Description
Beef and Broccoli brings tender slices of beef together with crisp broccoli in a savory sauce that makes your dinner table shine. Sizzling wok skills and a quick marinade turn simple ingredients into a classic Chinese-American dinner that comes together faster than takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 lb boneless flank steak
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 head broccoli, cut to bite-size florets
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
Marinade and Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (Optional)
- ½ cup chicken stock (or beef stock)
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Slice the flank steak against the grain into thin strips, about ¼ inch thick. Toss the meat with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Let the meat absorb these flavors for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Whisk together ½ cup chicken stock, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small bowl. The sauce should look smooth and slightly glossy.
- Cut your broccoli head into bite-sized florets, ensuring each piece is roughly the same size for even cooking. Separate any large clusters to help them cook quickly.
- Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons minced ginger, stirring for 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the marinated beef to the hot pan. Spread the meat in a single layer, allowing each piece to sear for 45-60 seconds without stirring. This creates a nice golden-brown exterior.
- Toss the beef quickly to cook the other sides for another 30-45 seconds. The meat should look browned but not completely cooked through.
- Add broccoli florets to the pan. Stir-fry everything together for 2-3 minutes, keeping the heat high and moving the ingredients constantly.
- Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and broccoli. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything evenly. The broccoli should be bright green and crisp-tender.
- Remove from heat immediately. Serve hot directly from the pan, ensuring each portion gets both beef and broccoli with a glossy sauce coating.
Notes
- Marinate the beef at room temperature to help it absorb flavors and tenderize more effectively.
- Choose a tender cut like flank steak or sirloin for the most succulent results in your stir-fry.
- Use high heat and a wok if possible to get that classic restaurant-style sear and prevent the meat from steaming instead of browning.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce for tamari and ensure your cornstarch is certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 to 4
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg