Beef and Broccoli (Printable)

Tender beef strips and crisp broccoli florets wok-seared in a savory garlic sauce for an easy weeknight dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Beef

01 - 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 2 tsp cornstarch
03 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

→ For the Sauce

05 - 3 tbsp oyster sauce
06 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
07 - 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
08 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
09 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
10 - 1/2 cup beef broth or water
11 - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

12 - 1 lb broccoli florets
13 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
14 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine flank steak with cornstarch, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine in a bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Whisk together oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, beef broth, and sesame oil in a separate bowl until smooth and fully incorporated.
03 - Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Drain well and set aside.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until smoking. Add marinated beef in a single layer and sear for 1-2 minutes until browned on edges but slightly pink in center. Remove beef from pan and set aside.
05 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the hot pan. Sauté minced garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
06 - Return beef to the pan along with blanched broccoli. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens and coats everything evenly. Ensure beef is cooked through.
07 - Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately over steamed white rice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get that glossy, restaurant style sauce without any MSG or mystery ingredients
  • The beef stays impossibly tender because of a simple marinating trick my grandmother swore by
  • Everything comes together in under thirty minutes, faster than delivery could ever arrive
02 -
  • Slicing meat against the grain is the difference between tender and tough, so pay attention to which direction the muscle fibers run
  • Crowding the pan while searing the beef will steam it instead of brown it, so work in batches if your pan is small
  • The sauce will look thin for the first minute of stirring, but then suddenly thicken all at once when the cornstarch activates
03 -
  • Make sure your wok or pan is properly hot before adding the beef, that sizzle is the sound of a good crust forming
  • Dark soy sauce is mostly about color, but regular soy sauce works perfectly fine if you do not have any

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