Bity
The first pot of slow cooker beef and broccoli I made had beautifully tender beef and broccoli the colour of an old army coat. I had put everything in together at nine in the morning, which is exactly what the recipe I was following told me to do.
The fix took one attempt. Slow cooker beef and broccoli is really two recipes sharing a pot: beef wants six long hours to go silky, and broccoli wants about thirty minutes. So you give each of them what they need, and the florets go in near the end while the sauce is thickening.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Cheap beef, silky texture. Because low heat melts connective tissue, flank and stewing steak beat expensive cuts here.
- The florets stay green. They go in for the final half hour, so they steam rather than stew.
- A proper glossy sauce. One tablespoon of cornflour at the end and it clings to every piece.
- Better than the takeaway. In fact, you control the sugar and the salt entirely.
- Almost hands off. Slow cooker beef and broccoli takes ten minutes in the morning and one small job at the end.
Ingredient Notes
- Flank steak or stewing beef. Sliced thin against the grain, about seven hundred grams. Thin slices matter more than the exact cut does.
- Broccoli florets. Three hundred grams, cut to a similar size. It sits in the cruciferous family alongside cabbage and kale, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a good primer on that group.
- Beef stock. Only half a cup. However, a slow cooker loses almost nothing to steam, so more would leave you with soup.
- Stir fry sauce. A quarter cup. The recipe was written soy free with a Worcestershire based sauce, though ordinary soy sauce works if you are not avoiding it.
- Brown sugar. One tablespoon. It balances the salt and helps the sauce glaze rather than just coat.
- Cornflour. Slaked in cold water and stirred in at the end. This is what turns thin liquid into a glossy sauce.
- Onion and garlic. Both go in raw at the start and soften into the background over the day.
When to Add the Broccoli
Thirty minutes before the end of a slow cooker beef and broccoli, laid on top rather than stirred through. That way the florets sit in the steam instead of sinking into the liquid, which keeps them bright and gives them a little bite.
Frozen florets behave slightly differently. They release water as they thaw, so add them straight from frozen and give them the same half hour, then check whether the sauce needs a moment uncovered.
If you like your vegetables very soft, forty five minutes gets you there. Beyond an hour, though, the colour goes and the stems turn woolly, and there is no way back from that.
The Best Beef for Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Flank steak is the classic, and slicing it thin across the grain is what makes it tender rather than stringy. Stewing beef and chuck work just as well, and they are usually cheaper.
Skirt and sirloin also do the job if that is what is on offer. Whatever you use, aim for slices around half a centimetre thick, since chunky pieces stay chewy no matter how long they cook.
How To Make Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
1. Load the pot. First add the sliced beef, diced onion, minced garlic, beef stock, stir fry sauce and brown sugar to the slow cooker.
2. Stir and cook. Next stir gently to combine, cover, and cook on low for five to six hours until the beef pulls apart easily.
3. Make the slurry. Then mix the cornflour with two tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl until completely smooth.
4. Thicken the sauce. Stir the slurry into the pot and let it work for a few minutes. The liquid should turn glossy and coat the back of a spoon.
5. Add the florets. After that, scatter the broccoli over the top, put the lid back on and cook for a final thirty minutes, until tender but still vividly green.
6. Taste and serve. Finally check the seasoning and serve it hot over rice or noodles with a scatter of sesame seeds.
Biggest Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding the broccoli at the start. This is the one that ruins a slow cooker beef and broccoli. Six hours turns the florets grey and mushy.
- Slicing the beef thick. Because thick pieces never really relax, thin slices against the grain are the whole game.
- Too much stock. Half a cup looks stingy in a big pot. Trust it, since the beef and onion give up plenty of liquid.
- Tipping cornflour in dry. It clumps instantly. Always slake it in cold water first.
- Stirring the florets under. Leave them sitting on top so they steam rather than boil.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Brown the beef in a hot pan for four minutes first if you have time. It is optional, and it does add real depth.
- Put the rice on when the broccoli goes in, so both are ready together.
- A teaspoon of grated ginger with the garlic lifts the whole pot.
- For heat, add red pepper flakes with the sauce rather than at the table.
- Meanwhile broccoli and its relatives seem to do good things for the heart, which Harvard Health looked at in a study of older women.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge. Up to four days in an airtight container. However, the florets soften a little more each day.
- Freezer. Two months without the rice. The sauce thickens on thawing, so loosen it with a splash of stock.
- Reheating. Gently on the hob over medium heat, stirring now and then. As a result the beef stays tender rather than tightening the way it does in a microwave.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add peppers. Sliced red and green peppers go in with the broccoli for colour and sweetness.
- Soy version. Swap the stir fry sauce for a quarter cup of light soy and a splash of sesame oil.
- Honey instead of sugar. A quarter cup of honey in place of the brown sugar gives a stickier glaze.
- Different protein. Pork shoulder works on the same timing. For something pulled and saucy, try my slow cooker BBQ pulled pork.
- Stew style. Leave the broccoli out, add carrots at the start, and you are close to my instant pot beef stew.
What to Serve With Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Steamed white rice is the default partner for slow cooker beef and broccoli and it is the right one, because the grains soak up all that glossy sauce. My instant pot white rice takes four minutes and comes out perfectly separate every time.
Egg noodles work just as well for a change. Still, if you want another vegetable on the table, garlic butter green beans are quick and keep the plate from feeling one note.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beef and Vegetables
Can I put raw broccoli straight in the pot?
Yes, but only for the last thirty minutes. Raw florets added at the start cook for hours and come out grey and soft.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Of course. Add it straight from frozen for the final half hour, then leave the lid off for a few minutes if the sauce looks thin.
Which cut of beef is best?
Flank steak sliced thin against the grain. Stewing beef, chuck, skirt and sirloin all work provided the slices are thin.
Can I make it soy based?
Yes. Use a quarter cup of light soy sauce in place of the stir fry sauce, and taste before adding any extra salt.
Timing and Sauce
Can I cook it on high?
You can, for three to four hours. Low gives more tender results though, so use high only when the day is against you.
How do I thicken the sauce?
Slake a tablespoon of cornflour in cold water, stir it in, and give it a few minutes with the lid off to come together.
Can I make it on the hob instead?
Yes. Simmer the beef covered for about ninety minutes, then thicken and add the broccoli for the last eight minutes.
Ingredients
- 700 g flank steak or stewing beef 1 1/2 lb, sliced thin
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 120 ml beef stock 1/2 cup
- 60 ml stir-fry style sauce 1/4 cup, soy free or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornflour cornstarch
- 300 g broccoli florets 10 to 11 oz
To Serve
- cooked rice or noodles
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add the sliced beef, diced onion, garlic, beef stock, sauce and brown sugar to the slow cooker.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the beef is tender.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a slurry.
- Stir the slurry into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce.
- Add the broccoli florets on top for the final 30 minutes of cooking, covered, until tender but still vibrant.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve hot over rice or noodles.
