Have you ever wondered how they make that absolutely delicious saucy Beef and Broccoli recipe in the restaurants?
I've got you covered, because in this post, I'll tell you exactly how you can make this classic Chinese take out dish of American-Chinese cooking right at home. 🙂
Not only is it less expensive to make broccoli beef at home, it's sooooo easy!!
I'm not kidding! You can make this at home in a jiffy – I guarantee it!
This is all there is to it:
- Slice your beef into strips and marinate it for a bit in its special sauce
- Cook the broccoli
- Cook the meat
- Put the 2 together!
Yup, that's pretty much all there is to it… besides gobbling it all up because it's so good!
One of the nice things about this great recipe is that you can prepare the sauce and beef ahead of time and put it in the freezer until you're ready to make it!
Just put it in the fridge to thaw the night before you plan to make the dish. You could even make several bags of this and portion them out so you can have them ready when that beef and broccoli craving hits! 🙂
What is Beef and Broccoli made of?
Beef and broccoli is a popular American-Chinese dish made with beef and broccoli cooked in a savory sauce. The beef is typically flank steak or sirloin steak that is sliced thinly into thin strips and marinated in a mixture of oyster sauce, rice wine and soy sauce (you can use regular soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce or dark soy sauce). To stay as bright green broccoli the broccoli is blanched and then stir-fried with the marinated beef in a flavorful sauce.
This dish is a staple of Chinese restaurants and is often served with rice.
What is beef and broccoli sauce made of?
The beef and broccoli sauce recipe is traditionally made with these sauce ingredients: the savory flavors of oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil are all blended together. Garlic and fresh ginger are added to improve the flavor. Sugar is used to sweeten the sauce and cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Once you have your signature sauce, stir-fry it with beef and broccoli! Green Onions or sesame seeds can be added as a garnish.
How do you cut beef for beef and broccoli?
When it comes to cutting beef for beef and broccoli, the most important thing is to make sure that the beef is cut into thin, even slices. This will ensure that it cooks evenly and quickly, getting you uniformly tender beef. About 1/8″ thick and 1″ wide are good for your beef strips, the length is up to you.
The best way to cut the beef is to slice it thinly against the grain. To do this, you'll need to identify the grain of the beef. The grain is the direction of the muscle fibers and it will be apparent which direction the muscle fibers are going when you look at the slab of meat. Once you've located the grain, simply slice the beef thinly against it.
How do you thicken beef and broccoli sauce?
The sauce for beef and broccoli is traditionally thickened with a cornstarch slurry. To make a cornstarch slurry, simply combine equal parts cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl and whisk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Once the sauce has come to a boil, add the cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened.
What to Serve with Beef and Broccoli
Being an American Chinese food dish, it usually feels appropriate that beef and broccoli is served alongside other Chinese takeout staples and other Asian inspired appetizers. Some ideas include:
- Veggies such as grilled bok choy
- Meats like sautéed shrimp with garlic
- Chow Mein
- Egg rolls
- Fried rice
- Snap peas
Alternative Cooking Methods (slow cooker, instant pot, etc.)
The stovetop is very efficient, making it the quickest and easiest and way of cooking beef and broccoli. However, alternative methods such as using a slow cooker will work. In a slow cooker, simply add all of the ingredients except for the broccoli to the slow cooker and set it on low for 6-8 hours. I would add the broccoli about 20 minutes before you finish cooking.
Another option is to use an instant pot. This method is faster, taking only about 30 minutes from start to finish. Simply add all of the ingredients except the broccoli to the instant pot and set it on the ‘meat/stew' setting. Once it is finished cooking and the pressure is released, add the broccoli and put the cooker on the “sauté” or “warm” setting and allow to heat through for five minutes. Once the timer goes off, your beef and broccoli is ready to serve.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Beef and Broccoli
When it comes to leftovers, beef and broccoli is one of those foods that just gets better with time. The flavors have a chance to meld together and the beef gets even more tender. That being said, there are still a few things you need to do in order to store and reheat your leftovers properly.
The first thing you need to do is make sure the beef and broccoli is cooled completely. You don't want to put hot food into the fridge, as this can cause bacteria to grow. Once it's cooled, transfer the beef and broccoli into an airtight container.
When you're ready to reheat the beef and broccoli, you have a few options. You can either reheat it in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven. If you're using the microwave, make sure to heat it in short bursts so that the beef doesn't dry out. On the stovetop, you'll want to reheat it slowly over low heat. And if you're reheating it in the oven, you can either bake it covered at a low temperature or broil it on high for a few minutes.
Once the beef and broccoli is heated through, it's ready to serve. Enjoy!
How long is Beef and Broccoli good for? in the fridge, freezer, etc.
When it comes to leftovers, beef and broccoli is one of those dishes that seems to get better with time. In fact, many people say that the flavors meld together and the dish tastes even better the next day. So, how long does beef and broccoli last?
In the fridge, cooked beef and broccoli will last for three to four days. If you want to extend its shelf life, you can freeze it for up to six months. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container so that it doesn't dry out.
Restaurant Style Beef and Broccoli
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 – 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 – 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 lbs beef round steak, cut into thin, wide strips (about 1/8″ thick and 1″ wide are good – length is up to you)
- 1/2” piece of fresh ginger, minced
- 4 – 5 cloves of garlic, minced
Sauce Ingredients: - 2/3 cup oyster sauce
- 4 tsp sesame oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 3 tsp sugar
- 3 tsp cornstarch
Optional: - Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Using a whisk, combine ingredients for the sauce in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the beef to the bowl and cover with the sauce.
- Put this in the fridge for at least 40 minutes so the meat will soak in all the flavor.
- In a large wok, heat the oil on medium.
- Add the garlic and ginger and heat for about 1 minute while stirring.
- Add the broccoli to the wok and toss with the oil, garlic and ginger. Cook for about 8 minutes – stirring a few times.
- Once the broccoli is just cooked, remove from the wok and put into a large mixing bowl (I use a big metal bowl)
- Add the marinated beef and sauce to the wok and cook on medium for about 10 minutes.
- Once the beef is cooked through, add the broccoli to the wok again, stir to combine everything and turn the heat down.
- Cook for about 5-7 minutes so the broccoli will soak in some of the sauce. Try not too cook it more than necessary though since you don't want the broccoli to become too soft.
- Serve over rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 40 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Chinese
