CrockPot Broccoli Beef


Broccoli Beef is a Take Out classic that you can easily recreate at home in your very own crockpot slow cooker. This way you KNOW what is in the dinner --- if you are steering clear of gluten or soy or any other allergen you can safely make it at home which is good for your body AND your wallet!

:-)

[ Originally posted during my Year of Slow Cooking challenge. ]


Broccoli Beef Take Out Fake Out Recipe for the crockpot slow cooker



Day 68.

I don't know about you, but in our family we eat take - out about once a week or so, and usually on Friday Nights.

I was trying to recreate our favorite Broccoli Beef recipe using ingredients I already had on- hand and am happy to report that I put together a very tasty rendition of an Asian-inspired broccoli beef that is gluten-free, and doesn't leave you feeling like you just ingested a tanker full of oil.

I think you'll really like it!! :-)

The Ingredients.
serves 4

these are the ingredients needed to make broccoli beef from scratch in the crockpot slow cooker


1 pound thin beef (I used rib eye)
1/4 cup soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat-free are gluten free)
2 tablespoons white wine (can use apple juice or white grape juice instead)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (can use white vinegar)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (10-ounce) bag thawed broccoli florets (to add later)
OR: 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, slightly blanched (rinse off, then microwave for 90 seconds on high)


The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker.

Add the liquid sauce ingredients to the crockpot
Chop up your garlic, add to mixture
Stir in the spices.

Then, slice meat into thin strips (unless you are using fajita meat, then you're good to go)

Toss meat with sauce ingredients in the crockpot -- using a large spoon or your hands ( I used my hands. it wasn't gross! ) to full coat the meat in the liquid and spice mixture.

Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, depending on the cut of meat. Thicker pieces will take longer to tenderize.

An hour or so before serving, add the broccoli to the pot. Do Not Stir, just pour it in.

Cover and cook for another 30 minutes to an hour on high.

Now you can stir gingerly to coat broccoli

serve over steamed rice.


The Verdict.


So very good! 

It really was. Adam said that he hasn't ever had any broccoli beef that has tasted better.

One kid ate two helpings and the other ate one piece of broccoli and ate 3 bowls of rice.

YAY FOR TAKE OUT FAKE OUT RECIPES!!! :-)

Broccoli Beef is a fun recipe to try at home to make a take out classic in a healthy way. This homemade sauce is a perfect rendition of your favorite Chinese restaurant dish without lots of added grease or oil. I love that it cooks in the crockpot while I'm out of the house. Perfect for Friday night family dinners!



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Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at March 16, 2017

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What they say about this article

  1. It really does look good :-) With the crockpot none of the flavor can evaporate, I'm sure it's even better that way!!

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  2. this is one of my hubby's favorite dishes! good job!

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  3. Homemade chinese is the oNLY way to go! It probably doesn't go all gelatinous after a few hours either! This ones a tryer and probably a keeper too :)!

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  4. Anonymous3/08/2008

    I'm a little scared how much we think alike! I was searching rice in the crockpot the day before you posted yours and today I came home with chinese take-out (yours looks better!).
    Is your 1.5 Q pot big enough for cooking for one or just dips? I'm thinking of getting a smaller one and don't know what size to get. What do you think?

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  5. I did like it a lot, CS. I'm kicking myself for not adding in a bit of ginger. next time!

    yay, Amie!

    jennifer, I forgot about that gelatinous tendency. what IS that?
    weird.

    loloandpooh, that is funny that we are thinking alike.
    I have not cooked a "real" meal in a 1.5 Q. I bet you could do little things, like 1 chicken breast, a few chopped up sausages, etc.
    I have used ours primarily for dips, and I did use it this past week for the bananas foster.
    Sometimes they are so ridiculously inexpensive, you just can't not buy one. This one was $4.95 at Walmart the day after Thanksgiving.

    I wish I could answer your question better, but I truthfully just don't know.

    xoxo
    steph

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  6. Thank you so much for the link and mention in your blog post! What a creative theme you have. I just recently was given a crock pot, but I've yet to use it. It sounds like you can make pretty much everything under the sun in it though. I'll be bookmarking you for future dinner inspiration.

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  7. Mmmm! Even for someone who's not a brocolli fan, this looks yummy!

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  8. Anonymous3/30/2008

    Do you think I could do the beef part and then get some of the steam-in-a-bag broccoli to add to it right before we eat? I don't have an hour between getting home and getting dinner on the table... I'm thinking it would work that way, though.

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  9. Damsel, absolutely that would work! it's a great idea.

    -steph

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  10. Anonymous5/05/2008

    That looks amazing. I would if I could replace the beef with chicken? DH isn't a big beef eatting person.

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  11. Anonymous11/18/2008

    I made this last week. From the potent odor of Soy Sauce that filled my apartment, I just KNEW this was not going to be one of my more sucessful meals. Boy, was I wrong! This was fabulous. I am single, and live alone...so I froze all of the extra individual portions along with the rice. I am thrilled to report that after thawing and reheating it is just as good as the day I made it. I am always looking for meals that freeze well! Thanks again.

    Kd

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  12. yum, and so much healthier in its proportions of brocolli to beef than carry out!

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  13. Anonymous2/03/2009

    Something went wrong! It smelled great when I left the house, but when I got back it was scorched! I used a 6qt pot, set on low for 8 hrs. At the 3 hour point I put in 10-12 oz. FRESH broccoli. Was my crock too big, or the fresh broccoli too dry? Both? Or something different? I thought maybe frozed broccoli had more water in it, maybe I should have added water? On the plus side, I salvaged a couple of not-too-scorched pieces of beef (I used chuck roast) and it was tender and very tasty. I'll try again, but only after I get some ideas from you and your readers!
    P.S. I LOVE your website and pass it on to everyone I meet. Thank you for doing this!

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  14. oh no. I'm so sorry, colesmom. I think the pot was too big. If you only used the 1pound of meat that I wrote, it probably just got overcooked. I'm so sorry. You can try putting an oven-safe dish into your crock, or you can put a layer of foil down near the food to create a lid-within-a-lid.
    I don't think the fresh veggies would have been the culprit, but I do think adding a tiny bit of water (or leaving them damp after washing) is a good idea.
    xoxo
    steph

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  15. If I was to double this recipe.. what size crockpot would you cook it in?

    Thanks!!

    Stephanie

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  16. Anonymous3/02/2009

    I made this last night and it was awesome! Tasted just like Chinese take out!

    I did change a couple of things:

    I doubled the recipe (just fit in a 4qt), but not the seseme oil or the hot pepper flakes.

    I added some corn starch to 1/4C water and added it in the last 30minutes so the sauce would thicken up.

    I also cooked the broccoli seperately since the kids won't touch it with a ten foot pole LOL!

    This is a keeper! Thanks :)

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  17. i've tried this a couple times, too. my family LOVES this. thank you SO much for posting it!

    i also had the thought to double the sauce. it just wasn't enough! and i added some cornstarch to it, too, so it would thicken.

    thanks for a delicious recipe!

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  18. Mmmmm, this was absolutely delicious!

    And then an hour later my husband started having an allergic reaction, whoops.

    I will try it again someday without the sesame oil and see if he still breaks out.

    Thank you! It was SOOOO good!

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  19. I'm trying this tomorrow! It looks so good, and I know my family will like it. We're big broccoli eaters, especially my 6 year old. I am going to double it, and I might try that corn starch trick someone posted.

    Is there any reason it wouldn't be ok to set this up the night before and stick it in the fridge?

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  20. Could I leave out the white wine, do you think...

    and did anyone try with chicken...

    TY TY TY

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  21. Is there anything I might could substitute for the white wine & Sesame oil?

    I don't have any white wine on hand, and we're allergic to sesame oil. It looks really good though and I've been craving beef & broccoli!

    I think I might add some slivered carrots too - our Chinese place puts them in chicken & broccoli so I don't see why it wouldn't work.

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  22. Hi there,

    apple juice can work to replace the white wine.
    As for sesame oil, there really isn't a taste substitution, but you can sub any other oil you'd like---olive, etc.

    as for chicken, it should work the exact same way, Peace and Love!

    xoxo steph

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  23. Anonymous10/14/2009

    I have done this with chicken and it comes out just fine! I do leave the chicken peices a little thicker then I would the beef or else it tends to get a little overwhelmed by the sauce.

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  24. This was delicious! I was able to use a 2.5 pound chuck roast I got on sale, and it came out tender and flavorful. The broccoli and flavor of the dish were just perfect. With the rice, it was heavenly! We will definitely make it again.

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  25. Hi Stephanie! I cooked this last night and the family gave it a thumbs up! I always ask how they liked it after dinner. THEN, I ask the important question "Would you eat it again?". At this point, they know brutal honesty is best. If they say yes, they know they will see it again. Cooking the gumbo tonight!! Can't wait! Have a great day!

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  26. Yum. I didn't measure anything very exactly and had to use raw broccoli (frozen was not anywhere to be found after going to two stores). I added carrots and shimeji mushrooms. It only took about four hours in my crockpot, probably because the beef was already sliced super-thin.

    But, it is delicious. Will make again. But I live alone, so this is probably enough to last me a while!

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  27. Very tasty! My husband and I loved it. I made it in a 6 qt. slow cooker and didn't have the problem that Colesmom had. I used fresh broccoli too, but only added it an hour before serving, like the directions say, but I kept it on low. I wonder if the lid wasn't on all the way, or something? I don't know, but mine turned out perfectly. The only thing I will change the next time I make it is to double it!

    http://edesiasnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/10/slow-cooker-broccoli-beef.html

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  28. Anonymous1/18/2011

    It is in the crock pot today. I am using tri tip angus sirloin. I used sunflower oil instead of sesame (allergic), shallots and scallions instead of garlic (also allergic), I increased the white wine by 1/3 and decreased the soy sauce a little to balance sodium. I also put in some onion powder, thyme and black pepper for flavor. Very excited to see if the kids will eat it! They better since I made a double batch :-)

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  29. MadisonHomeCooker3/01/2011

    This was very tasty! My kids (5 & 8) ate it enthusiastically. If I were really organized, I would have made it a day ahead to allow the flavors to intensify a bit, but no biggie. A few modifications: I added about 5 big mushrooms with the meat at the beginning. The meat was cooked sooner than I expected, so I just steamed the other veggies in the microwave and then added them to the crock pot. I added 2 carrots (peeled and sliced) to the broccoli since I didn't have quite as much meat as called for. This was a nice addition. At the table, the grown-ups added Tabasco/Sriracha (because I omitted the red pepper due to my kids), some Hoisin sauce (which is *not* GF), and some sesame oil. I served it over brown rice-- lovely. I'll definitely be making this again. I love Stir Fries without any of the stirring or frying! Thanks for the great idea!

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  30. Speaking of "stirring gingerly," stirring in a teaspoon or two of freshly-grated ginger would be worth considering the next time you fall back on this dish. Yum.

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  31. Anonymous5/07/2011

    Just made this and my husband and I loved it. Recipe worked perfectly, and made enough for dinner and lunch the next day. I want to especially thank you because this used to be my staple order at Chinese restaurants in the US, but since moving to the UK 3 years ago most Chinese restaurants have never even heard of beef with broccoli. :P So glad I can have it again, and so easily and cheaply and healthily. :)

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  32. Ryah Cooley8/15/2011

    Hey, so I tried this recipe today. I put everything (except the broccoli) in the crock pot at 9 am and set it to low. When I got home at 4 pm everything was burnt to a crisp. What went wrong? I have a five quart crock pot by the way.

    Ryah

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  33. Ryah, your crockpot could have very well been too empty. A relatively empty crockpot will cook much faster than a relatively full one. Try a smaller crockpot next time, or add more fluid, or try making a foil tent over the meat.

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  34. I just made this for the first time. When I tasted a chunk of the beef alone, I thought it was going to be a disappointment for some reason. Boy, was I wrong.

    I made the recipe exactly as listed, except for the fact that I didn't measure anything out. I probably added more wine and low sodium soy sauce than it asked for. I started it at 10 and stopped at four, and I think it cooked too long, but I didn't mind. I also used fresh broccoli, the bag of precut florets from Trader Joes, and put them in an hour before the end, maybe 45 minutes. They cooked to perfection. And when you put this over rice, it's absolutely delicious. I immediately wanted more.

    I think I would add carrots the next time, maybe not.

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  35. I wonder if you could make this recipe with pork? I'm thinking yes, it would be delicious. Also, what about tofu?

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  36. mindisings9/13/2011

    I made this for dinner tonight, but instead of broccoli I used onions and green peppers......it was CRAZY DELICIOUS! Thank you for your blog, it saves my life almost daily (mom of 4 plus extras)!!!!

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  37. Sounds good, gonna make it tomorrow but just to make sure T and t =?

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  38. It's in the crock pot as I type! @Nena- I think BIG T is tablespoon? and little t is teaspoon... well, let's hope so. We are eating whatever develops tonight! I also put an extra T of white wine, why not right?

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  39. This recipe sounds good. I will try it. Thank you. However, I wish it didn't take the extra hour for the broccoli after the regular 6-8 cooking hours. There's so few hours left in the evening once I get home from work. I've been looking for recipes that are done by the time I walk in the door, and I can just throw stuff on a plate and flop.

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  40. Loved it! I added carrots and used fresh broccoli and it turned out great! No leftovers! Next time I might add some water chesnuts. We love Chinese but take out is so expensive and unhealthy...this is a fabulous alternative!

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  41. One of my son's tasted this and said "Hey this is delicious!" and the other one quoted Ron Weasley at him ... "always the tone of surprise."

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  42. I put it in at 9 am this morning.. with a lb of stew meat sliced small.. I didn't have white wine open so I use OJ.. Smells awesome.. I am gonna add broccoli once its done from steam bag and I think I am gonna cook half bag of cabbage shred. I am not doing rice I am gonna do noodles instead...Does it come out with thin sauce or glazed?

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  43. Hi Unknown, the sauce is more glazey because there's not all that much liquid in the pot.
    Enjoy your dinner!!

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  44. It was great was pretty soupy.. I poured liquid/broth into a sauce pan and added a little cornstarch.. perfect and not overly salty like I expected

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  45. Linda Adsit7/09/2016

    I did some beef neck bones last night and now I will dig out my bag of broccoli. This will actually be fast since the meat is already cooked. Thanks for this idea.

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  46. Edie Sherwood10/23/2020

    Hi Steph!

    I truly dislike sesame oil. Is there a decent substitute? Thanks! Love your work!

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  47. Hi Edie -- you bet. Just use olive oil instead!
    :-)

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