Beef & Broccoli
Our take on a chinese restaurant classic. We use American broccoli and oven roast it instead of boiling or steaming. This creates crisp, dry vegetables to incorporate into the sauce, which avoids watering it down into a runny, tasteless soup. The beef is best sliced frozen or semi-frozen, so it can be appropriately thin, and the combination of baking soda, then cornstarch and oil is essential to getting the correct tenderness and mouthfeel.
Variations: Substitute sliced white meat chicken (prepared the same way) or fried tofu, and make it with the white sauce recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef
- 1 head of broccoli, chopped bite size
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup water
Beef marinade:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp soy sauce (dark soy sauce if available)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tsp sherry
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg white (optional)
Brown sauce:
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 2 tsp sherry or rice wine
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 pinch Chinese five spice powder (optional)
- cornstarch slurry
White sauce:
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp msg
- 1 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- salt, to taste
- cornstarch slurry
Instructions
- Thinly slice beef against the grain and marinate in baking soda and 1/2 cup water for 1 hour. Rinse off with water, then marinate in ingredients overnight.
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat broccoli lightly in oil and toss in a bowl to mix. Arrange on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
-
Roast broccoli for 15 minutes.
- Turn broccoli over and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until done (depends on size of broccoli).
- Mix (brown OR white) sauce ingredients, except cornstarch, over medium heat.
- Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch slurry, mix well and heat until cooked to desired consistency.
- Remove broccoli from oven. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Fry beef over red hot wok or pan; when beef is nearly done, lower heat to medium and add half the sauce.
- Add broccoli to the beef mixture and stir until just incorporated. Drizzle with remaining sauce and serve.