and pour in the prepared sauce to finish.

    Tip: Keep the heat high when stir-frying the bell peppers so they retain their crisp texture.
13. 13Return Short Ribs to Pan

    

    Add the previously browned beef short ribs back into the wok or pan along with the vibrant, crisp-tender bell peppers and onions.

    Tip: Keep the heat high at this stage so everything can meld quickly without losing the crunch of the vegetables.
14. 14Flambe with Brandy

    

    Splash in about 20ml of brandy—or rice wine as an alternative—over high heat to deglaze the pan and create a dramatic flame that enhances the rich aroma.

    Tip: Stand back slightly when splashing alcohol into a hot pan over an open flame to ensure safe flambeing.
15. 15Pour Black Pepper Sauce

    

    Pour the signature black pepper sauce mixture evenly over the beef short ribs and colorful vegetables in the pan.

    Tip: Make sure to give your sauce mixture a quick stir before pouring to ensure the starch hasnt settled at the bottom.
16. 16Toss and Coat in Sauce

    

    Stir-fry and toss the beef and vegetables continuously with a spatula over heat until the sauce fully thickens and beautifully coats every piece.

    Tip: Stir quickly once the sauce thickens so the starches gloss everything evenly without burning.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions