Go Back

Beef and Broccoli Recipe

Beef and Broccoli is a Chinese restaurant classic. Thinly sliced beef, stir fried with broccoli and then topped with a savory brown sauce. Tasting Guidelines: Taste is savory. Weight is medium. Texture is al dente .Best categorized as Cantonese American.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: beef, broccoli, cantonese, easy, stir-fry
Servings: 4 People
Author: Chef Ryan Callahan
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • Large High Sided Saute Pan
  • Steamer or Small Sauce Pan

Ingredients

  • Food Ingredients
  • 1 lb. flank steak sliced into thin strips
  • 3 broccoli heads cut into small bite size pieces
  • 4 tbsp. canola oil
  • ½ c. water
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch
  • Flavor Balancers
  • 3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
  • 6 tbsp. light soy sauce
  • ½ tbsp. black pepper ground
  • 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. sugar granulated

Instructions

  • Recipe Directions
  • This recipe has 3 parts: the marinade, the sauce, and the actual stir fry process.
  • Marinade
  • Thinly slice your beef into rectangular strips. Transfer beef to a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, combine the following marinade ingredients: 1 tbsp. dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp. light soy sauce, and 2 tbsp. canola oil. Slowly pour the marinade over the beef, while stirring the beef with your other hand. After marinade has been poured into the mixing bowl, toss the marinade over the beef until all beef is thoroughly coated and all marinade has been absorbed. Cover mixing bowl with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and allow to marinade for at least 12 hours in your refrigerator.
  • Sauce
  • In a small sauté pan, combine the following ingredients and bring to a boil: 2 tbsp. dark soy sauce, 4 tbsp. light soy sauce, ½ c. water, 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, and 2 tbsp. granulated sugar. Allow to boil for approximately 1-2 minutes and then remove from heat.
  • Stir Fry Process
  • In a large sauté pan, place broccoli in approximately 1” of water in the pan. Place sauté pan over a medium-high heat and allow broccoli to steam until tender. When broccoli is tender, drain water and broccoli through a colander. Set colander aside and allow to rest and continue to drain in the sink.
  • Reheat sauté pan over a medium heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp. canola oil to sauté pan. Allow to heat for 30 seconds. Add beef to sauté pan and begin to cook. Allow beef to stir fry until thoroughly cooked and browned on all surfaces. When beef is lightly browned on all surfaces, add broccoli and stir fry together lightly to remove excess water from the broccoli. When excess water has cooked from the broccoli, stir in sauce and toss vigorously to fully coat both broccoli and beef. Allow sauce to simmer for 3 minutes. When completed, it is ready to serve.

Notes

Chef Tips
Many Americans are terrified of cooking Chinese food. When in fact, Chinese food is incredibly easy to create and cook even for a beginner. The key to this dish is slicing the beef thin enough so that it will cook quickly and absorb the marinade fully. Take the time to prepare this savory Cantonese delicacy properly, so that you can impress yourself, friends, and family. Light soy sauce vs dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce is not low sodium soy sauce. Light soy sauce would be better described as common soy sauce, regular soy sauce, or the stuff you normally find in the grocery store. Dark soy sauce is a much thicker and darker condensed soy sauce that you may need to purchase at your local Asian market. A little goes a long way, so use sparingly. Don't be cheap with soy sauce! There is a massive taste difference between a high quality brand like Kikkoman and low quality store brands. Remember, soy sauce is both savory and salty. This is why there is no added salt in the dish. Adding any additional salt would make this recipe far to salty and inedible.