Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Serves 4 · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 12 minutes · Total: 32 minutes
Most homemade beef and broccoli goes wrong in one of two places: the beef turns chewy, or the sauce ends up thin and watery. This version avoids both. A quick marinade keeps the beef tender, while briefly blanching the broccoli lets it finish in the skillet without going soft. Bamboo shoots are optional, but they add the light crunch you often get in a good Chinese restaurant stir-fry.
Ingredients
Beef
- 1 pound flank steak or sirloin
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
Stir-fry sauce
- ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, optional, for a deeper color
Stir-fry
- 1 pound broccoli crowns, about 5 cups florets
- ½ cup sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, divided
- Steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Slice and marinate the beef
Place the beef in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm but not frozen solid. Slice it across the grain about ⅛ inch thick. Put it in a bowl with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, baking soda, and oil. Mix until evenly coated, then let it sit for 15 minutes while you prepare everything else.
- 2
Mix the sauce
Whisk the chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, pepper, and dark soy sauce if using in a small bowl. Whisk it again immediately before adding it to the skillet because the cornstarch settles quickly.
- 3
Prepare the broccoli
Cut the broccoli into medium florets. Peel any thick stems and slice them into bite-size pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the broccoli for 60 to 90 seconds, until bright green but still quite firm. Drain it well. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
- 4
Sear the beef
Heat a wok or large 12-inch skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil, then spread half the beef into a single layer. Leave it alone for about 30 seconds, then stir-fry for another 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer it to a plate while still slightly underdone and repeat with the remaining beef.
- 5
Finish the stir-fry
Reduce the heat slightly and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the bamboo shoots and broccoli and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Whisk the sauce again, pour it into the skillet, and toss for 45 to 60 seconds, until glossy. Return the beef and its juices, toss for another 30 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Recipe notes
Cook’s notes
- Do not add extra baking soda. The small amount here tenderizes the beef without affecting the flavor; too much can give the meat an alkaline taste.
- Flank steak: use sirloin, skirt steak, flat iron steak, or thinly sliced chuck. Oyster sauce: use vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce.
- Frozen broccoli works, but thaw it completely and dry it well. Skip the blanching step.
- Best cut of beef: flank steak cooks quickly and has a pronounced beef flavor. Sirloin is slightly more tender and easier to slice. Skirt steak also works when sliced thinly across the grain.
- Why the beef stays tender: the cornstarch, oil, and small amount of baking soda form a simplified home-kitchen version of the technique often called velveting.
Swaps & substitutions
- Shaoxing wine: use dry sherry. For an alcohol-free version, replace it with chicken broth. Bamboo shoots: leave them out or use sliced water chestnuts, mushrooms, or onions.
Equipment & shortcuts
- You do not need a wok. A wide stainless-steel, carbon-steel, or cast-iron skillet works well. The important part is giving the beef enough room to sear.
- Slice across the grain: look for the long lines running through the steak and cut perpendicular to them. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes each piece easier to chew.
- Keep the broccoli dry so excess water does not dilute the sauce. The sauce thickens quickly, so take the skillet off the heat as soon as it coats the food. Add a tablespoon of water if it gets thicker than you like.
Make ahead & storage
- Make ahead: slice and marinate the beef, mix the sauce, and cut the broccoli up to one day ahead. Store each component separately and cook the stir-fry shortly before serving.
- Reheat leftovers briefly in a hot skillet with 1 tablespoon water. A microwave also works, but use short intervals so the beef does not turn tough.
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