Beef with Broccoli | Kenji's Cooking Show

Beef with Broccoli. This will be the last video from my old kitchen (which is no longer mine!). Sniff. (P.S. I forgot to add the Shaoxing wine to the wok as I was cooking. Oops.)

Here's the basic recipe:

For the Beef and Marinade:
12 ounces (340g) skirt steak, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces against the grain (watch the video for the technique)
1 teaspoon (5ml) light soy sauce or shoyu
1 teaspoon (5ml) sesame oil
2 teaspoons (10ml) Shaoxing wine
1/4 teaspoon (1g) MSG
1 teaspoon (3) cornstarch
A little more than a 1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt) (about 5g)

For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon (15ml) dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15ml) light soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30ml) oyster sauce
1 tablespoon (20g) sugar

For the Cornstarch Slurry:
2 teaspoons (6g) cornstarch
1 tablespoon (15ml) water

For the Broccoli or Broccolini:
12 ounces (340g) broccoli or broccolini, florets separated and stems sliced on a sharp bias into 1-inch pieces (peel stems if they are tough

For the Stir-Fry
2 tablespoons (30ml) peanut, rice bran, or soybean oil
3 teaspoons (8g) minced fresh garlic (3-4 medium cloves)
2 teaspoons (5g) minced fresh ginger (about ½-inch segment, minced)
1 tablespoon (15ml) Shaoxing wine

1. For the Beef and Marinade: Combine beef with marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Very roughly massage the marinade into the meat for at least 30 seconds. Set aside for 15 minutes or refrigerate up to overnight.

2. For the Sauce: Combine soy sauce, wine, vinegar, oyster sauce, and chicken stock or water in a small bowl and stir together until homogenous. Set aside. Combine cornstarch and water in a separate small bowl and stir with a fork until cornstarch is dissolved.

3. For the Broccolini: Heat a couple cups of salted water in a wok over high heat until boiling. Add broccoli, cover, and cook until tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Drain and transfer to a plate to air-dry.

4. For the Stir-Fry: Heat wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil and swirl to coat. Add beef, spread into a single layer and let it cook until lightly seared, about 30 seconds. Stir-fry until beef is mostly cooked through and only a few pink spots remain. Immediately add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds longer.

5. Add 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine by pouring it around the side of the wok. Stir sauce mixture and pour it in around the sides of the wok. Toss to combine. Add broccoli and toss to combine. Stir the cornstarch slurry and add a splash. Cook, tossing, until sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 seconds longer. Adjust sauce consistency with more cornstarch slurry if it is too thin, or a splash of water if it is too thick. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with steamed white rice.

[KingOfCrafting]

There's something about seeing someone make stuff so casually in their home kitchen that makes it feel so much more accessible. Thanks for the video!

[jordanthomas]

best thing about kenji - he balances practicality with authentic - "some people are vehemently against peeled garlic but sometimes I buy it because I'm lazy" - Perfectly said.

[madmanmortonyt]

For myself

Beef prep: 0:13
Beef marinade: 2:58
Broccoli prep: 5:19
Sauce + slurry prep: 7:00
Aromatics prep: 9:05

11:06 Beef and Broccoli

[iljalubins]

Hey Kenji, chemist here! The baking soda does increase the pH which promotes the degradation of the peptide bonds in the muscle proteins. So basically, you’re chemically cleaving the meat fibers. When using tenderizers like pineapple or papaya this chemical cleavage is promoted by enzymes. You could call it “non bacterial rot” if you will.
As someone who recently discovered this velveting technique and used it many times on chicken I’m 99% that that’s what’s going on here with the beef as well. I’m still not quite sure what the effect of starch is. So far my explanation is, that starch can penetrate the meat surface to a certain degree and help retain the moisture during the cooking process.

I hope I could at least clear up the mystery about the soda.

That said, I really appreciate your take on home cuisine and you bring a lot of value to beginners and experienced cooks alike with your content.
Keep it up!

[KablamoKelli]

I really appreciate you showing the clean as you go process. Professionals always talk about the importance of this, but it's usually edited from cooking shows. The overwhelming mess I make while cooking, used to discourage me from using the kitchen. But, these quarantine vids have me feeling more organized and confident.

[davidmacpherson]

So much respect for this master who gives us these classes from his home without pretense (pre-peeled garlic) but depth.

[rgeist]

Made this for my wife tonight.

"Mmm! This is good. Restaurant quality! I take that back, it's better than what I get at the restaurant."

The recipe is top notch. We really enjoyed it.

[pegparrish]

Will miss your former kitchen, learned a lot in that space! Many thanks for that and wishing you many, many years of great food and dining in your new home!

[aethoexe]

I’ve heard people talk about J. Kenji López-Alt as if he was a magical god of food, but damn I know what they mean. He’s very satisfying to watch.

[jeremiahmiller]

One day we'll catch him saying "First: longyao" and it'll be great.

[woodardchuckleson]

This man shuts the water off while he's working the soap. Respect.

[rhysbevan]

"once we start, it goes fast okay?" is a sentence I've had to disappoint my girlfriend with more than once...

[IsItVret]

"put some oil and just rub it out" - J. Kenji López-Alt

[Jurkox]

I love the easy and regular human approach to Asian cuisine by Mr. Kenji. He uses the same ways that are utilized in your local Chinese bistro, but makes the process more friendly. I also like seeing that the issue I have when cooking Kung Pao or any Asian stir fry and that it still lacks the kick that a bistro would have doesn't come from me doing it the wrong way, in the end it's just all about wok hei, which I currently cannot have and that is what makes the difference.

[rindar]

Every time I see Kenji take out the ginger, I can already hear him say "I'm using a knife, but you can use a spoon if that's easyer for you".

[paulp]

love how J. Kenji López-Alt is using MSG. its too bad more people dont use it. it can save on salt levels and give way more flavor

[awfulwaffle]

"About a tablespoon of sugar"
*Shovels half the pot in there*

[bethbilous]

I love watching your videos. Just info, no annoying background music. Straight to the point. Exactly how youtube videos should be made. Thank you.

[MowkMeister]

I feel like kenji would be the coolest dude to chill with. He is always hella thoughtful and inclusive. We need more people like kenji.

[BreonNagy]

Can we get a "Kenji Bingo" going? Any time he talks about peeling ginger with a spoon, makes a Chef John reference, explains wok hei, etc.