Spicy Ginger Pepper Steak

Why This Spicy Ginger Pepper Steak Works

During the short marinade, soy sauce and salt start to work their way into the flank steak, so the meat seasons all the way through instead of just on the outside. Ginger and garlic sit on the surface and cling to the meat, so they stay with it in the pan. The black pepper and red pepper flakes stay mostly on the outside too, so the heat hits right away when someone bites into it.

Once the steak hits the hot oil, the outside browns fast. That browning gives the meat a deeper taste and also keeps the inside more tender and juicy. After the steak comes out, the same pan is used for the onions and peppers. They soften and drop some of their liquid into the pan, which loosens up the browned bits left from the steak.

When the steak goes back in and the cornstarch and water mixture is added, the liquid in the pan thickens and turns into a glossy sauce that sticks to the meat and vegetables instead of running all over the plate.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the flank steak sit in the marinade for hours instead of about 30 minutes can make the surface mushy. The salt and soy start breaking down the outside of the meat, so it loses its nice chew and can turn pasty once it hits the pan.

Cooking the steak over low heat causes it to steam in its own juices instead of searing. The pieces sit in liquid, turn gray, and the pan never gets hot enough to give those browned edges that keep the inside juicy.

Crowding the pan with all the steak at once in a small skillet often leads to pale, tough meat. Too many pieces drop the pan temperature, so they release water, boil in it, and then tighten up as the liquid finally cooks off.

Adding the cornstarch mixture before the steak and vegetables are fully heated together makes the sauce thicken too early. The liquid gels around cooler ingredients, so the sauce can turn gluey in spots and stay thin in others.