This Slow Cooker Pepper Steak pairs strips of tender flank steak with all the colors of bell peppers and onions in a savory-sweet soy-brown sugar-garlic sauce. The slow-cooked beef soaks up the flavorful sauce and goes melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the bell peppers and onions keep a fresh, vibrant texture. Serve this over steamed rice, noodles or mashed potatoes, and you have a comforting and satisfying meal that’s as enjoyable to eat as it is to make.
Everything You Will Love About This Slow Cooker Pepper Steak:
Set it and forget it comfort food: The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting so the flavors can meld together while you do your own thing.
Tender, Juicy Beef: The long cooking time extracts the beef from the flank steak, so it’s juicy and with a beefy flavor in every bite.
Perfect Balance of Sweet and Savory: The combination of the soy sauce and brown sugar, makes a beautiful buttery sauce that is rich tasting in the beef.
Bold And Texture Colors: Featuring the segment with bell peppers and also onions, this meal is as much an aesthetic pleasure as it is a flavor bomb.
Family-Friendly: Its mellow sweetness and soft beef give this dish a wide appeal, even to picky eaters.
Key Ingredients:
Bell Peppers
Color: Use a mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers for color and flavor differences; from sweet to more earthy.
Freshness Counts: Choose firm, shiny bell peppers, so that they have a bit of chew when cooked. They’ll soften through the cooking time, but won’t turn mushy.
Substitutes: For a little heat, toss in a sliced poblano or two or a few thin slices of jalapeño with the bell peppers.
Onions
Sweet and Savory Notes: Yellow onions work best here for their mild sweetness that doesn’t overpower the sauce, but red or white onions will suffice, too.
Slicing Thinly: Onions sliced thinly caramelize rapidly, disintegrating and melting into the sauce and bringing depth and complexity to the flavor profile.
Cornstarch
Thickener: Coating the beef with cornstarch helps to thicken the sauce, but also gives the steak a silky texture.
Gluten-Free Substitute: Cornstarch is gluten-free by nature, though you can also use arrowroot powder or potato starch.
Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar
Sweet and Savory Base: Soy sauce equals a salty, umami base, and brown sugar brings a little sweetness to the party to balance it out. Combined, they form a sauce that enhances the beef magnificently.
Lower Sodium: Use low-sodium soy sauce, and adjust the brown sugar to taste.
Instructions:
Step 1: Preparing the Flank Steak
Slice the Steak:
Start by slicing 3 pounds of flank steak into thin strips.J. If the steak is hard to slice, freeze it until just firm, about 30 minutes, to make it easier.
Coat the Beef:
You will want to put the sliced flank steak in a large ziplock bag then add ½ cup of cornstarch on top. Seal the bag and shake to coat all the beef strips evenly. This will continue to thicken the sauce as the beef cooks.
Step 2: Prep the Slow Cooker Mixture
Combine Sauce Ingredients:
Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup brown sugar, 1½ cups soy sauce, 1½ cups water and 2 garlic cloves, minced in your slow cooker. Mix well to dissolve the sugar.
Add the Beef:
Add the coated beef strips to the slow cooker, distributing them throughout the sauce mixture to allow the sauce to envelop each piece and ensure maximum flavor absorption.
Step 3: Cook the Beef
Set the Slow Cooker:
Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for about 6 hours. Avoid opening the lid often, because this will let out heat and delay cooking time.
Step 4: Add Vegetables
Prepare the Vegetables:
About 1½ hours before the cooking time is up, prepare 4 grepepper (mixed colors tako, for placate appeal) and 2 onions. Cut the bell peppers and onions into paper-thin slices.
Place Vegetables in Slow Cooker:
Stir the sliced bell peppers and onions into the slow cooker. Cover again and cook for another 90 minutes, long enough for the vegetables to soften but not mushy.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy
Check for Doneness:
When it’s time to serve, it should be fork-shreddable, the beef tender and the vegetables tender-crisp.
Serve:
Serve the pepper steak spooned over a mound of steamed rice, noodles or — as a real treat — mashed potatoes. The sauce is rich and flavorful and it goes great with rice or potatoes, you can enjoy every bite.
Serving Suggestions:
This Slow Cooker Pepper Steak makes a wonderful meal served with a variety of sides. Here are a couple of ideas for extending your meal:
Steamed White or Brown Rice: To soak up the savory sauce with.
Egg noodles or udon noodles that will soak up the sauce for an extra hit of flavor in every mouthful. And if you’re in the mood for comfort food, serve the pepper steak atop a mound of creamy mashed potatoes — warm, hearty and filling.
For something a bit lighter with an extra nutrition boost, stir in steamed vegetables such as broccoli florets, crisp green beans or sweet snap peas.
Finish the dish with optional garnishes such as sliced fresh green onions and toasted sesame seeds for added crunch and flavor.
