This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This classic Chinese beef and broccoli recipe is quick and easy to make homemade, and tastes even better thanthe restaurant version!
There’s so much broccoli in my life lately!
First off, my fridge has been overflowing with multiple kinds of broccoli from my CSA, grown by my lovely Burmese friend Si Si who works with this cool organization. I must say, her organic broccoli is some of tastiest I’ve ever tried, and I’ve been choppin’,sautein’, roastin’, and slawin’ it like crazy lately. So good.
But then, I’ve also got to tell you the cutest thing. When Si Sifirst heard that I was dating Barclay last summer, she wassooooexcited about it and couldn’t wait to meet him. But English is her second language, and his name(pronouncedbar-klee) was a tricky one to remember. So I told her to just think ofbroccoli, and I still remember howher eyes lit up and she broke into the biggest smile. “I love broccoli!!” she exclaimed.
And the nickname was born. :)
Now, whenever I go to see her or we chat on the phone, she always makes sure to tell me again and again to be sure to “say hi to Broccoli”for her. Or she’ll invite me and Broccoli over for some Burmese noodles. Or — one of my favorite little moments — when Barclay came to visit the CSA-kickoff party a few weeks ago at her garden, she got a big kick out of him purchasing some of her broccoli to take home. Some broccoli for Broccoli. Made me so happy.
Anyway, all that said, this week I randomly was craving some retro beef and broccoli. I used to always love ordering this stuff at Chinese restaurants back in the day, and love how easy it is to make at home. So I whipped up a quick batch and snapped some photos justin case you might ever have a nostalgic craving for this stuff too.
Here’s a cute pic I snapped of Barclay out in Si Si’s garden before we made our wayto her actual broccoli. These two.♥
Alright, back to this recipe. I’ve gotta say — I’ve had some good beef and broccoli in my day, but probably morenot-so-good beef and broccoli in my day.
Oof. Has anyone else had the same experience?? I feel like this dishstarts withso much potential, based around two of my favorite ingredients. (Here’s lookin’ at you fresh broccoli, and — my forever guilty pleasure — tender steak.) But after that, it seems like so many restaurants just phone in the sauce, making what could be anawesome dish instead totally bland and soggy and “meh”.
Not acceptable.
My homemade version, on the other hand, is everything I alwayshope that broccoli and beef will be when I see if on a menu. It’s made with tender-crisp broccoli (and lots of it), marinated and perfectly-cooked flank steak, andlotsof sauce that’s actually bursting with savory flavors. So good!
And even better? It can be on the table easily in 30 minutes. (Or if you’re a super-efficient multi-tasker, closer to 20!)
optional garnishes:toasted sesame seeds and/or thinly-sliced green onions
Sauce Ingredients:
3/4cup water
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
optional:1-3 teaspoons sriracha, to taste
Instructions
To Make The Beef and Broccoli:
Add the steak to a large bowl, along with the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Stir to combine, then let the steak marinate for at least 10 minutes (or up to 1 hour).
Meanwhile, fill a large stockpot halfway full of water, and bring it to a boil. Stir the broccoli florets into the water, and cook for 30-45 seconds. Drain (or transfer the broccoli to a strainer), and set aside.
Prepare the sauce (see instructions below).
Once the steak hasfinished marinating, add the peanut oil to a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the steak and garlic, and saute — stirring occasionally — until the steak is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Add the sauce and broccoli, and toss to combine. Continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes, or until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens.
Remove from heat and serve immediately, topped with optional garnishes if desired.
The easiest way to cook broccoli is to blanch it. Blanching is a process in which the broccoli is submerged in boiling water for only a few minutes, then transferred into an ice bath to keep it from overcooking and turning mushy. The broccoli florets will turn a vibrant shade of green and maintain a much-needed crunch.
To make this recipe, you will need oil, flank steak, broccoli florets, garlic, green onions, water, broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, starch, ground ginger, and ground black pepper. Prepare the sauce by whisking the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until they're fully combined.
Trim and cut the stalk in half, then finely slice it.Once boiling, use a slotted spoon to carefully lower the broccoli into the water.Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender – you should be able to poke the tip of a knife easily into the florets.
Garlic and butter help make broccoli taste irresistible. Simply sautee the broccoli in a pan with just a little butter, some onions and grated garlic and voila! Add a drizzle of lemon if desired.
In conclusion, the current study clearly shows that nutrient and health-promoting compounds in broccoli are significantly affected by domestic cooking. All cooking treatments, except steaming, caused great losses of chlorophyll and vitamin C. Only boiling and stir-frying/boiling caused the loss of total carotenoids.
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.
Broth: Many versions of this dish use beef broth, but you can also find it made with chicken or vegetable broth.Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is one of the main ingredients that you'll find in nearly every version of Chinese brown sauce.
Don't worry, the ingredients for this dish are pretty basic, which make this the perfect easy weeknight meal! Flank steak– Flank Steak is perfect for beef and broccoli because it is lean and tender. Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into thin strips going agains the grain.
Since stir fries cook quickly, you have to use a tender cut of meat. No, cheap stew meat will not work here! You'll end up with tough chewy pieces of meat that no one will enjoy. My personal faves are flank steak & skirt steak.
The slices of beef are so juicy and tender thanks to slicing thinly, not overcooking and a marinade with tenderizing properties. FLAVORFUL BEEF. The beef soaks up the savory essence of the marinade infused with soy, hoisin, chili sauce, ginger and garlic.
Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sautéed, and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill!
Fill a large bowl with 2 ⅔ cups cold or warm water and ⅓ cup white vinegar. Allow it to soak for 2 minutes, then dump the broccoli into a colander. Rinse the vinegar-treated broccoli very well under running water.
If you're making organic or home-grown broccoli, you may be concerned about worms in the florets. To be safe, soak the florets in a brine solution. Worms tend to live in the florets, where there are plenty of places to hide.
Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sautéed, and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill!
That's why steaming is one of the best ways to maximize nutrients. It turns out that's especially true for broccoli. When in doubt, microwave. That's because microwaving uses little to no water, and can heat the vegetable quickly, thus preserving nutrients such as vitamin C that break down when heated.
According to several studies, the best way to cook broccoli and retain its nutrients is to steam it for a short time, about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the florets. Steaming uses gentle heat and minimal water, which preserves most of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in broccoli.
Microwaving is a safe way to cook broccoli and requires less time than steaming. Microwaving is also thought to preserve the nutrients in vegetables most effectively.
Address: Apt. 536 6162 Reichel Greens, Port Zackaryside, CT 22682-9804
Phone: +9958384818317
Job: IT Representative
Hobby: Scrapbooking, Hiking, Hunting, Kite flying, Blacksmithing, Video gaming, Foraging
Introduction: My name is Jamar Nader, I am a fine, shiny, colorful, bright, nice, perfect, curious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.