Oriental Beef and Broccoli

Last month my daughter was asked what her favorite food was.  Her response was "cooked broccoli with Chinese gravy."  When she said that, no one knew what she was talking about. For some reason my entire family (even the pickiest of eaters) can't get enough broccoli when I make this dish.  Long ago I made it all on the stove, but as my life has gotten busier I have become a huge fan of using my slow cooker.  It not only makes the meat tender, but it saves on the amount of dishes that I use and, most important, it rivals one of our favorite Chinese restaurants.

Here is what you need:

1 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar (original flavor)

1/4 c. sugar

a few drops of sesame oil

1/4 c. corn starch

2-3 gloves minced garlic

2 t. fresh ginger

2 cans chicken broth

2 lbs beef (any cut)

2 large florets of broccoli

First - In your slow clooker add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and corn starch.  Stir all of the ingredients together, making sure to get all of the corn starch mixed in as it tends to lump at the bottom of the slow cooker.

Next add a few drops of sesame oil (a little goes a long way) and some fresh ginger.

I love adding freshly ground ginger to any Chinese dish.  Ginger is easy to store in the freezer and keeps for a long time.  Simply peel off the brown skin with a knife.  It is easy to grate using a cheese grater.  Use as much or as little as you like.

Add chicken broth and stir one more time.

Now for the beef!

I have tried all types of beef.  This particular cut was a T-bone steak, but I almost prefer flank steak or a roast cut into bite size peices.  In the end it doesn't really matter what kind of beef cut you use.  Simply added 1 TBS of oil to a hot pan and sear the meat until it is golden brown on both sides.  (Remember, you are not cooking the meat all the way through, you are simply locking in the flavor before it is put in the slow cooker).  It should take about 3 minutes on each side.  Take the meat straight from the pan and put it right into the slow cooker.  Put the lid on, turn on the slow cooker, and cook either on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6-8 hours.

It should look like this when you take it off the stove.  Don't cut it into bite size peices yet, let it simmer in your slow cooker for 6 hours until the meat is nice and tender and easier to cut.





To save time I cut my broccoli into little florets (while I am searing my beef) and then put them in my refrigerator (to save for later).  You will add the broccoli 2-3 hours before you serve, as they will turn to mush if you put them in at the beginning with the rest of the ingredients.

After 6 hours of cooking the beef will be moist and tender and easy to cut.  Take the meat out of the slow cooker and cut into desired bite size pieces, cutting away any fat.  Place the meat and broccolli in the slow cooker once more, give it one more stir, and cover for 2-3 more hours until the broccolli is soft and tender.

To make my dish complete I serve it with rice. . .my preference is brown rice because of the added nutrients and fiber, but any rice will do.  Jasmine rice would be delicious too!

Voila, by the end of the day the house is smelling like my favorite Chinese restaurant for a fraction of the cost.  Last night we tried to teach the kids how to use chop sticks but they found jabbing the meat was much more fun.  At least they asked for seconds!!

Paige