Last Updated on February 7, 2025 by Carne Diem
Protein: Beef
Origin: Taste of the Islands, Jamaican
Method: Stovetop
Jump to RecipeLooking for a quick, flavorful, and exciting beef dish? Look no further than Jamaican Pepper Steak. This vibrant recipe combines tender strips of beef with colorful bell peppers in a rich, savory sauce with a kick of Scotch bonnet pepper, a staple in Jamaican pantry staples. While it shares similarities with Chinese pepper steak, the Jamaican version has its own distinct character, thanks to the unique blend of spices and the fiery Scotch bonnet chile. This is a popular stir-fried dish that is sure to become a favorite.
Table of contents
Making Jamaican Pepper Steak at Home
Jamaican cuisine is known for its bold flavors and generous use of spices. This Jamaican pepper steak recipe is no exception. The combination of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce creates a deep umami base, while the Scotch bonnet adds a signature heat that's balanced by the sweetness of the bell peppers. This recipe is a must-try for any fan of Jamaican food.
Pepper Steak Ingredients: What You'll Need
To make this easy and flavorful Caribbean stir-fry dish you will need just a handful of common ingredients. Many of the ingredients have simple substitutions if you are missing something.
2 pounds of steak: We typically use top sirloin steak as it is an affordable cut with great flavor and tenderness. Other cuts like round, NY strip, or even ribeye or flank steak can also be used. Once you select your steak, slice the meat into thin strips (about ¼-inch thick). Be sure to cut the meat against the grain.
Peppers: You will need 3 bell peppers for the pepper steak recipe. We use a variety of colors because we love the pop of color they add to the dish. Prep the bell peppers by cutting into thin strips.
You will also need 2-3 hot chiles. Scotch Bonnet are traditional, but you can substitute habanero if that is all you can find. When prepping the hot chiles, use caution, and gloves are not a bad idea. For a medium spicy level, we recommend removing the stems and seeds from all of the chiles. Dice 1 of the chiles and halve the other 2. If you want a milder spice level, leave the chiles whole or halved. To really kick up the heat, dice the other Scotch Bonnet chiles too.
4 cloves garlic: You will need about 4 garlic cloves, minced, for the recipe.
Liquid seasonings: Traditionally they will use Browning seasoning in Jamaica and the Caribbean. If you cannot find Browning seasoning, a mixture of oyster sauce and soy sauce also works well. A small addition of Worcestershire sauce is a great addition as well no matter which you chose to use. We like using a mixture of all of these liquid ingredients, but if you cannot find Browning seasoning, double the oyster sauce and Worcestershire sauce in the recipe.
Spices and Seasonings: The beef is primary seasoned with and all-purpose seasoning (We use a mix of Jerk Seasoning and Beef Seasoning), garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and Kosher salt. Combine the spices together and mix well.
Additional and Optional Ingredients:
To finish off the recipe you will need about 1 cup of beef broth and a few tablespoons of cooking oil to cook the beef and pepper stir-fry.
Hot pepper sauce: a little hot sauce is an optional (but great) addition to the Jamaican beef stir-fry. You can add to taste depending on how spicy you want the dish to be. A Jamaican or Caribbean style hot sauce or one made with Scotch Bonnet peppers are perfect, as is Pick-a Pepper sauce.
We also use some Green Seasoning, which is traditional in many Caribbean dishes. If you do not have access to Green Seasoning, it can be omitted.
Let's Get Cooking the Jamaican Pepper Steak Recipe
Prepare the Beef: Bring the beef steak to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before cooking. This helps ensure even cooking. Slice beef into thin strips of meat against the grain. Season the strips of beef with half of the spice mix.
Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, Browning sauce, and hot sauce. Add the Green seasoning as well if you are including it.
Cook the Beef: Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the beef strips in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan) and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef strips, adding additional olive oil if needed.
Sauté the Vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Next, add the sliced bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until slightly softened, then add the minced garlic and diced Scotch bonnet pepper and cook for another minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the rest of the ingredients: Next, add the beef broth and bring to a brief boil. Add the cooking sauce, seasoning mix and halved hot chiles. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes, until starting to thicken.
Combine and Simmer: Return the cooked beef to the skillet with the stir-fried bell peppers. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the steak is cooked to your desired doneness.
Chinese stir-fry has inspired dishes across the globe. Here are some of our favorite international stir fry recipes:
- Peruvian Lomo Saltado: Sirloin Steak and Fry Stir-fry
- Spicy Trinidad Style Pepper Shrimp Recipe
- Thai Holy Basil Stir Fry: Pad Krapow
- Spicy Szechuan Dan Dan Noodles with Pork
- Chinese Ants Climbing a Tree: Ma Yi Shang Shu
Serve: Serve the Jamaican pepper steak immediately over rice or with your favorite sides like plantains or Puerto Rican Arroz Con Gandules: Rice with Pigeon Peas or Caribbean Coconut Rice and Black Beans.
Tips and Variations
- Scotch Bonnet Caution: Scotch bonnet peppers are extremely hot. Use them sparingly, especially if you're not used to spicy food. You can remove the seeds and membranes to reduce the heat. If you’re very sensitive to heat, you can substitute with a milder hot pepper or omit it altogether. You can also cut the heat by cooking with the whole or halved chiles instead of mincing them.
- Beef Tenderness: Slicing the beef against the grain is crucial for achieving tender strips of beef.
- Don't Overcook the Beef: Overcooking will result in tough, dry beef. The goal is to achieve a juicy texture and nicely browned steak pieces.
- Spice Level: Adjust the amount of Scotch bonnet pepper and hot pepper sauce to your desired spice level.
- Vegetable Variations: You can add other vegetables to this dish, such as onions, carrots, or mushrooms.
- Storage: Leftover Jamaican pepper steak can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Make this a Caribbean feast with more of our Jamaican and Caribbean recipes:
- Grilled Jamaican Jerk Chicken
- Grilled Jamaican Beef Patties
- Grilled Red Snapper Escovitch
- Jamaican Jerk Chicken Rasta Pasta
- Caribbean Coconut Rice and Black Beans
- Roasted Chicken and Shrimp Curry Stuffed Coconuts
- Karni Stoba: Caribbean Beef Stew
- Keshi Yena: Aruban Meat Stuffed Cheese
- Spicy Trinidad Style Pepper Shrimp Recipe
This Jamaican Pepper Steak is a quick beef dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. With its bold flavors and satisfying textures, this recipe card is sure to impress your family and friends. Enjoy this exciting taste of Jamaican cuisine!
Frequently Asked Questions
Use tender cuts like sirloin, or round steak. Flank steak is another popular choice. These cuts are lean and tender, ideal for quick cooking.
The recipe includes Scotch Bonnet chiles. These peppers are very hot, but the level of spiciness can be adjusted by using fewer peppers or removing the seeds. Some recipes also use milder peppers to balance the heat. The overall heat level of the dish is easily adjusted.
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📖 Recipe
Jamaican Pepper Steak Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Top Sirloin Steak
- 3 Bell Peppers Assorted Colors
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 2-3 Scotch Bonnet Peppers Halved, seeds and stems removed
Seasoning Mix
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoons Jerk Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Beef Seasoning or BBQ Rub
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Liquid Flavoring
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Browning Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Green Seasoning optional
- 1-2 teaspoons Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Cut the steaks into thin strips and place in a bowl. Cut the bell peppers into strips and place in a second bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the seasoning ingredients and mix to combine. In a 2nd bowl combine all of the liquid ingredients except the beef broth.
- Season the beef strips with half of the seasoning mix. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large pan. Bring to medium heat or about 350 degrees. Working in batches, as to not overcrowd the pan, brown the beef strips, then remove to a bowl. The beef just needs to be browned, not cooked through.
- Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the bell pepper strips. Sauté the peppers until softened. Add in the minced garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the beef broth and bring to a brief boil. Stir in the remaining liquid ingredients, remaining seasoning, and hot peppers. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the beef strips back to the pan, stir to combine, and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the steak is cooked to your desired doneness. Try not to overcook the steak.
Chris
Has become a family favorite for my spice loving family. Easy to make and full of flavor.