Easy Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry
Yield: 4 servings
The savory brown sauce that makes this Chinese takeout dish a favorite is easy to make at home thanks to one key ingredient. Advance prep options provide added ease at mealtime.


For the stir fry:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound flank steak, sliced against the grain into thin 3-inch strips*
  • 5 cups bite-size broccoli florets
  • Optional for serving: cooked rice or noodles, toasted sesame seeds, cashews, peanuts, chopped fresh cilantro, and/or sliced green onions

For the sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oyster sauce (vegetarian and GF options are available**)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar or honey
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (may substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (may substitute ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger)
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional
  • 1½ teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar or honey, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, optional sesame oil, and cornstarch; set aside.  Prep-ahead tips: The sauce can be mixed up to two days in advance and stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours or covered and refrigerated beyond that. Stir before using. You may also chop the broccoli and slice the meat in advance for added convenience at mealtime.

    Heat the oil in a 12- to 14-inch nonstick skillet or wok set over medium-high heat.  Add the beef and cook until it is just below your preferred degree of doneness. (I like to see a little pink in the center at this point.) Remove to a plate.

    Add the broccoli, and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender.  (Tip: To more quickly and evenly cook the broccoli without scorching the pan or relying on extra oil, I like to add 3 tablespoons of water to the pan, and then cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked to desired tenderness.  Uncover the pan and make sure all the water is cooked off before proceeding.)

    Add the steak back to the pan, and then immediately add the sauce, and stir to incorporate. Continue to cook until the sauce has slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes more.

    Serve as is, or over rice, with a sprinkle of desired garnishes.


Notes:

*Hanger and flat iron steak work well for this stir fry, too. For easier slicing, you may wish to freeze the steak for 15-20 minutes first. (Set a timer so you don’t forget about it!)

**Gluten-free and vegetarian oyster sauce options are available. The latter is sometimes referred to as mushroom sauce; both can be found in the Asian/international aisle of the grocery store. Wegmans sells a sauce that is vegetarian and gluten-free with no added MSG.

A few more things:
If you like to serve your stir fry on a bed of rice, you may wish to double the sauce recipe. Sometimes I add half of a red bell pepper, thinly sliced, for added color. If you like a thicker sauce, you may wish to add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce mixture.


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