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Beef and broccoli is on every takeout menu in America, and the reason the beef there is so soft is a pinch of baking soda. Restaurant kitchens call it velveting. A little soda on thin slices of beef raises the surface just enough that the meat holds on to its moisture in a very hot pan, so it comes out tender instead of tough and chewy. Rested for a short while on the counter, rinsed and dried, the beef is ready to sear. That is the step most home recipes leave out, and it is the difference between a stir fry and the takeout you were hoping for.
The second thing people miss is the sauce. Takeout sauce clings to every piece and shines; homemade sauce is often thin and runs to the bottom of the plate. The answer is cornstarch in the sauce, a very hot pan, and pouring the sauce in at the very end so it thickens in seconds. Here is how to make the beef tender and the sauce glossy, and have it on the table before the delivery would have been.
Why this beef and broccoli works
- Baking soda on the beef. A short rest with a pinch of soda keeps thin slices tender in a hot pan.
- Slicing against the grain. Short fibers mean a tender bite every time.
- A very hot pan and small batches. The beef sears brown instead of steaming gray.
- Broccoli cooked separately first. It stays bright green and crisp-tender instead of going soft.
- Cornstarch in the sauce. It thickens in seconds and gives the glossy coat you see in takeout.
Ingredients
Serves 4 over rice. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the beef
- 1 pound flank steak (450g)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce (80ml)
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (25g)
- 1/2 cup beef broth or water (120ml)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the stir fry
- 1 large head broccoli (about 450g), cut in bite-size florets
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- Steamed white rice, to serve
- Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion, to finish
Flank steak is the classic cut. Sirloin or skirt steak work too. Use a wok or the largest heavy skillet you own.
How to make beef and broccoli
Tenderize the beef
- Put the steak in the freezer for 20 minutes so it firms up. Slice it very thin, against the grain, into pieces about 2 inches long.
- Toss the slices with the baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water and leave them on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Rinse the beef well in a colander, then pat it very dry with paper towels. Toss it with the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
Cook
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until no lumps of cornstarch remain.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1/2 cup water and the broccoli, cover and steam for 2 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Tip it onto a plate and wipe the pan dry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat until it shimmers. Add half the beef in a single layer and leave it alone for 1 minute, then stir and cook 1 minute more, until browned. Move it to the plate and repeat with the rest of the oil and beef.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir the sauce again and pour it in. Stir as it bubbles, about 1 minute, until it turns thick and glossy.
- Return the beef and broccoli with any juices and toss for 30 seconds, until everything is coated. Serve over rice with sesame seeds and green onion.
Tips that make the difference
- Do not skip the rinse after the baking soda. A quick rinse removes any soapy taste.
- Dry the beef well. Wet beef will not brown.
- Never crowd the pan. Two batches of beef brown; one big pile boils.
- Have everything ready before the pan is hot. The whole cooking takes about ten minutes.
- If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a spoon of water.
Variations
- Chicken and broccoli. Use thin sliced chicken breast with the same baking soda step.
- With mushrooms. Add sliced mushrooms to the pan after the beef and cook until browned.
- Spicy. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic.
- Over noodles. Serve it over lo mein style noodles instead of rice.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water, just until hot, so the beef does not toughen.
The sauce can be mixed and kept in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently asked questions
Why is restaurant beef so tender?
Velveting. A short rest with baking soda, or with cornstarch and egg white, keeps thin beef soft in a very hot pan.
Will the baking soda taste?
Not if you use only a pinch and rinse the beef before cooking.
What cut of beef is best?
Flank steak, sliced thin against the grain. Sirloin and skirt steak also work.
Why is my sauce thin?
The cornstarch settled in the bowl, or the pan was not hot enough. Stir the sauce right before pouring it in and let it bubble.
Put the rice on first, and supper will be ready the moment it is.
Beef and Broccoli (Takeout Tender Beef, Glossy Sauce)
Takeout-style beef and broccoli at home: thin flank steak made tender with a pinch of baking soda, seared fast in a hot pan with crisp green broccoli and a glossy soy, oyster sauce, garlic and ginger sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup beef broth or water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 large head broccoli (about 450g), cut in bite-size florets
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- Steamed white rice, to serve
- Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion, to finish
Instructions
- Put the steak in the freezer for 20 minutes so it firms up. Slice it very thin, against the grain, into pieces about 2 inches long.
- Toss the slices with the baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water and leave them on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Rinse the beef well in a colander, then pat it very dry with paper towels. Toss it with the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until no lumps of cornstarch remain.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1/2 cup water and the broccoli, cover and steam for 2 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Tip it onto a plate and wipe the pan dry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat until it shimmers. Add half the beef in a single layer and leave it alone for 1 minute, then stir and cook 1 minute more, until browned. Move it to the plate and repeat with the rest of the oil and beef.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Stir the sauce again and pour it in. Stir as it bubbles, about 1 minute, until it turns thick and glossy.
- Return the beef and broccoli with any juices and toss for 30 seconds, until everything is coated. Serve over rice with sesame seeds and green onion.
