Want to know how to make beef in black bean sauce that’s better than the takeaway?
Beef in black bean sauce it one of those Chinese restaurant favourites that can most definitely be made even better at home. I have been making this recipe for three decades and the information I give you here will put you on your way to beef in black bean sauce perfection.
There are a few shortcuts you can take but I hope you don’t. Still, I will give you those shortcuts in this post along with the way I make beef and black bean sauce when only the best will do.
About this beef in black bean sauce recipe.
With this recipe you really can cheat. Use shop bought black bean sauce if you must but you will prefer my homemade black bean sauce. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and you can make it a couple of days ahead of serving your beef in black bean sauce.
Another thing you could do is simply thinly slice some beef and add it to the pan. So many recipes will tell you to do just that but I always use velveted beef for my stir fries. Velveting is a method of tenderising the beef which, like the black bean sauce is another step but a step well worth taking.
Both recipes for the black bean sauce and how to velvet beef are in the recipe card below but if you’d like to work ahead, just click on the links and get started. There are step by step photos in both recipes.
How is the black bean sauce prepared?
Although you will find the ingredients and method for the black bean sauce in the recipe card below, I have written a special post on black bean sauce where you will see step by step photographs.
All you need to do to make this homemade sauce for your beef in black bean dinner is finely chop about 4 tablespoons of Chinese fermented black beans. These are then fried with aromatics such as garlic, ginger and spring onions (scallions) along with a few flavour boosters such as Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce and chicken stock.
You will find my post on making black bean sauce here. It keeps for at least a week in the fridge and also freezes well if you want to make extra.
How do you substitute a commercial brand of black bean sauce?
If you must or if time is an issue, you can use a shop-bought black bean sauce. Your beef in black bean sauce will be better if you make your own so please consider doing this.
When adding a commercial brand of black bean sauce, start by adding about 2 tablespoons. Taste it before serving and add more to taste if needed. You add more of the homemade black bean sauce because there are so many other complimentary ingredients such as ginger, garlic and spring onions that bulk it up.
How do you velvet the beef?
Velveting the beef will produce really tender meat so it is an important step if you want beef in black bean sauce that’s as good as if not better than the Chinese takeaway.
Although the process of velveting the beef is really easy, you also need to ensure that you slice the meat thinly against the grain. Both the slicing and the velveting techniques are explained in my blog post velveting beef with step by step photos.
To velvet the beef, you just need to add a little bicarbonate of soda (baking soda US) and mix it well into the beef with a little water.
How long can you keep leftovers in the fridge?
You can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then you just need to heat it up in your microwave or heat up a wok and let it heat through.
Can you freeze leftover Beef in Black Bean Sauce?
Yes! This dish freezes really well. Just be sure to freeze it in portion sizes that are convenient for you. You can freeze it for up to 6 months with little loss of flavour.
Step by step photographs.

Get all your ingredients together before you start frying. In the photo, I have already prepared homemade black bean sauce and velveted the beef.

Heat about 500ml (2 cups) of oil in a wok until bubbles form and it is glistening. Then flash fry the meat in batches for about a minute to brown. Transfer to a paper towel and set aside.
Note about the beef in the photo.
This beef was prepared using my velveting beef recipe and was also marinated as in that recipe. It is really worth a try. Marinating the meat as in that recipe takes it all up a few notches!

Pour out all but about 2 tbsp of the oil and place your wok over a high heat. When the oil begins to glisten, add the onion petals and fry them for a minute or so.

Add the bell peppers and spring onions (scallions) Stir it all up and fry for another couple of minutes.

Add the velveted beef to the wok. If you are starting with raw sliced beef, please see the note in the recipe card below.

Add one batch of black bean sauce. If using a commercial brand, add about 2 tablespoons. You can always add more to taste later.

Stir it all up to combine and then pour in 125ml (1/2 cup) chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.

Add the slurry to the sauce to thicken it. If it becomes too thick, just add a little more stock.

Continue simmering to cook the sauce down until you are happy with the consistency.

Check for seasoning and add soy sauce, if needed for a more savoury flavour, sugar for sweetness and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serve it up and garnish with slices spring onions (scallions) and sesame seeds.

Dig in!
If you like this beef in black bean sauce recipe, you might like to try some of the following Chinese recipes too!
I am adding new Chinese recipes to my blog regularly so be sure to check out the Chinese section often. For now, why not try some of these Chinese-American classics?
-
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Crispy Chicken and Broccoli
- Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Sesame Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Dan Dan Noodles
- Orange Chicken
- Hainan Chicken
- Spicy Chicken Chow Mein
- Mongolian Beef
- Chinese Crispy Beef
- Egg Drop Soup
- Spicy Won Ton Soup
- Egg Fried Rice
- Potstickers
- Chinese Chicken Curry
- Black Bean Noodles
Have you tried this beef in black bean sauce recipe?
If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.
Beef in Black Bean Sauce

This recipe for beef in black bean sauce also includes how to prepare the black bean sauce and how to velvet the beef. Making these is not calculated into the preparation and cooking time. These recipes are there for convenience. If you have already velveted your beef and made the black bean sauce, you can skip down to 'Finishing the recipe' in the method.
Ingredients
- FOR THE BLACK BEAN SAUCE
- 4 tbsp fermented black beans
- 1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (more or less to taste)
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated or caster sugar
- 250ml (1 cup) unsalted or low sodium chicken stock
- 1 tbsp corn flour (cornstarch) mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
- VELVETING THE BEEF
- 500g (1 ¼ lbs.) beef skirt, flank, rump or chuck, sliced thinly against the grain
- 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- TO FINISH
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or corn oil
- 1 onion, quartered and divided and sliced into small petals
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds and membrane removed and cut into small pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed and cut into small piece
- 500g (1 ¼ lbs.) beef skirt, flank, rump or chuck, sliced thinly against the grain
- All of the prepared black bean sauce or two tablespoons shop-bought black bean sauce
- 125ml (1/2 cup) water
- 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced to garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, to garnish
Instructions
- VELVETING THE BEEF
- Velveting the beef will produce tender and juicy meat. To do this add 1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) to the meat and add 70ml (1/4 cup) water.
- Mix it all up to coat and allow to sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Then rinse the bicarbonate of soda off the meat and dry it with a paper towel.
- If you prepare the meat using my velveting beef recipe and cook it, it's ready to add to the stir fry. If starting with raw meat, par-cook it in 500ml (2 cups} oil over a high heat. The oil is ready for frying when you stick a wooden chopstick or spatula in it and thousands of little bubbles from on contact. Add the meat and brown it on the exterior for about a minute. This should be done in batches so that the oil remains hot. The meat should be browned on the exterior but still rare or medium rare in the centre.
- Set aside.
- TO MAKE THE BLACK BEAN SAUCE
- To make the black bean sauce, finely chop the black beans. Do not rinse or soak them. There is no need for that.
- Set about a quarter of the chopped beans to one side and smash the rest. You can smash them as much as you like but I usually only coursely smash them to achieve different textures in the dish.
- Heat the oils in a wok over medium high heat and stir in the chopped garlic, ginger and spring onions (scallions). Fry for about a minute to soften and then add the onion petals and bell peppers.
- Fry for a further three minutes and then stir in the chopped and smashed black beans, sugar, vinegar, rice wine or dry sherry and dark soy sauce.
- Stir well to combine and then pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the slurry to thicken the sauce and reduce it down by about half until you have a thick black bean sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
- TO FINISH THE RECIPE
- Heat the oils in a wok over high heat. When visibly hot, stir in the onion petals and fry for about a minute and then add the chopped bell peppers. Fry these for another three minutes.
- Add the par-cooked beef and stir it all up to combine. Then add the black bean sauce. If using a shop-bought sauce, only add two tablespoons. You can always top it up later if you want more.
- Stir in the water and bring it to a simmer. Then add the slurry to thicken the sauce. If your sauce becomes too thick for your liking, just add a little more water.
- Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
- Finally, taste it. If you require more salt (you probably won't) add some soy sauce or salt. If you prefer a sweeter flavour, stir in some sugar or honey to taste.
- Garnish with the sliced spring onions (scallions) and sesame seeds and serve hot over white rice.
Notes
If starting with raw velveted or not velveted meat, fry this before starting with the rest of the dish.
My recipe for velveting beef includes an additional marinade which is not included in this recipe. Give it a try for more amazing flavour.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 390Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 1615mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 23g