Beef and Broccoli (Video)

An authentic Beef and Broccoli in a bowl with white rice.

4.98 from 204 votes

A quick and easy authentic Chinese Beef and Broccoli that's so much better than takeout! The beef is deliciously tender with the crispy broccoli - better than at a restaurant!

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Equipment

Ingredients

Beef

1 lb flank steak cut into 1/4" strips against the grain
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp neutral oil I used avocado oil
1 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp msg optional
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Vegetables, Oil, and Garnish

1/4 cup neutral oil
1 lb broccoli cut into 2" pieces
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 tbsp ginger chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice your beef into 1/4" strips against the grain, then add it to a bowl with with baking soda, oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, oil, and cornstarch. Mix until combined and marinate for 15 mintues.
In a small bowl, mix the suace together by combining light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil, msg, shaoxing wine, chicken stock, and cornstarch.
Bring a large pot of water (5 quarts) to boil over high heat and blanch your broccoli 30 seconds to 1 minute or until bright green and slightly softened but still firm; drain and set aside.
Add the 1/4 cup neutral oil to a wok or large pan over high heat until just smoking. Sear marinated beef strips for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Remove the beef to a tray and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan.
In the same pan over medium high heat, fry ginger and and garlic for 15 seconds. Add the broccoli and stir fry for 30 seconds.
Add back the beef followed by the premixed sauce and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and coated the beef and broccoli.
Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with freshly steamed white rice and enjoy!

Video

Notes

flank steak, cut into 1/4" strips; Make sure you are slicing the flank steak against the grain - this is an easy way to ensure your meat will be tender.
baking soda - baking soda neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which makes the beef more tender when cooked
oyster sauce - my favorite is by the brand Lee Kum Kee (with the lady on the label, not the panda)
dark soy sauce - dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter - primarily used to add color and a richer, more intense flavor.
msg - I like to use this in moderation as an optional flavor enhancer
chicken stock - if you don't have chicken stock, you can substitute with water
shaoxing wine - if you can’t use Shaoxing wine, you can substitute with sherry, mirin, or chicken stock/broth.
broccoli - avoid the pre-cut broccoli and get crowns from the store that you can cut into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Don't overblanch brocoli - other recipes may call for blanching the broccoli for 2-3 minutes; doing so will result in the broccoli turning soggy once added to the sauce. Only blanch broccoli for 30 sec - 1 min so it'll soften the broccoli slightly. It's best for the broccoli to still have a bite so it contrasts with the soft beef and sauce.

Slice against the (beef) grain - Make sure you are slicing the flank steak against the grain - this is an easy way to ensure your meat will be tender. (You are basically cutting the muscle fibers, so the beef doesn't get tough when cooked!)

Have everything ready to go! - Once you start cooking, this recipe will come together very quickly. Have your premixed sauce, noodles, and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.

Re-stir the cornstarch slurry before adding - the cornstarch will settle at the bottom as it sits, so it's important to re-stir so you have no lumps and get even thickening.

Storage and Reheating - Store any leftover Beef and Broccoli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The broccoli will soften as it sits in the refrigerator (sometimes to the point of being mushy) - this is normal. Reheat until warmed through in the microwave.

Nutrition