Best Beef & Broccoli Recipe (2024)

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Ingredients Directions FAQs

A quintessential Chinese-American dish, beef and broccoli is a classic that graces the menu at almost every takeout spot across the country. In terms of popularity, it's right up there with orange chicken, and for very good reason: The combination of tender, seared beef and broccoli tossed in a garlicky, velvety sauce is practically impossible to resist. Ready to learn a few tricks to help you master this simple stir-fry? Read on for tips for getting perfect results every time.

What kind of steak should I buy?Flank steak is the classic choice for beef and broccoli. It's marbled with fat, full of beefy flavor, and easy to cut into super-thin, tender slices. But flank isn't the only option. Skirt steak will give you a very similar result, and if you're watching your wallet, sirloin is another great choice. Just be sure to get a piece with a bit of a fat cap on it.

Should I cut the steak before or after cooking?
Always cut the meat before cooking stir-fry! The goal is to cook everything quickly and evenly at a super-high temperature so large pieces of meat would burn on the outside before cooking through. Remember to slice the meat against the grain (perpendicular to the meat's muscle fibers)!

Should I marinate the meat?
Absolutely. Slicing the meat thin against the grain means that a marinade will actually be able to provide some flavor after only 20 minutes instead of just sitting on the surface. A combo of soy sauce, dry sherry, vinegar, and brown sugar will provide the perfect balance of umami, acid, and just a hint of sweetness. To make sure the meat is extra-tender, we employed a Chinese tenderizing technique called velveting: Cornstarch is added to the marinade that our steak sits in for around 20 minutes before cooking. Not only does adding cornstarch help tenderize the meat, but when added to our sauce, it also helps transform it into the velvety consistency we all know and love.

Tip: To avoid your sauce becoming overly salty, make sure that you’re using low-sodium soy sauce. We recommend mixing all of your marinade ingredients together and tasting before adding your salt, so you can adjust the salt levels as needed.

How do I get a good sear on my meat?
Get your skillet H-O-T. Like any stir-fry, the cooking process for beef and broccoli is hot and fast. Preheat your skillet for at least 2 minutes before adding the oil, and test the surface heat with a drop of water. The water should bead up and dance across the surface of the skillet before evaporating. Once you have a hot skillet, cook the beef in batches so that the pan isn't too crowded.

Serving ideas.
This dish just begs to be piled next to steaming white rice, topped with toasted sesame seeds and scallions. If you're looking for side ideas, you can't go wrong with some pan-fried noodles, scallion pancakes, or smashed cucumber salad.

If you've given this recipe a try, we'd love to hear your thoughts down below! Leave us a comment and a rating to let us know how you liked it.

Yields:
4 - 6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Cal/Serv:
609

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp.

    dry sherry or shaoxing wine

  • 2 tbsp.

    unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 1/2 tsp.

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 tsp.

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/3 c.

    plus 1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce, divided

  • 2 tbsp.

    plus 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, divided

  • 2 tbsp.

    light brown sugar, divided

  • 1 1/2 lb.

    flank or skirt steak, sliced very thin against the grain

  • 4

    cloves garlic

  • 1

    (1/2") piece ginger, peeled

  • 2

    scallions

  • 2

    small heads broccoli

  • 2/3 c.

    low-sodium beef broth

  • 2 tbsp.

    oyster sauce

  • 2 tsp.

    sriracha (optional)

  • 3 tbsp.

    vegetable oil, divided

  • Toasted sesame seeds andwhite rice, for serving

Directions

    1. Step1In a medium bowl, combine sherry, vinegar, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Add steak and toss to coat. Let sit 20 minutes.
    2. Step2Meanwhile, finely chop garlic and ginger. Slice scallions and separate green and white parts. In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and white scallion parts; reserve green parts for serving. Chop broccoli into florets and transfer to another small bowl.
    3. Step3In a large measuring cup, whisk broth, oyster sauce, sriracha (if using), and remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. When ready to cook, arrange bowls of beef, garlic mixture, broccoli, and stir-fry sauce next to stove.
    4. Step4In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add half of beef and cook, undisturbed, 1 minute, then stir and cook until cooked through and starting to char in some spots, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining beef. Discard excess marinade.
    5. Step5Return skillet to medium heat and heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add garlic mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 1 minute, then add stir-fry sauce. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Uncover, return beef to skillet, and toss to coat. Cook, tossing frequently, until warmed through and broccoli is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
    6. Step6Divide rice among plates. Top with stir-fry, sesame seeds, and reserved green scallion parts.

Best Beef & Broccoli Recipe (3)

Best Beef & Broccoli Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce for broccoli beef made of? ›

Each restaurant has its secrets but I make a fair amount of Chinese food and recipes for broccoli beef sauce are basically oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and perhaps a splash of rice wine. Since this is a deep flavored savory dish I think perhaps a bit of mushroom soy sauce is used.

What is the best steak for beef and broccoli? ›

Flank steak is the classic choice for beef and broccoli. It's marbled with fat, full of beefy flavor, and easy to cut into super-thin, tender slices. But flank isn't the only option. Skirt steak will give you a very similar result, and if you're watching your wallet, sirloin is another great choice.

How do you thicken beef and broccoli? ›

Add in your sauce and let it come to a boil. Mix equal parts cornstarch & cold water and add to the mixture. Let the sauce start to thicken then add back in your meat.

What does beef and broccoli contain? ›

Beef and Broccoli Ingredients

Sauces and oils: This beef and broccoli recipe calls for oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Sherry: Cooking sherry adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the beef and broccoli. Sugar: White sugar lends a hint of sweetness. Cornstarch: A teaspoon of cornstarch thickens the sauce.

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

Oyster sauce is commonly used in Chinese food and adds a savory, salty, umami flavor. Both can be found in most grocery stores. If you like, you can add grated or minced ginger or garlic. Serve your homemade brown sauce with a beef, chicken, or pork stir-fry or chow mein dish.

How do restaurants make broccoli taste so good? ›

How do restaurants make broccoli taste so good? As with everything made by chefs, they have unexpected (read: unhealthy) additions to their meals — mostly butter, oil and heaps of salt. An excellent tip for the perfect broccoli is the blanching step.

What is inside oyster sauce? ›

Traditionally, oysters are slowly simmered in water until the liquid caramelizes into a viscous, dark black-brown sauce. But to speed up the process, some commercialized versions are instead made with oyster extracts, plus salt, sugar, corn starch and caramel coloring.

How do you tenderize beef for stir-fry? ›

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

How to make beef tender like Chinese restaurants? ›

There are a few methods, but this is the easiest way:
  1. Sprinkle 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) on 250g / 8oz sliced economical beef cuts.
  2. Toss with fingers, leave for 30 minutes.
  3. Rinse, pat off excess water.
  4. Proceed with stir fry recipe. It can be marinated with wet or dry seasonings, or cooked plain.
Feb 23, 2019

What is Chinese beef and broccoli sauce made of? ›

Mix together the sauce ingredients and put to one side. The sauce is a combination of beef stock, light and dark soy sauce, Chinese rice wine (you can swap for sherry if you haven't got rice wine), sesame oil, sugar, white pepper and black pepper.

What can I use instead of beef broth in beef and broccoli? ›

Depending on what you are using the beef broth for you can substitute a well made vegetable broth or chicken broth. Of course, it will change the flavor profile a bit but it is a much better solution to using cubes or powders which are sodium bombs.

What can I substitute for cornstarch in beef and broccoli? ›

All-Purpose Flour

Although it won't produce the same glossy shine as cornstarch, it'll get the job done in a pinch. All-purpose flour contains about half the thickening power of cornstarch, so for every tablespoon of cornstarch required, you'll need to substitute two tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

What ethnicity is beef and broccoli? ›

Origins. Beef and broccoli was likely developed in the diaspora of Chinese immigrants in 19th century America. It became an established feature of American Chinese restaurants during the 1920s. By the 1950s, it had become ubiquitous and it is one of the most popular American Chinese dishes in the 21st century.

What does Chinese brown sauce taste like? ›

It's a thick and delicious addition to many American Chinese food dishes and presents many of the classic flavors of Chinese cooking, like hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame, and soy sauce.

How do you cut beef for beef and broccoli? ›

Cut the flank into no thicker than ¼ inch slices.

It's important that the flank is between ⅛ inch to ¼ inch thick. Too thin and the meat will disintegrate and break apart. If the beef is too thick, it'll take a long time to cook, make it tough and dry.

What is beef dip sauce made of? ›

For the au jus: Combine the onion soup, beef broth, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and 3/4 cold water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Taste and season with pepper and more salt if needed.

What can I substitute for oyster sauce? ›

What Are Some Good Oyster Sauce Substitutes?
  • Fish Sauce. Fish sauce makes a great substitute because of the flavor backbone similarities. ...
  • Hoisin Sauce. ...
  • Soy Sauce. ...
  • Teriyaki Sauce. ...
  • Black Bean Paste. ...
  • Kecap Manis (Sweet Soy Sauce) ...
  • Mushroom Broth. ...
  • Worcestershire Sauce with Soy Sauce and Sugar.

What is Panda Express broccoli beef made of? ›

Ingredients: broccoli, water, beef, soybean oil, contains less than 2% of: garlic, phosphoric acid, corn starch, potato starch, modified food starch, soy sauce, salt, rice wine, caramel color, sesame oil, sea salt, brown sugar, sodium phosphate, natural flavor, yeast extract, phosphoric acid, spices.

What is beef sauce made of? ›

Instructions. Pour sesame oil into a pan over medium heat, then add beef fillet and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add crushed garlic, ginger, beef seasoning, stir and let simmer for a minute. Add carrots, green bell pepper, stir, then add onion, red chilli, soy sauce and stir.

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