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Pepper Steak in a Crock Pot

Pepper steak in a crock pot with tender thin-sliced flank steak and crisp-tender bell peppers in a glossy soy-ginger sauce. Slow-cooked until steak is fork-tender, then thickened with a quick cornstarch slurry for a rich coating over white rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pepper steak base
  • 2 lb flank steak Thinly sliced against the grain.
  • 1 red bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 green bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 yellow bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 onion Sliced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water For the cornstarch slurry.
  • 1 cooked white rice for serving
  • 1 sesame seeds For garnish.
  • 1 green onions For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Slow-cook the steak and peppers
  1. Place the sliced flank steak in the slow cooker.
  2. Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic on top of the steak.
  3. Whisk together the soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and fresh ginger, then pour the mixture over the steak and vegetables.
  4. Cook on low for 5–6 hours or on high for 2.5–3 hours until the steak is tender.
Thicken the sauce and serve
  1. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together, then stir the slurry into the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the steak.
  3. Serve the pepper steak over white rice, then garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For best texture, slice the flank steak thinly against the grain so it stays tender during the long cook. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently until steaming. Freeze the pepper steak (sauce and meat) for up to 2 months, but garnish with fresh sesame seeds and green onions after reheating. For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar to 1 tablespoon (add 1 extra tablespoon beef broth if the sauce tastes too sharp).