Description
Instant Pot Chinese Pepper Steak. The Chinese-American restaurant classic as a hands-off pressure cooker dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2Â cloves garlic, smashed
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and minced
- 2Â green onions (aka scallions), trimmed and sliced thin
- 2 pounds flat iron steak (or chuck blade steak or boneless chuck roast), cut into 2-inch by ½-inch thick strips
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or kosher salt)
- 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch squares
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch squares
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 2-inch squares
- ½ cup water (or chicken broth)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup Hoisin sauce (or substitute 2 tablespoons brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Garnish and Sides
- Minced green onions (scallions) for garnish
- White Rice
Instructions
- Fry the garlic, ginger, and green onion: Heat the peanut oil in an Instant Pot set to Sauté mode adjusted to high until the oil starts to shimmer. (Use medium-high heat with a stovetop pressure cooker). Stir in the garlic, ginger, and green onion, and fry until you smell the garlic, about 30 seconds.
- Everything in the pot: Sprinkle the beef with the ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the beef, onions, and peppers to the pot, and stir to coat with the garlic/ginger/scallion oil. Pour in the water and soy sauce, then stir in the hoisin sauce to coat the beef.
- Pressure cook for 12 minutes with a Natural Pressure Release: Lock the lid on the pot. Pressure cook on high pressure for 12 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric PC or for 8 minutes in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes. (You can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes if you are in a hurry).
- Thicken and serve: Remove the lid from the pressure cooker, and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Whisk the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl, then stir into the pot to thicken the sauce. Serve over white rice or noodles, sprinkling with minced green onions for garnish. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Chinese