RESTAURANT KITCHEN · 10 PORTIONS

Black pepper beef stir-fry for restaurant service

Aim for browned edges, crisp onion and just enough sauce to coat the beef. For 10 portions, mix the sauce once and divide the beef into four batches. Fire a batch as orders come in.

Prep before service

1.2 kg trimmed beef, sliced across the grain about 3 mm thick. Allow 120 g trimmed raw beef per portion.
350 g onion, 350 g bell pepper and 25 g minced garlic. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and drain before stir-frying.
100 g black pepper sauce, 20 ml soy sauce, 120 ml unsalted stock or water and 8 g sugar. Also set aside 40 ml cooking oil and 12 g cornstarch for marinating and stir-frying.

Four pan batches, one sauce formula

Marinate the beef. Toss the beef with 10 ml soy sauce and the cornstarch until lightly coated, then add 10 ml oil. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Divide into four 300 g portions.
Mix and taste the sauce. Mix the black pepper sauce with the stock, sugar and remaining 10 ml soy sauce. Taste with a clean spoon before the sauce touches raw meat. Divide evenly into four cups for consistent seasoning.
Stir-fry in small batches. Heat a wide pan and add a quarter of the remaining oil. Spread 300 g beef in one layer. Once browned underneath and easy to lift, toss briefly and transfer to a tray. Use a wider pan or smaller batches if the slices overlap.
Glaze and plate. Add a quarter of the garlic, onion and pepper. Toss until the onion edges turn translucent. Add one cup of the prepared sauce and bring to a simmer. Return the beef and its juices, tossing until cooked through and lightly glazed. Serve immediately and repeat.

If the pan floods or the sauce is too salty

If liquid pools, the beef may be wet or the pan crowded. Drain the next batch and reduce the pan load. If the sauce is thin, remove the cooked beef, reduce the sauce separately, then toss them together to keep the beef tender.

Taste the first batch with plain rice. If it tastes too salty, use less of the prepared sauce in the next pan and replace the difference with unsalted stock. Record the adjustment for the sauce brand in use.

Plan supplies for 30 portions

Triple the ingredients while keeping each pan batch at 300 g beef. Allow 3.6 kg beef, 300 g black pepper sauce, 60 ml soy sauce and 120 ml oil. If starting with sealed 240 g jars, use one whole jar and 60 g from a second. Store the remainder as directed on the label.

Seasonings and oil for this dish

Match the pack size on the kitchen’s purchase request.