Beef and Broccoli

Hubs continues to love his wok. He uses it at least twice a week. In fact, he just made 21 lbs. of vegetarian fried rice for dinner for a women's shelter. With our new rice cooker, it was relatively easy to prep. The fried rice was enough to feed 80 people. They loved it so much that they went back for seconds until it was gone.

Beef and broccoli is one of my favorite takeout dishes, so of course we tried it at home. Hubs found that using the dark soy sauce gave the beef a rich color. It also caramelized a little more when cooked, which flavored the beef. The dish freezes and transports well, which means that my mom will get to try it. It also makes a good dish to take to new/expecting parents.


Beef and Broccoli
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated


1 lb flank steak, cut into 2-inch strips along the grain, and then thinly sliced across the grain
3 Tbs dark soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
2 Tbs low sodium chicken broth
5 Tbs oyster sauce
1 Tbs light brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 Tbs)
2 ½ Tbs vegetable oil
2 bunches broccoli, florets cut off and thinly sliced
1/3 c water
1 red bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, and cut into small chunks
2 scallions, sliced on the diagonal


Combine beef and soy sauce in a gallon sized plastic bag. Seal bag, make sure all the beef is coated, and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, or up to an hour. (I let it marinate for the amount of time it takes to prep the other ingredients.) Whisk chicken broth, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a bowl. Combine garlic and ginger in another bowl.

Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 Tbs vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add beef and break up the clumps. Cook without stirring for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around the edges, about 30 seconds. Cook in 2 batches if necessary. Transfer beef to a bowl.

Add 1 Tbs vegetable oil to wok, and heat until just smoking. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds. Add water, cover wok, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Increase heat to high, and add remaining ½ Tbs vegetable oil to wok. Heat until just smoking. Add the red bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until peppers start to spot. Clear center of skillet and add the garlic and ginger. Mash with a spoon and cook about 15 seconds. Stir garlic and ginger into the peppers. Return beef and broccoli to the wok and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine, and add to the wok. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened and is evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with scallions and serve.