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Extra Tender Beef and Broccoli

beef and broccoli recipe
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Who doesn't love this classic dish? When it's done well, it's flavourful and second helpings are guaranteed. When it's done poorly, the beef is chewy and tough, and you won't be making a second trip to the skillet. This recipe employs two techniques to ensure that that the beef stays tender and moist through the stir frying process.
The beef is first soaked in a baking soda and water mixture. The baking soda will raise the beef's pH, which alters the ability for the proteins to bond; this allows the beef to remain tender and moist after stir frying.
Flank steak is a tough cut of meat. By cutting it against the grain, much less force will be required to bite down on the beef strips; this is because flank steak contains wide muscle fibers and lots of connective tissue. By slicing against the grain, you are shortening those muscle fibers and making it much easier to chew. Slicing on the bias results in more even cuts.
The addition of molasses to this recipe adds some complex flavour notes that are absent from most beef and broccoli recipes.
Skill Level
Intermediate
Course
Main
Cuisine
Chinese
Serves
4
Print Recipe
Skill
Intermediate
Course
Main
Cuisine
Chinese
Serves
4
Print Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Sauce
  • ¼ cup oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dry sherry
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp corn starch
Beef and Marinade
  • ¾ lb flank steak, cut into thin strips on a bias and against the grain
  • `1 tbsp water
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp molasses
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground pepper
Vegetables
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 1 lb broccoli, florets cut into small pieces and stems cut into coins
  • ⅓ cup water
Ginger-Garlic Mixture
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp Chinese five spice powder
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil, for stir frying beef and vegetables
Optional Garnish
  • 3 scallions, sliced thinly
RECOMMENDED KITCHEN EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
best 12 inch enameled cast iron pan
12-inch Enameled Cast Iron Pan
Whisk
INSTRUCTIONS
 
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until well-combined. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 tbsp of water and baking soda. Add the flank steak; set aside for 5 minutes to tenderize.
  • After letting the beef rest, add the molasses, kosher salt, sugar, and ground pepper to the flank steak; stir to combine. Let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes–1 hour.
  • Combine ginger, garlic, Chinese five spice powder, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
  • Heat 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil. Wait for the oil to begin to smoke, and then add the beef mixture. Cook for 3 minutes, tossing with tongs. Remove from pan.
  • Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to now-empty pan. Add the broccoli and stir fry for 30 seconds.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add 1/3 cup of water to pan. Cover with a lid immediately and let steam for 2 minutes. Lift lid and remove broccoli from skillet.
  • Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Wait for the oil to begin to smoke, and then add red bell peppers. Stir fry until blistering, about 2 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Form well in middle of the skillet and add ginger-garlic mixture. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  • Return beef to pan. Give it a quick stir, and then add the broccoli, giving it another quick stir.
  • Quickly whisk sauce to recombine ingredients, and then add to pan. Stir until ingredients are evenly redistributed; remove skillet from heat.
  • Optionally garnish with scallions. Serve hot over rice.
INGREDIENTS
Sauce
  • ¼ cup oyster sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dry sherry
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp corn starch
Beef and Marinade
  • ¾ lb flank steak, cut into thin strips on a bias and against the grain
  • `1 tbsp water
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp molasses
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground pepper
Vegetables
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 1 lb broccoli, florets cut into small pieces and stems cut into coins
  • ⅓ cup water
Ginger-Garlic Mixture
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp Chinese five spice powder
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil, for stir frying beef and vegetables
Optional Garnish
  • 3 scallions, sliced thinly
RECOMMENDED KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
Best 12-inch Enameled Cast Iron Skillet
12 inch skillet for beef and broccoli

Check out the Le Creuset 12-inch Enameled Cast Iron Skillet on Amazon

Best Portable Induction Burner

Breville Polyscience Control Freak for Precise Temperature Control

Costly, but it’ll give you the ultimate control over temperature. Check out the Breville PolyScience Control Freak on Amazon

INSTRUCTIONS
 
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until well-combined. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 tbsp of water and baking soda. Add the flank steak; set aside for 5 minutes to tenderize.
  • After letting the beef rest, add the molasses, kosher salt, sugar, and ground pepper to the flank steak; stir to combine. Let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes–1 hour.
  • Combine ginger, garlic, Chinese five spice powder, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
  • Heat 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil. Wait for the oil to begin to smoke, and then add the beef mixture. Cook for 3 minutes, tossing with tongs. Remove from pan.
  • Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to now-empty pan. Add the broccoli and stir fry for 30 seconds.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add 1/3 cup of water to pan. Cover with a lid immediately and let steam for 2 minutes. Lift lid and remove broccoli from skillet.
  • Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Wait for the oil to begin to smoke, and then add red bell peppers. Stir fry until blistering, about 2 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Form well in middle of the skillet and add ginger-garlic mixture. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  • Return beef to pan. Give it a quick stir, and then add the broccoli, giving it another quick stir.
  • Quickly whisk sauce to recombine ingredients, and then add to pan. Stir until ingredients are evenly redistributed; remove skillet from heat.
  • Optionally garnish with scallions. Serve hot over rice.

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A note about our kitchen equipment reviews:

All recommended kitchen equipment is based on a thorough review of the product and get constant use in the test kitchen. You can be confident you are getting the best enameled cast iron skillet and the best portable induction burner when you follow the above recommendations.

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Steph
Steph
26 days ago

5 stars
Yum!

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