Beef Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 454 g (1 pound)beef tenderloin or sirloin, cut into thin slices
• ¼ teaspoonsalt
• ¼ teaspoonpepper
• 1 tablespooncornflour, for coating
• 454 g (1 pound)broccoli, cut into florets
• 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml)vegetable oil
• 1 clovegarlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml)soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml)oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml)dry sherry or wine (optional)
• ¼ cup (60 ml)water
• 1 teaspooncornflour, for thickening the sauce
• To tasteground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Coat the beef

   In a bowl, mix the coating cornflour with the salt and pepper. Add the beef slices and turn them until coated.

2. 2

   Blanch the broccoli

   Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 2–3 minutes, until partly cooked but still crisp. Drain well.

3. 3

   Stir-fry the beef

   Heat the oil in a wok or sauté pan over high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry for about 2–3 minutes, taking care not to overcook it. Lift the beef out of the pan and set it aside.

4. 4

   Simmer the sauces

   Using the same oil, cook the garlic over medium heat until slightly browned. Stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce and dry sherry or wine, if using, and let the mixture simmer.

5. 5

   Thicken and combine

   Dissolve 1 teaspoon of cornflour in ¼ cup (60 ml) of water, then stir it into the pan until the sauce thickens. Add the broccoli and beef and cook for another half a minute. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with oyster sauce.

6. 6

   Serve straight away

   Serve immediately with hot steamed rice.

What is beef and broccoli stir-fry?

Beef and broccoli stir-fry is a quick pan-cooked dish that brings together sliced beef, broccoli and a savoury sauce. This version uses oyster sauce for its rich, salty flavour and is served with steamed rice.

The dish is associated with Chinese-American cooking, where stir-frying suits a fast meal and familiar ingredients. Blanching the broccoli first and cooking the beef briefly helps each keep a distinct texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 428 calories, 24g protein, 11g carbs, 32g fat.

The beef provides most of the protein, while the broccoli contributes some carbohydrate and fibre; the rice served alongside adds more carbohydrate. Most of the fat comes from the vegetable oil and the beef, so serve with a generous portion of broccoli and a moderate serving of rice for a balanced plate.

Why coat the beef?

Cornflour: a light coating clings to the thin slices and helps them brown in the hot pan. It also gives the beef a smooth, tender texture.

Thin slices: cut the beef across the grain where possible, so it is easier to bite. Keeping the slices a similar thickness helps them cook at roughly the same rate.

Blanching for crisp broccoli

Brief boil: blanch the florets for 2–3 minutes, then drain them well. They should be partly cooked but still firm, as they will spend a little longer in the sauce.

Even pieces: cut the florets to a similar size so smaller pieces do not soften before larger ones are ready. Draining thoroughly also helps avoid watering down the sauce.

A fast, hot beef cook

High heat: let the wok or sauté pan heat before adding the beef, then stir-fry for about 2–3 minutes. Work in batches if the pan is crowded, since piled-up meat can release moisture instead of browning.

Doneness cue: take the beef out as soon as it is just cooked through, then return it to the pan only for the final half-minute. The recipe does not give a separate internal temperature.

Building the oyster sauce

Garlic first: cook it in the same oil over medium heat until slightly browned, rather than letting it darken too far. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce and optional sherry or wine, then simmer.

Cornflour slurry: mix the sauce-thickening cornflour with the measured water before adding it to the pan. Stir as it heats so the sauce thickens evenly without lumps.

Timing and serving

Prepare the beef and broccoli before heating the pan, as the stir-frying and sauce steps move quickly. The listed total time is 25 minutes.

Serve the stir-fry straight away with hot steamed rice, as suggested in the method. Rice makes a simple accompaniment for the savoury sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Slice the beef thinly so it cooks quickly in the hot pan.
• Drain the blanched broccoli well before adding it to the sauce.
• Keep the beef moving in the pan and remove it after about 2–3 minutes.
• Mix the sauce-thickening cornflour with cold water before pouring it into the pan.
• Have the sauce ingredients ready before you start stir-frying.

Variations

• Use wine: substitute dry wine for the sherry, or leave it out as the recipe allows.
• Adjust the broccoli: cut the florets smaller for more even pieces in each serving.
• Choose sirloin: use sirloin instead of tenderloin, slicing it thinly before cooking.
• Add more pepper: finish with ground black pepper to suit your taste.
• Serve without rice: serve the stir-fry on its own if you prefer to skip the suggested accompaniment.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the beef: stir-fry it for about 2–3 minutes, then remove it while you prepare the sauce.
• Crowding the pan: cook the beef in batches if needed so it can fry rather than steam.
• Softening the broccoli too much: blanch for only 2–3 minutes and keep it crisp-tender.
• Adding dry cornflour: dissolve it in the measured water first to help prevent lumps.
• Burning the garlic: lower the heat to medium and take it off the heat once slightly browned.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot in a pan, stirring gently; add a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently asked questions