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Boiling activates the thickening powder of cornstarch. Once you have all the ingredients in there, make sure to bring the sauce up to a boil, and simmer for at least 1 minute. Stirring cornstarch into the sauteed garlic, before adding the sauce ingredients, adds body to the sauce. Putting too much steak in the skillet at once will cause the pieces to steam.Ĭornstarch is the classic thickener for Chinese-American stir fries, and it also lends the meat that silky, tender texture unique to Chinese-American takeout. Once you have a hot skillet, add the meat, which should start sizzling immediately too. Preheat the skillet for around 2 minutes. To test if the skillet is hot enough, sprinkle a drop of water into the heated skillet – it should sizzle and evaporate almost immediately. Beef and broccoli is technically a stir fry, so the entire cooking process should happen hot and fast. And since you're using thinly sliced pieces, you don't need to let it sit for too long – just 20 minutes is perfect. A combo of soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and cornstarch does wonders to keep cheaper cuts like sirloin tender. Remember to slice the meat against the grain! Should I cut the steak before or after cooking?įor stir-frys, always cut the meat before cooking! It cooks faster in smaller pieces and won't need as much time to marinate (see below). Good substitutes for sirloin: Flank, skirt steak, or chuck work wonderfully in this recipe too. Stir fries were created to use up cheaper, fattier cuts of meat. We like sirloin because it cooks quickly, and soaks up all the delicious flavors of the sauce.
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(Her Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry is absolutely incredible and you should 100% try it.) Curious to learn more or eager to make substitutions? Read on for tips for getting perfect results every time. If you're looking to dive deeper into beef and broccoli, our Senior Food Producer, June Xie, says hoisin, a fermented bean paste, is an essential addition for that trademark Chinese-American flavor. While not traditional, this recipe hits the spot. The sauce in this version uses ingredients that I always have on hand in my kitchen - garlic, broth, soy sauce, lime juice, and Sriracha. A classic Chinese-American menu item, beef and broccoli is a dish that I am particularly obsessed with.
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