Hunan Black Pepper Beef

Step 1

Place the black peppercorns in a small sealed bag or wrap them in a kitchen towel, then press down hard with the flat side of a chef's knife to crack them into coarse pieces roughly the size of match heads.

Step 2

Place the beef on a cutting board with the grain (the thin lines running through the meat) running left to right. Slice against the grain—perpendicular to those lines—into thin strips about 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches long.

Step 3

Smash each garlic clove with the flat of a knife until flattened slightly so it releases flavor; leave the papery skin on—you'll easily identify and remove it later.

Step 4

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds—this means it is hot enough for the beef to sear.

Step 5

Add the beef strips in a single layer and let them sit without stirring for 90 seconds until the bottoms turn dark brown, then stir and cook for another 60 seconds until cooked through.

Step 6

Push the beef to the side of the pan and add the smashed garlic to the empty space; stir the garlic constantly for 20 seconds until it turns light golden and smells deeply fragrant.

Step 7

Pour the soy sauce and rice vinegar into the pan, stirring everything together for 30 seconds until the liquid coats all the beef and begins to look glossy.

Step 8

Sprinkle the cracked black pepper over the beef and stir for 20 seconds until the pepper is evenly distributed and the pan looks slightly dry.

Step 9

Remove the pan from heat and discard the garlic cloves (they've already flavored the dish), then transfer the beef to a serving plate and serve immediately.