Beef And Broccoli Recipe

Beef and broccoli is a stir-fry which is Chinese-American in origin and consists of thin slices of beef together with broccoli florets, all being cooked in a savoury brown sauce and then served over rice. Velveting involves coating thin slices of meat with cornstarch and a small amount of liquid before cooking; the coating serves to prevent the beef from drying out when sautéed in a very hot pan and is therefore able to keep lean cuts such as flank or sirloin tender.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Faster than waiting for delivery
• Tender beef thanks to simple velveting
• Broccoli that stays bright green and crisp-tender
• Glossy sauce made from pantry staples
• Easy to adapt with chicken, shrimp or tofu
• Good for busy weeknights

Beef and Broccoli Recipe (Tender, Glossy & Ready in 35 Minutes)

: You can prepare a restaurant-style dish of beef and broccoli using velveted flank steak, crisp-tender broccoli, and a shiny garlic-ginger sauce; it takes 35 minutes to ready.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

For the beef:

• 1 lb 450 g flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda optional, for extra tenderness

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cup 60 ml low-sodium chicken or beef broth
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce optional, for colour
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

For the stir-fry:

• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil divided
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
• Cooked white rice for serving

Method

 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Peel the beef

1. And then mix it with the cornstarch, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and baking soda (if you are using) until it is evenly coated. Leave it to stand for 15 to 30 minutes.

Place the broccoli

1. In a pan and blanch it by boiling some salted water and cooking the florets for 90 seconds until they are bright green, after which drain them and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
2. Combine the sauce.
3. In a bowl, stir together the broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce and brown sugar. At the same time, keep the cornstarch slurry in a separate small bowl.

Place the beef

1. In the wok or large skillet and heat it over high heat until it starts to smoke. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and then the beef, placing it in a single layer and in batches if necessary. Do not disturb it for 45 seconds, before cooking for about a minute longer until it is browned but not fully cooked, after which transfer it to a plate.

Fry the aromatics.

1. Add the final tablespoon of oil, followed by the garlic and ginger, and stir for around 15 seconds until they are fragrant.

Make the sauce

1. More Pour in the sauce and heat it until it reaches a gentle simmer. Stir the slurry, then add it and cook for about 30 seconds until it becomes shiny and thick.

Combine the beef and broccoli

1. And toss them in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes until the beef is cooked through. If necessary, add a little extra soy sauce and then serve the mixture over hot rice.

Tips for the Best Beef and Broccoli

1. Cut the meat thin in a direction against the grain. To do this, first observe the direction of the muscle fibres and then cut across them. slicing the beef after it has been frozen for 15 to 20 minutes will make the task easier.
2. Leave the blanching step alone; by cooking the broccoli separately you prevent it having some parts that are raw or others that are mushy.
3. Turn the heat up. If the pan isn’t hot enough it will steam the beef rather than sear it.
4. Keep an eye on the baking soda timing since it works very quickly to tenderize the meat, so if you are using it the marination should not last longer than 30 minutes. If you aren’t using it, the beef can still rest in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Sort out all the ingredients first since the dish speeds up once the pan is hot.

What to Serve with Beef and Broccoli

1. The classic choice is steamed jasmine rice, which can be made more substantial with lo mein noodles and given a cool, crunchy counterpoint by a cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar. Egg drop soup or spring rolls can then be included to complete a more extensive assortment.
2. Easy Variations
3. For other proteins, you can use chicken thighs, shrimp or firm tofu (in that case, omit the baking soda).
4. Include more vegetables by adding sliced bell peppers, snap peas or baby corn.
5. If you want it to be spicy, then add a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or a few dried chilies together with the garlic.
6. For the low-carb option, serve it over cauliflower rice.

Storage and Reheating

1. You can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for a maximum of three days. To reheat it, heat it in a hot skillet together with a little water or broth to loosen the sauce. Although you can use the microwave, the sauce will lose some of its gloss. Freezing is not advised since the broccoli then becomes soft.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best cut of beef?

1. Flank steak is the traditional choice and sirloin and skirt steak can also be used if they are sliced thin against the grain.

What makes my beef chewy?

1. It is because the slices were cut with the grain, the meat was overcooked, or the pan had not been heated sufficiently.
2. Yes, you can use frozen broccoli, but it will be softer; thaw it, pat it dry and then add it at the end rather than blanching it.

What is an alternative to oyster sauce?

1. Hoisin sauce is the best substitute; use the same quantity and cut back a bit on the brown sugar.
2. What is an alternative to Shaoxing wine? Dry sherry is the typical substitute.

Notes

When preparing beef and broccoli at home it all comes down to technique—you need to velvet the beef, cook the broccoli separately and maintain a high heat. Once you’ve got the method, feel free to vary the protein or the vegetables. If you’ve tried it, please share your results in the comments, mentioning any alterations you made.