Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle is an amazing dish with sizzling tender sukiyaki beef, pepper, rice and a delicious Amakuchi and Karakuchi sauces that can be on your table in less than 30 minutes. 
Have you ever eaten at a Pepper Lunch restaurant?
Pepper Lunch is not a high-end luxury dining experience by any means. As a matter of fact, you have to first place your order into a vending machine and pick out your items to get your food ticket and to retrieve your food.
However please don't misconstrue. Of course, there are not waitresses fluttering about you waiting on you hand in foot. However, their signature dish is simple, quick, inexpensive, filling, hot, delicious and served to you in a matter of moments.
Two Special Japanese sauces for Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle
- Amakuchi sauce which is sometimes called Special Honey Brown Sauce, Pepper Steak Honey Brown Sauce, Japanese honey brown sauce.
- Karakuchi sauce sometimes called the Garlic-Soy Sauce or Pepper Lunch Steak sauce.
I first posted this recipe on November 17, 2011 and I have made this Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle dish about a million times since then for my family. I have added some helpful hints and I have sorted out the recipe for both the Amakuchi and Karakuchi sauce to the best of my tasting abilities.
You are never going to believe this but they just put in a Pepper Lunch restaurant walking distance from my home, here in Hong Kong. Life is good! However, when I don't feel like fighting the crowds or walking 20 minutes, making this dish at home is a great alternative.
History of the Pepper Lunch Restaurant
According to Wikipedia, Pepper Lunch restaurant originated in Japan in 1994 by chef and inventor Kunio Ichinose, who wanted to serve quality fast food without hiring a chef. He devised a method using hot metal plates that are heated to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 Celsius) by an electromagnetic cooker. The raw meat with vegetables and/or rice are then placed on the plates, where they cook in front of the customer.
The meal is then mixed with a choice of either the special honey brown sauce (Amakuchi) or garlic soy sauce (Karakuchi). Now there are over 200 restaurants in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Macau, Philippines and USA.
Signature Dish
The signature dish of "Pepper Lunch Restaurant" is their sizzling beef and rice platter. Hands down this type of food that teenagers will come flocking to as it consists of everything they deem edible in Asia in one easy dish; rice, beef, corn and the special yummy sauces.
"There is Always Rice"
You know the everyday struggle I have with raising and feeding teenagers in Asia... "Eww! Are we are on the show fear factor? My goodness, what is that? I am soooooo not eating that. (Grilled squid on a stick, Fried blood, chicken feet, 1000 year old eggs, congee, snake,eel, mystery like meat substances with lots of bones, the list goes on and on). Need I say more????
So our famous family motto is, "There is always rice!" Plain white rice is pure and filling. In addition, rice can be used as way to hide the other weird mysterious foods that end up on your plate during those executive meetings and or other such functions. My teenagers all know the drill, move your food around on your plate, pretend to enjoy and smile while eating the items placed on your plate or hide the weird stuff on the bottom of your rice pile.
Why you are going to love Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle
However, men cannot live on rice alone, so that is why this signature Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle dish is a perfect family retreat in Asia. Of course it is fun to eat this dish out at the Pepper Lunch restaurant, but it is just as fun, easy and simple to make this dish at home. After several visits to this establishment, here is what I think they put into their signature dishes. (give or take a few ingredients)
Sukiyaki Beef
I use sukiyaki beef that is very thin and delicious and here is a photo of it, if you are wondering what it is. Now don't worry if you cannot find sukiyaki beef you can just use a sirloin or other tasty tender cut of meat you like and slice it ultra thin and against the grain. Some other delicious recipes using sukiyaki beef would be our Sukiyaki Beef Udon and our Asian Beef Roll Ups
Helpful Cooking Hints
1) Using an iron skillet is best as it really holds the heat and can cook the beef even after it is off the burner. However, I do not have 4 iron skillets and I need to use regular skillets for the rest of our family. No worries you will just have to keep the regular pan on the burner for an additional 3-5 minutes to cook the beef and to get the rice crunchy.
2) The crunchy rice on the bottom is the best part. I like to keep my pan on the burner for the additional couple of minutes just to get that delicious rice crunchy.
3) You do not have to use beef, if you are vegan substitute vegetables such as colorful peppers and zuchinni, eggplant or even fried tofu.
4) Many people use super thin slices of fatty salmon or tuna belly instead of beef or even super thin slices of pork.
5) If you cannot find super thin and beautiful sukiyaki beef at the store , then try purchasing a sirloin steak, put it in the freezer so it gets firm and then cut into super thin slices. Make sure it is unthawed and dried all the way before cooking.
6) If you need to follow a gluten free diet then please substitute soy sauce with tamari and you can have the garlic- soy (Karakuchi sauce). However you cannot have the honey -soy sauce mixture as the oyster sauce is not gluten free. If you really want to try an alteration to the honey -soy sauce, remove the oyster sauce and replace with ¼ cup water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and mix until it is a slurry and add to the honey soy mixture and cook until bubbly and thick.
7) If you are diabetic, you can still enjoy the beef but instead of the rice sizzle add some vegetables. Instead of the honey in the honey soy mixture add a sugar alternative to taste.
8) Kids and adults both love this dish!
Delicious Japanese Side Dishes to go along with your Pepper Lunch Steak
Garlicky Sesame Stir Fried Beans
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This is our re-engineering of the recipe just by taste and watching them make it in the restaurant. Feel free to adjust ingredients/amounts and let us know how it goes.
Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle
Ingredients
Amakuchi (Honey - Soy Sauce)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup tamari (soy) sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon water
Karakuchi (Garlic-Soy Sauce)
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic
peeled and minced - ½ cup tamari (soy) sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
ground - ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Pepper Lunch Beef (serves 4)
- 4 tablespoon canola oil
(1 tablespoon per person) - 1 onion
Large onion chopped finely (¼ onion per person) - 2 cloves garlic
peeled and minced (½ garlic clove per person) - 4 cups precooked japanese white rice (1 cup per person)
- 1.5 pounds sukiyaki beef
If you cannot find sukiyaki beef, you can use sirloin and freeze and then cut ultra thin - 1 teaspoon pepper
(¼ teaspoon per person) - 1 cup corn (can use cooked fresh, frozen or even canned)- ¼ cup per person
- 4 teaspoon butter (1 teaspoon per person) or margarine if you need to keep it dairy free.
- 2 tablespoon green onions thinly sliced for garnish - optional
Instructions
- Make the special honey brown sauce (Amakuchi). In a small pan add honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce mix and water. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes and set aside.
- Make the garlic soy sauce (Karakuchi). In a small pan add your oil and then add your garlic and just sauté until slightly aromatic then add the tamari (soy sauce) and pepper. Mix the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry and then slowly add to karakuchi sauce and cook until boils and slightly thickens. Set aside.
- Make your Pepper Lunch Steak. In an iron skillet or a heavy duty pan, heat up your pan to a high heat, add your oil, onions and garlic and cook just until aromatic, add 1 cup of rice (per person) in the middle of the pan, then add the beef around the rice. sprinkle pepper on your beef, add the corn on top of rice and then place a dab of butter on top of your corn/rice mixture.
- It is at this point that in the restaurant pepper lunch they would remove from the heat and serve to you. It is up to you but if you have 4 iron skillets and can get the pans super hot to cook the meat then by all means remove from the heat and serve. However, I only have one iron skillet, and only 3 burners and 3 regular pans and 4 mouths so feed.
- For those of you that do not have an iron skillet or really like their beef more well done or even crispy then keep on cooking for a little bit (3-5 minutes) and turn over the beef and let the rice get a little crunchy on the bottom as that is my absolute favorite part.
- Garnish your pepper lunch steak and rice sizzle with a little green onion and serve with both the delicious special honey brown sauce (Amakuchi) and garlic soy sauce (Karakuchi). Enjoy!
- Bring the Japanese Pepper Lunch Beef Sizzle piping hot to the table in the iron skillet pan and set on an oven safe mitten. (Be Careful, it is VERY hot) Yummy served with edamame and Japanese pickles on the side. ITADAKIMASU! - Lets Eat!
Caleb - Never Ending Journeys says
Such an irresistibly delicious meal! The combination of steak and rice sounds so tasty, especially with the addition of pepper. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
HWC Magazine says
Thank you. Pepper Lunch is one of favorite casual restaurants in Japan, such delicious simple flavors. We wanted to recreate that at home for the everyday cook. So, we hope you give our sauces a try. Stay well and take care
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
I could eat this dish everyday, your flavors are outstanding. I so appreciated all of your helpful tips and tricks for preparing this dish!!
HWC Magazine says
Thanks Heidi! This is a family favorite. There are a few Pepper Lunch restaurants around the world. When you can't get to one, this copycat recipe is pretty authentic.
Liz says
Ooh, this sounds fantastic! I'm a sucker for Asian flavors with beef. And don't you love those posts from a decade ago? I'm spending most of my blog time fixing them, LOL!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Liz! OMG for sure, with over 10 years of recipes we have a lot to update. However, the bones of this pepper Lunch recipe is solid. We make it all of the time. However, Need to update those photos from back in the day.
Kevin says
Just like Japan! The trick is the sauce. So glad to find a recipe for it. Thanks BAM
HWC Magazine says
Thanks Kevin. The dipping sauces are the best. It just would not be pepper lunch without them.
Jenny says
Tried this today! Turned out really good and similar to pepper lunch we had outside!! Will definitely make it again!
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Jenny . Delighted to hear that you enjoyed our Pepper lunch recipe. The sauces really make this recipe special. Wishing you a super week ahead.
Jake says
Excellent and authentic -- I can imagine putting my yen into the machine by the factory right now...
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Jake. Yes, this recipe tastes just like the Pepper Lunches in Asia. However, the great news is now you can make this recipe from the comfort of your own home. Take Care
Tina A says
So great! A huge hit for dinner tonight. I tripled the beef but would not recommend tripling the sauce (way too much). Also, I cooked the onions first until they were nicely browned (I don’t like raw onions) and then added the garlic until it became aromatic. I can envision adding mushrooms and a fried egg to this dish. It will be a staple for us! Thank you!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Tina! So happy to hear our Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle was a hit at your house too. The great part about this recipe is that it is so customizable and the addition of mushrooms and a fried egg on top would be delicious. Wishing you a super week ahead.
Aubry says
I am always looking for these one pan dinners. I have to try this one.
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Aubry. Pepper Lunch is a recipe that our family requests all of the time.
Becky says
I am so surprise. This is taste like my auntie makes. So easy to get sauce to be good tasting. I will make again.
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Becky. We are delighted to hear that you are enjoying our sauces for Pepper Lunch. Stay well and take care
Kyle says
His was so easy to make. And the taste is very authentic.
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Kyle! So happy to hear that you think it tastes pretty similar to the restaurant Pepper Lunch.
Kevin says
This is exactly like Yokohama. Mmmmmm
HWC Magazine says
Thanks Kevin. Have you ever been to the Pepper Lunch at the bottom of the Yokohama Station? That is one of our favorite places to enjoy Pepper Lunch or at home. Take Care
Raul says
Our favorite part is when the rice gets crispy on the bottom and those delicious sauces. So good!
HWC Magazine says
That is our favorite part too Raul! That crispy rice on the bottom is so addicting. Wishing you a super week ahead.
Charlynn Yap says
Can i use kikkoman instead of tamari? Or lee kum kee premium soy sauce? Which do you think is better?
HWC Magazine says
Hi Charlynn! Feel free to use Kikkoman or any soy sauce of choice. We always say use what you have on hand. That is the best choice (smiling). Many of our readers need a gluten free diet so we recommend Tamari sauce as a substitute. Stay well and take care
Nakano Mila says
Thanks for the recipe.. pepper lunch is one of my favorite food..
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Nakano-san! It is one of our favorite recipes to make at home too. The boys love it. Stay well and take care
HWC Magazine says
Domo arigato Nakano-san! We are delighted you are enjoying our Pepper Lunch Steak and Rice Sizzle recipe. Be sure to also check out our other Japanese Cuisine Recipes too https://www.hwcmagazine.com/recipe-category/international-cuisines/japanese-cuisine/. Ja Mata
Raul says
We have a iron skillet. I know how to use it now. Haha
HWC Magazine says
Iron skillets are one of our favorite kitchen pans. They really generate the heat to cook quickly and make that delicious little crispy bottom to the rice.