Marinated strips of smoking hot, seared beef, bright and tender broccoli stir fried in a honey-sweet and tangy sauce. Make this Chinese beef and broccoli stir fry, and Friday night favourite, tonight! Follow my foolproof and step-by-step instructions for the ultimate Chinese takeout at home.
One of my favourite things about a Chinese takeout is choosing a selection of starters. But I definitely don’t have the energy to prepare them all at home. However, these irresistible Asian air fryer chicken wings are a quick and easy fix.
Beef and broccoli stir fry
A high-ranking take-out dish in America, but is it that authentic? Like many well-travelled dishes, beef and broccoli stir fry has had to adapt to its surroundings to survive.
The original dish was brought to America by Chinese immigrants in the early 19th century. Back home, it was made with beef and a green vegetable from the broccoli family. However, that being unavailable in America, the vegetable (gai lan) was substituted for its closest local relative, broccoli.
And just over 100 years later the sweet yet savoury favourite is still going strong!
Substitutions and variations
Beef and broccoli may be the namesake components. But it’s really the blend of condiments and aromatics in the marinade and the stir fry sauce that give this dish its signature flavour. So I think it’s OK to tamper a little.
Pork is a popular meat in Asian cooking. It has a natural sweetness that contrasts beautifully with soy. It’s an easy swap for beef.
I prefer a green vegetable in this stir fry; bok choy, snow peas, even asparagus. They tend to be less sweet, borderline bitter even, which works for me.
However, any crunchy vegetable will do. If you’re carrot people, or baby corn people, you’ll still have a bright, delicious and sweet stir fry.
Serving suggestions
Rice and noodles are what race to mind, naturally. But there are loads of options within those margins, here’s a few for each:
Rice:
- A simple crowd-pleasing egg-fried rice. With some green peas thrown in for colour.
- Deliciously fragrant steamed jasmine or coconut rice.
- And if you have the time to show off; crab fried rice. So good!
Noodles:
- Stir-fried udon. They are the thick and chewy ones, good for slurping.
- For upping the veg stakes and making the meal go further; vegetable chow mein.
I love my veg and will always offer it to the kids even if I suspect they won’t eat it, so I’d grill a couple of bok choy too. And, finally, no takeout at home is complete without some store-bought prawn crackers or fortune cookies!
Recipe tips and notes
- Chinese cooking can seem intimidating: unusual ingredients, lightning-fast cooking speeds, fire! TV has a lot to answer for. Approach the recipe and cooking calmly and from a well-prepared angle and it’s far less scary. I’m here for you!
- In traditional Chinese cooking, the beef would be tenderised with baking soda. I’ve used good quality sirloin steak, so there is no need for it. If you choose to use skirt or flank steak, add ½ tsp of baking soda to the marinade.
- Make sure all your ingredients are measured, chopped, marinated and mixed before turning to your wok. They weren’t lying about those cooking speeds! Have everything laid out and in reach for a stress-free stir fry.
- Chinese cooking wine, or Shaoxing wine, is a secret ingredient that will take your Chinese dishes from average to amazing. It is worth the investment if you cook a lot of Asian dishes.
- I also think the little jars of minced garlic and minced ginger are time-saving heroes when cooking Eastern dishes. As well as in Asian supermarkets, you can find them in the World aisle of most big supermarkets.
- Stir fries are cooked over a high heat, so crank it up! The heat is what gives that trademark seared edge and tender-centred meat, while keeping the vegetables vibrant and snappy.
Storage and leftovers
Have you ever noticed that Chinese food tastes better the next day? If you have any leftovers, take the taste test yourself. Store the leftover steak stir fry in an airtight container and it can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Eat hot or cold!
I reheat mine, fyi. Either add a little water and reheat on the stovetop, or microwave for 90 seconds, giving it a stir halfway through.
More stir fry recipes
- Easy Prawn Stir Fry
- Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry with Grilled Scallions
- Beef, Mushroom and Snow Pea Stir Fry
- Speedy Sesame Shrimp Stir Fry
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the beef marinade
- 450 g / 1 lbs sirloin (rump steak UK) cut against the grain into strips
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine optional
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the stir fry sauce
- 120 ml / ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
For the stir fry
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 head broccoli broken into florets
Instructions
- Cut the steak against the grain into thin strips. At the bottom of a medium bowl combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, cooking wine, water and vegetable oil, add the beef strips and mix to coat. Marinade for 30 minutes or for as long as it takes to prepare the rest of the ingredients if short on time.
- In a small bowl mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside till needed.
- Break the broccoli head into florets and cut each floret in half. Then steam the broccoli for 1 minute and set aside.
- In a large wok heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil till screaming hot, then add the marinated steak strips and brown on both sides. Once the beef is browned add the minced garlic and ginger and stir fry for 20-30 seconds, then add the sauce and stir to coat the beef. Finally add the broccoli and stir to combine, simmer briefly until the sauce thickens and reaches desired consistency.
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