Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak

I really enjoy having something simmering on the stove for awhile.   It makes the whole house smell so good, and I like to have the time to clean up the kitchen and relax before dinner is served.  For some reason, I enjoy dinner so much more if I'm not rushing around timing the dishes, cleaning up after myself, and trying to get everyone to the table at the same time.  While this recipe requires quite a bit of cook time, prep is at a minimum and it doesn't use a lot of pots and pans.  For me, that makes it an excellent weeknight option.

Another bonus about this particular recipe is that it makes so much food!
I make it with plenty of sauce and usually cook up a pound of egg noodles, then mix it all up before serving.  This really stretches the expensive meat, but gives lots of flavor.  You can easily serve 6-8 people from one batch, or if there are only a couple of you in your household, it makes fantastic lunches for several days.  This dish is very good the first night, but I think that the flavors meld really well overnight, so it reheats beautifully.

One note about the meat that I use...  Typically, I make pepper steak with a decent round steak.  I trim it and slice it, then brown it a little before cooking.  Recently, however, we found a prepared pepper steak at our local meat market.  It comes in a 5-lb box full of what looks like very thin hamburger patties.  The meat market tenderizes and flattens the meat, embeds it with peppers, onions, and spices, and packages it in round, patty-like pieces.  It's so good!!!  Don't get me wrong, I love using "real" steak, but sometimes it can be temperamental - cook it too long, it gets tough, don't trim/cut it correctly, it's stringy.  When prepared correctly, there is no substitute.  But if I'm super busy, or can't find a cut of beef that I like (or that I can afford), the prepared pepper steak is a lifesaver - so tender and flavorful, it's practically fool-proof.  So don't be afraid to experiment with both and find out what works best for your family.

Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak

2 - 2 1/2 lbs beef (see note above)
2 T oil, if using round steak
2 green bell peppers, in 1" slices
1 onion, in 1" slices

14.5 oz can Italian diced tomatoes 
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 c soy sauce
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t sugar
ground pepper, to taste
1/2 t ground ginger
1 can rotel, optional
red pepper flakes, optional
1 - 2 T cornstarch
noodles or rice


*If using round steak, trim fat off and cut in slices 1/2" thick and approx. 2 - 3" long.  Brown steak in oil in large pot (it needs to hold at least 6 quarts).  If using prepared pepper steak, cut in slices 1" wide and 2-3" long, and don't worry about browning them - just put it in the pot.


*Add onion and bell pepper.  Continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, pepper, and ginger, as well as any optional ingredients desired (If I'm using round steak, I will often add the rotel and red peppers for an extra kick.  The prepared pepper steak doesn't need it, however).


*Bring to boil, then reduce heat to med-low, cover, and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Depending on your meat, you may need to add some more chicken broth.  Don't be afraid to - you can always simmer it for awhile with the lid off if you make it too soupy.


*About 10 minutes before serving, ladle out 1 cup of broth from the pot into a large bowl.  Add cornstarch, whisk well until there are no lumps.  Add back to steak, leave uncovered, and return to a simmer.


*Serve over hot rice or noodles.  The sauce will thicken some more as it stands.