Jamaican Pepper Steak

5 from 1 vote

Sirloin marinated in Jamaican spices, stir fried with bell peppers, and finished in a thick brown gravy, with 30 minutes of cooking.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marinating Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican

Diet: Low Fat, Low Lactose

Servings: people

Calories: 349kcal

In a bowl, mix the olive oil with the salt, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, garlic granules, allspice, dried thyme or oregano, cumin powder, ground nutmeg, and smoked paprika.
Add the sirloin strips and turn them until they are coated all over.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and overnight if you can, so the flavors get into the meat. Don't leave it longer than 24 hours.

Heat vegetable or sunflower oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Remove the steak strips from the marinade and shake off any excess liquid.
Add the marinated steak strips to the hot oil and cook them until they are browned and cooked to your desired level of doneness.
Once done, remove the steak from the skillet and set it aside. If necessary, do it in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
In the same skillet, add the sliced red and yellow bell peppers, as well as the sliced onion. Sauté them until they become tender and slightly caramelized.
Add the finely chopped garlic, tomato paste, sliced chili, and finely chopped ginger to the skillet. Stir-fry the mixture for about a minute to release the flavors.
Return the cooked steak to the skillet and mix it with the sautéed vegetable mixture.
Add the sliced spring onions, soy sauce, and beef stock to the skillet. Stir everything together to coat the steak and vegetables with the delicious sauce.
Let it simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens a little and coats everything.
Optional, for a darker and thicker gravy: stir 1 teaspoon browning sauce in with the stock, then thicken with 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water and cook it out for a minute.

Slice the beef thin and across the grain, about a quarter of an inch thick, so it stays tender.
Marinate the steak for at least 2 hours, and overnight if you can, but no longer than 24 hours.
Wash the beef with a squeeze of lime or a splash of vinegar before you season it, the way it is done in Jamaican kitchens.
Cook the steak in two batches in a properly hot pan. Crowded meat steams instead of browning.
For a darker gravy, stir in a teaspoon of browning, or use dark soy sauce in place of the light.
For a thicker gravy, mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it in at the end.
Add the peppers late and keep them moving so they still have some bite.
Taste the sauce before adding any salt. The soy sauce and the beef stock are both salty already.
Scotch bonnet is the traditional chili and it is fierce, so start with half of one. Milder chilies work if you prefer less heat.
Sirloin is my first choice, though flank, skirt, ribeye or round steak all work.
Green bell peppers and carrots are the traditional vegetables, and chicken strips work in place of the beef.
Serve it over plain steamed white rice or rice and peas.
Leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water or stock until hot the whole way through.