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5.0 from 63 votes

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

This slow cooker version of Beef & Broccoli is made using the same ingredients as the authentic way of making this but the quantities have been adjusted to make it suitable for slow cooking. Making this in a slow cooker means you can use a budget cut of beef and it makes it meltingly tender. AND it's freezer friendly!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 as a main
Calories: 354 kcal
Course: Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 500 g / 16 oz chuck steak or other beef cut suitable for slow cooking
  • 300 g / 16 oz broccoli florets (about 6 cups, 1 giant broccoli or 2 medium)
  • 2 tbsp corn flour (corn starch)
  • 1 cup water (see note 2)
Sauce
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp finely sliced fresh ginger (note 1)
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce (normal dark soy sauce)
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 4 tsp Chinese cooking wine (rice wine) or dry sherry (note 5)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 4 dashes white pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut the beef into thin slices against the grain (which means at 90 degrees to the direction of the fibres in the meat).
  2. Place beef in slow cooker.
  3. Mix the corn flour with the water, then add to the slow cooker.
  4. Add the Sauce ingredients to the slow cooker.
  5. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours (or pressure cook on high for 40 minutes).
To Serve Immediately
  1. Steam or boil broccoli until "tender crisp" (just cooked, still bright green and still crisp).
  2. Add to beef and sauce, toss to combine. Serve over rice.
To Make Ahead to Freeze (2 months) or Refrigerate (2 days)
  1. Let the beef and sauce cool.
  2. Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli very briefly, then run under cold water or plunge into ice water to stop from cooking further.
  3. Drain broccoli, then combine with the beef and sauce.
  4. Place into ziplock bags or airtight containers and freeze or refrigerate.
  5. To cook, thaw then reheat in the microwave, covered. Be careful not to heat for too long because otherwise the broccoli will overcook.
  6. Serve with rice.

Notes

  • If your ginger is fresh and has thin skin, you don't even need to peel it.
  • The amount of water required will vary depending on what cut of beef you use and whether your slow cooker leaks moisture. My slow cooker leaks very little steam (almost none) and 1 cup of water makes the perfect amount of sauce for this recipe. If your slow cooker leaks a bit of steam, 1 cup of water should be ok as a starting point and check it once the beef is cooked and add a touch of water if the sauce is too thick for your liking.
  • If your slow cooker leaks a lot of steam then you should increase the amount of water to ensure the sauce doesn't dry out during cooking. Don't worry if you end up with too much liquid at the end, you can easily reduce it by simmering on the stove.
  • I used a fairly lean cut of beef - chuck steak. And I also trimmed off the fat. If you are using a fatty slow cooking cut of beef, you could reduce the oil by half or so. I added it because the beef I was using was so lean.
  • You can also make ahead the rice. Cooked rice freezes very well. Just cook it, let it cool then wrap it in cling wrap and freeze. Then defrost and reheat (in the cling wrap) in the microwave.
  • Chinese cooking wine / rice wine is found in the Asian section of large supermarkets here in Australia or in Asian grocery stores. Dry sherry is a great substitute. Also, you can use Mirin but if you do this, skip the sugar in the sauce.
  •  The nutrition analysis will vary depending on the type of beef you use as different cuts of slow cooking beef can have very different amounts of fat. I used chuck steak and cut off the excess fat which is reflected in the nutrition analysis below.

Nutrition Information

Serving 232g Calories 354cal (18%) Carbohydrates 14.2g (5%) Protein 20g (40%) Fat 24.6g (38%) Saturated Fat 7.5g (38%) Cholesterol 65mg (22%) Sodium 842mg (35%) Potassium 459mg (13%) Fiber 2.7g (11%) Sugar 3.9g (8%) Vitamin A 450IU (9%) Vitamin C 92.4mg (103%) Calcium 50mg (5%) Iron 3.2mg (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4as a main

Amount Per Serving

Calories 354

% Daily Value*

Serving 232g
Calories 354cal 18%
Carbohydrates 14.2g 5%
Protein 20g 40%
Fat 24.6g 38%
Saturated Fat 7.5g 38%
Cholesterol 65mg 22%
Sodium 842mg 35%
Potassium 459mg 10%
Fiber 2.7g 11%
Sugar 3.9g 8%
Vitamin A 450IU 9%
Vitamin C 92.4mg 103%
Calcium 50mg 5%
Iron 3.2mg 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.