This is the BEST beef and broccoli you can make at home in less than 30 minutes! It's super easy to make, tastes just as good, if not better than takeout, and cheaper too. Complete this Chinese takeout classic with some shrimp fried rice or shrimp lo mein for some surf and turf action!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Marinating time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Yield: 4servings
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Ingredients
For marinating the beef:
1poundbeef flank steakthinly sliced (between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick)
In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced flank steak, water, shaoxing rice wine, salt and baking soda. Mix well until the beef has absorbed most of the liquids.
Next, add the cornstarch and mix until the beef is well coated. Finish the marinade by adding oil. Mix until evenly combined. Set the beef aside to marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. You can also let the beef marinate overnight.*Do prepare the beef first so that it can marinade while you prepare the rest of the ingredients! This way you can maximize your time.*
Prepare the sauce:
In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the sauce (water, soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil). Mix until no more cornstarch clumps are visible. Set aside until needed.
Make the beef and broccoli:
While the beef is marinating, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and boil them for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on your preferred tenderness. The cook time will also depend on how big the broccoli florets are. Once cooked, drain the broccoli and set aside.*We usually boil our broccoli for about 1 minute because we like it more on the crisp side.*
Option 1 (Pan-sear method):In a wok or sauté pan over medium high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated beef and cook until the beef is just cooked. Cook in small batches if necessary and make sure to separate the beef so that each piece is evenly cooked. Remove from the wok/pan and set aside.
Option 2 (Flash fry method):In wok or deep pan, heat about ½ inch to 1 inch of oil to 350°F. Maintain the oil between 325°F and 365°F. Once the oil is hot, add an appropriate amount of beef and quickly stir to separate the beef. Let the beef cook for about 15 to 30 seconds, or until the beef is just cooked. Remove and set aside to drain until needed.*Flash fry in small batches if needed. Do not overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop drastically.*
Remove excess oil and keep about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 15 seconds.*If using the flash fry method, set the oil aside to cool before handling and use new pan instead. If you feel comfortable handling hot oil, you can transfer the oil and use the same pan. Do be very careful!*
Give the prepared stir fry sauce a good stir and add it to the sauteed garlic and ginger. Bring the sauce to a simmer while stirring frequently. Once the sauce has thickened and looks glossy, add the beef and the broccoli. Stir and toss everything together until the beef and the broccoli are well coated in sauce.
Transfer the beef and broccoli onto a serving plate and garnish with sesame seeds if you wish. Enjoy it while it's hot!
Notes
Please refer to the post above for step by step photo reference, tips, and FAQs!
Flank steak - Our most preferred choice of beef for beef and broccoli is flank steak. But you could also use other cheap cuts like eye round, chuck roast, and skirt. Do note that these cuts will be dry if the beef is overcooked.
Freeze the flank steak for easier cutting. If you have time, freeze the flank steak until semi frozen so that they're easier to cut. Afterwards, do thaw and drain any moisture or blood so the marinade doesn't become too wet and loose.
Broccoli cook time - Feel free to adjust the broccoli florets' cook time depending on how tender you like the broccoli and how big the the florets are.