Broccoli Beef is the quintessential Chinese dish that you can order at every local Chinese restaurant.   It’s really a simple dish – it has broccoli and beef, just as the title suggests – but it’s also delicious and easy to make.  For anyone who’s ever tried it at home, the biggest question is how to get the texture of a restaurant-made dish without the heat of a wok and a ladle full of oil.  After all, we daily chefs wouldn’t be healthy if we drenched everything in oil!

I accomplish this feat by marinating the meat/ tenderizing the meat like I demonstrate here.  I also blanch my broccoli like I discuss here.

Using these two methods, you end up with slightly crispy broccoli paired with a tender, succulent beef.  Even better, the entire dish is coated in a tasty brown sauce.  The key here is not to end up with soggy broccoli – that really kills the familiar essence of broccoli beef.  I’ve also found that when I cook it at home, my version is less greasy than the restaurant version, making it a dish that I’m willing to serve often.

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