Bigly Beef and Broccoli
Prep
15m
Cook
10m
Total
25m
Bigly says
Let me tell you something. Beef and broccoli. Two ingredients. TWO. That's all you need when both of them are TREMENDOUS — the broccoli vibrant and just shy of tender, the beef silky and glossy, the sauce wrapping it all up like a bow on the best gift you've ever given yourself. The whole thing takes twenty-five minutes. Twenty-five! That's a slaughter compared to delivery.
A guy named Ramón taught me velveting. He's the truth. He stood me in front of his wok, told me to be quiet — Ramón does not waste words — and he showed me the cornstarch, the splash of soy, the pinch of baking soda. He didn't explain it. He just did it. And the beef came out of that wok like SILK. The texture of a dream you don't want to wake up from. I went home that night and I never made beef and broccoli the old way again. That was twenty years ago. Ramón is still right.
Most home cooks will not do this step. Most chefs in cookbooks won't even mention it. They'll tell you to dust the beef with cornstarch and call it a day. That's not velveting. That's pretending. Real velveting is the cornstarch AND the baking soda AND the rest. Twenty minutes on the counter. The beef changes character. The proteins relax. The wok kisses the surface, the sauce clings, the broccoli — blanched first, because we are not amateurs — stays GREEN. Glossy. The whole plate shines like a patent leather shoe. Hands down.
Ingredients
- 1 lbflank steak(sliced thin across the grain — across, not with)
- 1/2 tspbaking soda(the velveting magic)
- 2 tbsp, dividedcornstarch
- 1 tbspsoy sauce(for the marinade)
- 1 tbspshaoxing wine
- 1 lbbroccoli florets(cut into bite-sized pieces, stems peeled and sliced if using)
- 3 tbsp, dividedneutral oil
- 4 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1 tbspfresh ginger, minced
- 3 tbspsoy sauce(for the sauce)
- 2 tbspoyster sauce(non-negotiable)
- 1 tspdark soy sauce(for color, optional but nice)
- 2 tspbrown sugar
- 1/3 cupchicken stock or water
- 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
- pinchwhite pepper
- as neededsteamed white rice (for serving)
Steps
- 1
Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch thick strips. In a bowl, toss with baking soda, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and shaoxing wine. Let sit 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour in the fridge).
- 2
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt it. Add broccoli and blanch for 60 seconds until bright green and just shy of tender. Drain and shock in cold water. Drain again and pat dry.
- 3
Whisk the sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken stock, and the remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch. Set aside.
- 4
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat until smoking. Add 2 tbsp oil and swirl.
- 5
Add the beef in a single layer. Let it sear undisturbed for 45 seconds, then toss quickly until just barely cooked through, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate — it will finish cooking later.
- 6
Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry 20 seconds until fragrant.
- 7
Add the broccoli and toss for 30 seconds to heat through.
- 8
Stir the sauce, then pour it into the wok. Bring to a hard bubble — it will thicken in about 30 seconds.
- 9
Return the beef and any juices to the wok. Toss to coat everything in glossy sauce, 30 more seconds. Off the heat, drizzle with sesame oil and a pinch of white pepper.
- 10
Serve immediately over hot rice.
One more thing
In the time it takes the delivery driver to find your address, you've already eaten, washed the wok, and started thinking about dessert. The velveting is the difference. The blanching is the difference. The screaming-hot wok is the difference. Everything is the difference. That's how this dish works. Ramón would be proud. Ramón would also tell you to stop reading and start cooking. Now go eat.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about Bigly Beef and Broccoli.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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