Tender Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli (Printable Version)
Tender beef and crisp broccoli in savory garlic-soy sauce, slow-cooked to perfection for an easy weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Beef & Marinade
01 - 1.5 lbs flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
03 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Sauce
04 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
05 - 1/3 cup beef broth
06 - 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
07 - 2 tbsp oyster sauce
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
11 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
→ Vegetables
12 - 4 cups broccoli florets
→ To Serve
13 - Steamed white or brown rice
14 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
15 - 2 green onions, sliced
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place sliced beef in a large bowl. Toss with cornstarch and black pepper until evenly coated.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
03 - Place coated beef into the crock pot. Pour sauce over the beef and stir to combine.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or on high for 2 hours, until beef is tender.
05 - About 30 minutes before serving, stir in broccoli florets. Cover and cook until broccoli is just tender but still bright green, about 25–30 minutes.
06 - Serve hot over steamed rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender without any fancy techniques or constant attention
- You get that deep, savory garlic-soy flavor that usually takes restaurants hours to develop in their sauces
- Its one of those rare meals that actually tastes better the longer it cooks, so timing is completely forgiving
02 -
- Slicing the beef against the grain is absolutely crucial, otherwise you will end up with tough, chewy strips no matter how long you cook it
- Adding the broccoli too early will result in sad, mushy vegetables, so set that timer for exactly 30 minutes before serving
- The sauce will thicken significantly as it cools, so do not worry if it looks a bit thin when you first lift the lid
03 -
- Partially freeze the beef for 20 minutes before slicing to get paper-thin, even strips
- Toasting your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes makes a huge difference in flavor