Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
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A Chinese take-out favorite that can be made right in the slow cooker – no sauteing, no stirring, no frying. It doesn’t get easier than that!
I’m all about making my favorite Chinese take-out dishes right at home.
It’s so much cheaper and you can use better quality ingredients. But when you can also make it right in the slow cooker, well, that’s just an all-around win in my book.
The best part about this is that there is absolutely no sautéing, no stirring, no frying or oil splatter of any kind. Just throw it all in the slow cooker and that’s it! How easy is that?
Now I should mention that I like my meat melt-in-your-mouth tender like a New York steak, which is why I only let mine sit in the slow cooker for a total of 2 hours.
But if you like your meat in the texture of pulled-pork-tender, I recommend increasing the time to 3-4 hours.
Either way, you’ll definitely want to skip take-out and make this right at home instead!
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic.
- Place beef into a 6-qt slow cooker. Add sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 90 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water and cornstarch.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture and broccoli into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
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This recipe was a HIT with my husband! He even said he’d rather me cook this than order takeout! It’s super easy and very few ingredients, let the crockpot do the rest! We do like our meat on the tender side so I let it cook almost 4hrs. Last 30mins added cornstarch mix, then put the broccoli in last 5mins which gave it a nice crunch! This recipe has been added to “my recipes”! Thank you & Happy New Year
A member of my family is on a low sodium, low potassium diet. Is there a nutritional facts sheet for this recipe?
Delicious and cooks exactly as stated in the recipe – just make sure your meat is thinly sliced! I did let mine cook a bit longer for more tender broccoli. I have celiac disease and couldn’t find gf oyster sauce. I added an extra splash of gf soy and it was fine. This hits the spot when craving takeout!
Wasn’t sure this would cook in 2 hours, but it did. The broccoli could’ve been a little more tender, but it had a great flavor. Would make again for sure.
This was amazing! Let me start w/I have been fighting a migraine for 2+ days & haven’t been able to stomach any food other than toast. I had started making this when my migraine kicked in so I marinated the meat until I was ready to cook it (36 hours? I know it’s long, but I was down for the count). I seared the meat, and then some onions and carrots. Threw it all in the crockpot and it was perfection. We had it with lemony jasmine rice & some peanuts on top. Perfection!
Absolutely gorgeous but I used chicken and added slices of carrots just to add colour. Absolutely gorgeous and tasted so so nice
Great but needs twice the cook time!!
This sounded so good we had to try it right away and it did not disappoint. So delicious! And so easy and easy clean-up. I might add more cornstarch to get it a bit thicker next time.
Any advice on how to make with out a slow cooker?
Great but needed more corn starch.
When to add broccoli?
step 4
For those of us who don’t have crockpots, is there a similar recipe using traditional cookware?
Thank you.
DEELISH!! Loved this! Cooked the meat for about 4 hours tho.
This is so delicious! Whole family loved it and it’s super easy to make.
I was wondering if there is a suitable substitution for oyster sauce, as I have a shellfish allergy. I love beef & broccoli, and I’m dying to make the slow cooker version in my Ninja 3 in 1 cooker.
Thanks in advance!
Fish sauce
There are also vegetarian substitutes out there that are supposed to be just like oyster sauce. I also have a shellfish allergy, so I looked up substitutes & came across some. I personally have never tried them, but I have heard they are very similar to the original. Here is a link to one that I found on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Wan-Ja-Shan-Vegetarian-Mushroom/dp/B016EDAK0Q
Need some good slow cooker recipes. These look great.
Followed to a T and it was very good. One pretty major change is plan to cool the meat for 3 hours before adding the broccoli if you want it to be tender. Ended up being over 4 hours cooking time for me before the meat was tender.
*Cook the meat
Anyone make this in an instant pot? How many minutes? Thanks!
I’ve been making this recipe for a while now, always at least doubling the sauce as my family prefers extra sauce. I use my Ninja’s stove top setting as I never seem to start dinner until late.
I have made time & time again, and even my picky boyfriend loves! Such a crowd pleaser & feeds a ton. don’t skimp out on the sesame oil, it’s the best part. 🙂
My first time cooking with a crockpot, and I loved it! I know it was good because my Grandma even complimented me 🙂
I am making this now, but I only have cubed beed round which I sliced thin as the recipe suggests. How should I adjust the cooking time/temp? (Love your recipes!)
Tried the original recipe unchanged, and with ribeye steak. The additional fat, and tender meat was successful. Still, it’s a great recipe as is!
This is just an excellent recipe. Definitely a secomd go .
I honestly found this a little sweet, and the sauce didn’t thicken up enough even with the corn starch! I think I’ll try your non-slow cooker version of this next time!
Thanks for your feedback Erica!
Can you use flank steak in this recipe?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
If I were to substitute cubed skinless/boneless chicken, would the cooking time be different?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Can I use ginger root in this recipe?
Sure!
I was wondering if I could use chuck steak instead of chuck roast? Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Jennifer! Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, it’s hard to answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I have to say that your recipes are the very best, and I go through a lot. I’m always impressed with yours! I made your onion dip for company and they took the rest home because they loved it so much! Thank you for each recipe, I have loved them all!
Made it in the Instant Pot instead of the slow cooker and it was damn delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Loved it & will be making it again!
Oh sweet! Way to adjust the recipe for the Instant Pot. Glad to hear it turned out great!
how many hours did you leave it in the Instant Pot? Also, is it possible to leave it in the Instant Pot in the morning and have it cook all day while you are at work and then it would be ready when you get home?
I want to use this recipe since I have oyster sauce but I won’t be using the slow cooker, should I skip the beef broth? Also plan to use ribeye steak because that what I have on hand… Any tips?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Flavor was fabulous but meet came out very chewy after 2 hours. Followed instructions and ingredients exactly but made in a 4 qt. cooker. Why did the meat come out chewy do you think? Bought the meat fresh at Whole Foods.
Oh no – it sounds like the meat was overcooked! The recipe calls for 90 min of cooking time so unfortunately, it looks like it may have been overcooked by 30 min.
I’m planning on making this tonight. As I understand the direction correctly, it says to cook for 90 min, ass broccoli and cook for an additional 30 min. That’s 2 hours as OP stated. Should I cook for 60 min then add broccoli and cook for TOTAL of 90min?
That’s correct, a total of 2 hours. 90 minutes and then the extra 30 minutes. Good luck!
This is a confusing thread. If the beef is only supposed to cook for 90 minutes, wouldn’t the recipe call for removing the meat while the broccoli cooks for 30 minutes, then add the beef back to the crock pot?
Made this tonight, the sauce didn’t thicken and the broccoli needed more than 30 minutes. Will make again! Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve made this no less than 30 times (lol!) and it’s a hit every time. I highly recommend using all ingredients/not omitting anything, the sesame oil and oyster sauce are the key “wow” ingredients. I’m not overly knowledgeable in cuts of beef, I just thinly slic stew beef (but cook for a few hours vs 90mins) and it’s fab every time. I do agree, sauce needs to be HOT for it to thicken. I turned the crock pot off once because meat was done and we weren’t ready to eat yet, then turned it back on, but it didn’t get back to being hot enough to really thicken.
I tried this tonight and have to say I was disappointed. Supermarket was out of boneless chuck roast so a I chose a London Broil. Left out the oyster sauce (store did not carry it) and substituted dark brown sugar for light brown.
Cooked for 90 minutes, had to leave so cooled slightly then refrigerated till I returned. Fired the crockpot back for about 1/2 hr to 45 minutes. Then added corn starch and broccoli and cooked for another 30 minutes. Meat was done but a little chewy, broccoli was not done and sauce did not thicken. Served over Jasmine rice. Sauce had a good taste but not a Wow factor. Probably will try again with a chuck roast since it had some many good reviews.
You didn’t follow the recipe, and you weren’t happy with it? Quite shocking that you were told how to do it, didn’t follow directions and were not happy with it!
Can you omit the sesame oil? Will that effect the flavor?
Yes, you can omit.
if I double the recipe do I also need to double the cornstarch/water mixture? Or will that over power the cornstarch flavor?
Yes, I recommend doubling everything.
I’ve been following this recipe for a couple years now and I can say that I’ve made it with and without oyster sauce, delicious either way. I usually use carne asada flap meat and eyeball the ingredients. I think Ive used frozen broccoli (mostly cooked in the microwave and added to crock pot) and it works but fresh is much better. I also usually use almost double the amount of broccoli and serve over white rice. My boyfriend raves about it and requests it all the time. Such a yummy recipe and very hard to mess it up.
Could you use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
I recommend using fresh but as always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Hello! Has anybody tried this using a pressure cooker. I have an Instant Pot and was thinking of trying it but wasn’t sure how long it would need.
Okay so of course I started putting everything in the crock pot before I realized corn starch and broccoli should go in later…is my meal ruined now?
It’s really hard to say – it may still be salvageable. Let me know how it turns out!
Can the beef be marinated in the liquid mixture before placing in the slow cooker? Wondering if that would make the meat more tender.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Hi.. love you’re blog.. I was wondering can I substitute the oyster sauce with vegetarian oyster sauce?
Thank you
Yes, absolutely.
Could you tell me if I can prepare this as a freezer crockpot meal? I like to prep several meals in advance, pull them out of the freezer and pop them in the crockpot. Would it work for this recipe and if so what changes should I make? Thanks!
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Delicious!! I’m going to make this often!!!!
I just made this and omg it’s so good and flavorful. Didn’t think it was gonna come out this good but it did and I will surely make it again.
Hi Chungah, I recently discovered your website and fell in love in first sight. My only suggestion is could you add metric measurements for the ingredients for us non-US readers?
Oh and one question for this recipe….can I use regular soy sauce instead of low sodium one?
Thanks!!
There are many online resources that can be used to convert recipes to metric measurements like this:
http://www.jsward.com/cooking/conversion.shtml
And yes, you can certainly substitute regular soy sauce but you may need to add less than the required amount listed in the recipe.
My broccoli is still crunchy even after the 30 mins . should I leave it in longer.
Yes.
LOVING YOUR RECIPES!!! I’ve been cooking one recipe, 4 nights a week for the past night…I’m so glad that I ran into you (Internet-ly speaking). Quick question…would you consider adding toasted sesame seeds to this recipe? If so, how much? Thank you for all that you have done to this newbee in the kitchen!
Yes, absolutely. You can add as little or as much as you’d like – it’s up to you! 🙂
This is a great recipe I need to try! Question though… Is there anything else that I can use for cornstarch?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I often use instant mashed potatoes as a thickener. It takes much less than you would think. I often use flavored potato flakes to add an additional flavor component to a dish. Just add the potato flakes about a tablespoon at a time until the desired thickness is achieved.
My family loved this. Thank you!
Hi there!
Two questions: 1) can i sear the meat before putting it in the crock pot? i like that crispy texture on the meat. 2) instead of broccoli, can i put in snap beans instead? do you think that will still work with cooking time and all?
Yes and yes!
So what I found was the sauce was very watery corn starch only thickens at a high temperature. So I removed all the sauce put it in a pot and brought it to a boil thickened right away then added it back to the beef and broccoli. Next time when it is time to add the water and corn starch I will removed the liquid and at it to a pit boil and then once thick will put it over the beef and broccoli to finish in the pot also I would recomend leaving it in the slow cooker an hour longer on low heat
I just have a 4.5 crock pot slow cooker will this work in it?
Yes! 🙂
I have 800 Grams of thinly sliced sizzle steak in my freezer would that be suitable to use?? and how long should i cook it for ? on High or Low Thankyou hope you can help.
Rhonda, you can cook on low heat for 90 minutes.
Thanks!! Doubled up on everything except the sugar as I had a ton of beef to use up and have prepared mushrooms to use instead of broccoli (here in the UK takeaways beef and broccoli/mushrooms taste pretty much the same sauce wise in my experience, but I prefer the mushroom version) and used a beef stock pot instead of broth. Had a taste of the sauce while it was warm and it is heavenly. Can’t wait for it all to finish cooking! There’s a whole ton of your recipes I’m dying to try.
I am making this tonight for the first time. Yay! Your carbonara recipe is a staple in our house. Can’t wait to try another recipe of yours.
Kim
I made this for the first time last week. It was delicious! Making it again today. Thank you so much for sharing!
This was one of the most delicious dishes I have ever made (as a newbie cook haha)! Love your work and thanks for sharing! 😀
Cooked it on high for specified time–didn’t want rare–and it turned out fine. Added a whole bunch of vegetables–that was great too. Next time, going to try it with chicken.
This looks fantastic!!! I am part of a “meal club” and am planning on making this. I am planning on bagging this up to freeze. Have you ever froze all the ingredients?
Thank you!
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Hi, I am going to be cooking for a program we have in our community called “Eating with Friends” we cook healthy but affordable meals for the elderly, I was thinking this would be a good recipe but how would it go with other vegetables such as coli flower and carrot or even some capsicum as well as the broccoli ?
They all sound like great additions!
DE LI CIOUS! worths completely the 3 dudes and the dude man! hahahahaha thanks for sharing
I can’t wait to make this!
I have an seafood allergy, id there anything I can substitute the oyster sauce with?
Luisa
Luisa D, here is a great forum discussing acceptable substitutes for oyster sauce. Hope that helps!
So good!!!!! It’s like every bite kept getting better and better!!! I was thinking of subbing boneless/skinless chicken breast next time. How long would you recommend cooking? I followed your recipe exactly and it was beyond good!!!!!
This would be amazing with chicken! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise an appropriate cooking time. Please use your best judgment.
I made this today, followed the recipe exactly, except for reducing the amount of brown sugar. Totally edible, but I would not make it again.
Comments:
1. Beef was tough. I sliced it similar to the photos, but it was overcooked and tough after 120 min in the crockpot. I think the cooking time is to short to really let the beef break down for this cut of beef.
2. I went easy on the brown sugar because I’m not a fan of sugary sauces. I might have used an eighth of a cup. It was still way too sugary for me.
The flavor is close, but – in my opinion – a few tweaks are needed. I’m not sure that if I had used the full amount of sugar this crockpot beef have been as tender as claimed.
Thanks for the recipe! Fun dish for the football crew!
Thank you for trying my recipe. But can I ask what cut of beef was used? Some cuts will certainly yield a tough result in the slow cooker but the beef chuck roast specified in the recipe here will yield a very tender, melt-in-your-mouth type texture.
What size slow cooker is this designed for? I only have a very small 1.5 qt. so will have to adjust the recipe, but knowing if this fits in a 4 or 6 qt. would help. I don’t know if a half recipe would fit in my cooker. I’ve gotten good at cramming a lot in it and filling it to the brim, and adding things that need less time after some things have cooked down. I’ll be substituting chicken breasts. I’m also thinking of using xanthan gum instead of the cornstarch – any thoughts? Thanks.
I recommend using a 6-qt slow cooker.
I made this for dinner the other night and it turned out amazing! I left out the oyster sauce, used half the amount of beef called for, and doubled the broccoli. It was so simple to throw together and turned out perfectly, it’s my husbands new favorite dish! I cooked basmati rice to go with it and it complimented it perfectly.
If I double the recipe will the cooking time need to adjust instead of just two hours?
Yes, cooking time may need to be adjusted accordingly.
I know you cannot say for sure, but do you think it would be the entire cooking time doubled or just part of it. For example, 2 additional hours or just 1. Can’t wait to try it.
I don’t think cooking time needs to be double – just extended as needed.
Has anyone made this dish omitting the sesame oil? If not would it change the end result taste much?
I was wondering if i can use sirloin or steaks instead? TIA
Julie, unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on how this will alter the taste/texture of the overall dish. Please use your best judgment.
This recipe is no joke! I whupped it up for the first time on the eve of this past Easter. It fed 3 adults and 3 sugar addled kids (one of the kids even had seconds). It got rave reviews all around. I made it for a second time for myself and fired up some white boy bachelor style burritos with this recipe’s ingredients and some brown rice. Damn delicious for sure!
Just tried making this. Unfortunately the brocolli ended up too soft and smushy – no more crunch left after the 30mins on medium high heat. (I did not stir it).
I suggest maybe the brocolli be added only in the last 10 minutes.
Love the recipe, but question. When do I put the broccoli in?
Melinda, the addition of broccoli is indicated in the recipe:
Stir in cornstarch mixture and broccoli into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes.
Hi there! I plan on cooking this tonight but I was wondering if it was possible to not use the oyster sauce and if it will make a big difference without it?
You can certainly try omitting the oyster sauce but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Omitting an ingredient may also result in a mediocre outcome.
Would it be possible to substitute fish sauce for the oyster sauce? I’m having trouble finding one that doesn’t have wheat in it (gluten intolerant).
You can certainly try substituting fish sauce but without further recipe testing, I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. Using a substitution may also result in a mediocre outcome but if substitutions must be made, please use your best judgment.
Hi there, I’m new to your site but I am simply drooling to make a good number of your recipes. I am a huge fan of crockpot/slow cooker cooking.
Can you do this as chicken and broccoli simply by substituting boneless, skinless chicken breasts and chicken broth (and obviously adjusting the cooking time)?
Yes, absolutely!
I made this today and it was delicious! I added a red and yellow pepper since I forgot about the giant bag of peppers I bought at Costco. I also made 50% more of the sauce since I hate it when some recipes don’t make enough, especially for a slow cooker. Can’t wait to eat more tomorrow!
OBSESSED! My husband and I LOVE this meal. We make it at least once a month. I don’t change anything about the recipe and serve it over brown rice! Although I have made this with chicken, too and it’s excellent! So good!! Thank you!!
Hi! I am a cooking beginner and do not have a slow cooker at the moment. Would it make much of a difference to do this in a pot or pan?
April, if you do not have a slow cooker, you can try this stovetop beef and broccoli recipe instead: https://damndelicious.net/2014/08/13/easy-beef-broccoli/. It only takes 15 min from start to finish!
This was fantastic! I loaded it down with lots of broccoli and carrot chips I made with the mandolin slicer. Thanks for the many wonderful recipes.
I don’t have a slow cooker, so can I make this in a pot and just cook it low and slow??
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on how to adapt this recipe without a slow cooker. However, here is an article worth checking out on a possible conversion guide from Williams-Sonoma: http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/slow-cooker-vs-dutch-oven-a-conversion-guide/.
I must make a comment because this dish was so delicious and tasty.
I’m a white girl married to a Korean. I made this dish for my family and my in-laws for the Chinese New Years. I’m a decent cook, but not confident with my Asian cooking for my in-laws. I wanted beef and broccoli and stumbled upon this one. It looked good, and had so many positive reviews so I figured I try it. First, my 5 year old, asked “why is this so good!?” Then, my mother in law said it was very good; it reminded her of Korean bulgogi (which this dish taste similar to it). But my father in law, who is a very picky eater, asked for seconds.
I followed the recipe exactly, slow cooker for only two hours. The beef was very tender, and the sauce had just the right amount of soy, oyster sauce, and sweetness. Thanks for a great recipe. I’m sure I’ll using it again. I look forward to trying your other recipes.
Excellent! I often stir fry but this allowed me to start in the morning and come home to a pre-cooked meal and the vegetables were not overcooked. I added bell peppers and goma, and I used mirin instead of sugar in order to cut down on carbs. Using frozen vegetables is a huge added convenience. It was tasty with a bit of a bite. I’ll be making this again, but with more seseme oil or sriracha for more of a bite.
BTW, Do you have any variations on a recipe that I know as “pak kui” (phonetic spelling) that is basically stir-fried pork and pineapple with edamame, shoyu, and cornstarch? I learned it as a Japanese recipe. There must be a slow cooker version of this recipe. Thank you very much.
Unfortunately, I do not have a recipe for pak kui as I have never tried a dish like this. It sounds amazing though!
Just got done making this. All I can say is WOW! Really simple and it tastes so good! This is going to be in my regular rotation of meals! Thanks so much for this!
Dude! Dude man! Made this tonight and increased the ingredients and time by 50%… It.Was.Phenom!!! This is our favorite take-out dish and aside from having to cut the meat up (I asked if the butcher would – but alas, no.) It could not have been easier. It was a ‘wish I had 2 stomach’s’ meal. Thank you!!
I love your site! Just got married and your site has helped me make dinner every night. I noticed you also have another recipe for beef & broccoli. Do you have a preference? The slow-cooker version or the stir-fry version? Also I noticed this one uses beef stock and the other one uses chicken stock. Does it matter which stock we use? Thank you!
Carol, congrats on becoming a newlywed! As for the two recipes – I honestly love both of them, but I prefer the slow cooker version just a little bit more. The meat comes out unbelievably tender, and I love having any excuse to use my crockpot. As for the stock, you can really use either of them, or what you have on hand. I hope that helps!
Okay, this was SO GOOD. I used stewing beef instead and put it in for a lot longer (about 6 hours), and then put in fresh broccoli instead of frozen and just cooked it for a little bit less. Probably the best Asian-style food I’ve ever made at home. Thanks for the recipe!
Looks amazing! This will be my first crock pot adventure and I can’t wait! The hubs loves spicy food, how would you add some heat to this dish?
Sriracha would be a great addition!
Red pepper flakes
Is it totally wrong to ask if I could cook it on high for one hour-ish, instead of low for 90 mins? Would that work?
I actually haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure. It may even be done before the hour – it just really depends on how tender or how you prefer the texture of the meat.
Okay, thanks. I did it, so I’ll let you know! 🙂
Wow! Jason was absolutely right! I tried this and it is better than our favorite take-out place. I loved the cooking time tip as it made for tender little bites of meat. There is no other word to describe the sauce but “phenomenal”. Girl… you are amazing!
This looked amazing and I was so eager to try it. Unfortunately, even though I followed the recipe exactly, the beef was nowhere near done after 2 hours. It took another 2 hours on high heat for it to be cooked. I don’t understand how the short cooking time on low worked for so many others–maybe my Crock Pot is different? The end result was still good, but I had to put it in the fridge for the next day as it was way past our dinner hour by the time it was done!
That’s really strange because with 4 hours of cooking on high heat, the meat would have been way overcooked. What kind of meat was used and was it thinly sliced as directed in the recipe?
Dude, I made this with “stew meat” because that’s all I had. I’d prefer to use chuck roast but the recipe came out delicious despite the substitute. Hurray! Thank-you for this recipe!
I adjusted the cooking time because of the type of meat to 4 hours low on crock pot.
I used frozen broccoli & waited until the last hour to add in. I recommend adding an extra TSP of cornstarch if using frozen broccoli due to extra water. My family enjoyed it.
When I need dinner ideas, I pull up your blog for inspiration. You’re awesome 🙂
You just saved my bacon, Makena! Stewing beet was bought instead of chuck roast and so I was super upset I wouldn’t be able to make it, but I saw your comment and I’m letting it cook 4 hours now. I hope it comes out ok, but thanks to your comment I didn’t lose hope!
I came across this recipe on Pinterest and it looked so simple I thought it would be a good meal to try on a work night. My boyfriend made it last night and it turned out perfect. This is definitely going to be a staple in the house, especially since our vegetable intake has been pretty poor as of late.
Thank you! Amazing as always! I have yet to try a recipe off of your site that me and my family didn’t love! I’m going to have to add this one to the rotation 🙂
I made this recipe for my boyfriend and it came out pretty well. My only problem was that the liquid didn’t thicken when I added the cornstarch. Cornstarch has to get pretty hot, like boiling hot to thicken. The low setting of a crock pot doesn’t get hot enough to thicken the cornstarch. I ended up ladling out the liquid and bringing it to a boil in a sauce pan, then I added it back into the crock pot. If I make this again I will do the same thing and probably discard some of the liquid or add more cornstarch, as the sauce didn’t really thicken up enough.
Elizabeth, you are completely right – you need a rolling boil to get that heavy thickness from cornstarch, which is not something you can get from the low setting of a slow cooker. That is why I stated on “high heat” for those additional 30 minutes. But nonetheless, that heavy thickness is not really necessary in a dish like this. You can certainly ladle out the sauce to a saucepan and go from there but that really defeats the purpose of such an easy slow cooker recipe like this one!
Has anyone tried freezing this? I loved this recipe and want to make some for my sister in law who is pregnant and craving Chinese food so she can have this in her freezer! Do you think this would freeze well?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Made it tonight! It’s wonderful!
Made this last night. SO good!
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I cant do any forms of sugar. Do you have something else to recommend instead of the sugar??
You can try an artificial sweetener but I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish.
Cabin you use green peppers instead of broccoli? Like pepper steak?
Yes, absolutely! Although cooking time may have to be adjusted as needed.
This looks delicious!! I’ve made quite a few of your recipes for my family and we all have loved every single one of them (even the picky teenagers). I will be trying this one out this week.
This was just an awesome recipe – easy and fun to make, and the result is so good….
Hoping there is cookbook coming out!
Thanks
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Thanks for this wonderful recipe !! I have been injured recently and spending a lot of time at home…cooking (and cleaning the kitchen) has become very theraputic for me. I spent my youth living in Hawaii. Local kine grinds, much of which are a mixture of Japanese, Chinese, Philipino, Polonesian etc. were a way of life and greatly missed. Your recipes and others like you have given me the opportunity to finally cook what I have always loved. Thanks . … By the way..it turned out AWESOME !! or “ono” if you like. Aloha
I tried this recipe about a month ago and it was outstanding! I have shared recipe with all my friends that like oriental food. First I got crock pot b& b no way, then they tried it and 100% say better and healthier than any restaurant! Thank you!
If I were to double the entire recipe and I wanted pulled pork texture, would I set my crock pot for 8 hours?
This was so good. I used round steak stir fry. So simply. Served with brown rice I made in the rice cooker. Great for hot days. I’ll make this again.
Has anyone had any trouble with the cornstarch not cooking through and leaving the sauce slightly pasty and prone to separation when refrigerated? I’m thinking about omitting it next time, or replacing it with flour/water instead. Thoughts?
Kate, feel free to omit the cornstarch.
One way to prevent this is to mix the cornstarch with hot water, and stir it until you see that it is completely dissolved before adding it to the slow cooker. Use a glass measuring cup to stir the mixture so you can see that there are no lumps. Hope that helps!
Sorry, just to update what I previously said… the water can be warm but be sure to add the cornstarch to the water, don’t put the cornstarch in first and then add water. If you do the latter then you will have lumps.
I’m cooking a large family dinner and would like to double the recipe. Any idea if I need to up the cooking time?
Yes, you may have to adjust cooking time as needed. Just be sure to add the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet for best results.
I just made this and omg, it is so delicious. The sauce is so full of flavor and it was so easy to make. You’re right, 2 hours was just enough time to make the meat perfectly tender.
How did u get it to thicken up? I followed everything n it’s runny:/
Feel free to add more cornstarch as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
I was going to use the frozen Broccoli florets. how much of the frozen should I use.
Anna, you can use the same amount as listed in the recipe.
Hi. Can I use frozen broccoli in place of fresh? That’s all I have in the house at this time.
Yes, that should work just fine. I recommend thawing prior to using.
Hi! Wondering if I can substitute regular brown sugar for the the granulated?
Yes, absolutely, although I do recommend using brown sugar for optimal results.
first, I found your site only recently and I wish your pictures didn’t look so DAMN DELICIOUS because I want to make all of them 🙂
Having said that, I’d like to start with the crockpot beef and broccoli, but 2 pounds of beef seems like a lot for the 4 servings you indicate…did you have a lot of leftovers? Or just a lot of big-time eaters?
You can easily stretch this out to about 6 servings, but I actually like to be a bit more conservative when I list out the servings in the recipes just in case there are some big-time eaters. But then on the other hand, having leftovers is NEVER a bad thing 🙂
Thank you for doing this. I’d gotten in the practice of doubling most site’s recipes for “four servings” because those four people must weigh ninety pounds and have no appetites. When I double yours I have an extra meal made ahead to freeze and break out at a later date.
Made this for my hubby tonight and he loved it! Thanks for a great recipe!
My slow cooker is only set for 8 or 10 hours on low…does it matter? Will the meat be cooked if I put it on 8 hours and take it out after 3 hours?
Yes, the meat will be completely cooked through if you take it out within 2 hrs as directed by the recipe. But if you would prefer a more “pulled-pork-texture”, you can keep it in the slow cooker for a longer period of time.
Omg! Thank you sooooo much for the cooking time tip! 2 hours was just enough as because I didn’t want the shredded beef texture. I did this with a London broil cut of beef! My only question is, I know I need to cut my beef into smaller pieces, could that be why it looks dry on the outside? The meat is juicy once you bite it, but the sauce doesn’t stick to the meat. Should I up the corn starch?
I do not recommend using more cornstarch. You can always add more sauce on top to help with the dryness.
I pinned this a while ago and decided to make it for dinner tonight. It was sooo delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’m making this for my family tonight. Beef is in the slow cooker as we speak. I added a couple of things and hope it works out. I added some Xiaoshing cooking wine, ginger, sliced onions and when I add the broccoli, I’ll add some sliced carrots. Can’t wait!
I so love take-out recipes that you can accomplish at home. Pinning this winner of a recipe! Thanks for the inspiration!
So perplexing question for you. We can’t do the soy, oyster or sesame due to allergies, I can easily replace the soy and sesame but what might you suggest in place of the oyster sauce? I’ve never used it so I have no idea what kind of flavor it brings to a dish.
This is a tough question to answer – there really is no easy substitute for the oyster sauce. You can try doing a mixture of hoisin sauce and dark soy sauce (or your substitute for soy sauce).
When I was living in Singapore there used to be a vegetarian oyster sauce in the condiments aisle, maybe have a look in your local Asian grocer? I think it was called mushroom sauce, not 100% on the name, but it was marketed as an oyster alternative.
Can you make this with chicken if you have an allergy to beef? Or will that throw off everything?
I am the weird one with the intense reaction to any kind of red meat. Which is really annoying because there are times when I want a big juicy steak or some yummy beef and broccoli!
🙂
I’m sure the chicken substitution would work just fine. I would recommend adjusting the cooking time as needed though. You may even want to use chicken breasts, leave it in the slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours, and shred before serving.
You’ve totally convinced me I can do so much more with my slow cooker than just pulled pork!
You are amazing and this dish looks just the same. Pinning and needing to put this on our weekly menu pronto!
Hahaha the most emphatic text ever, it must be good!
Dude, I need this! Seriously this recipe looks amazing, and it doesn’t get much easier than the slow cooker. Pinned.
The beef looks soooo tender! Delicious 🙂
Lol love Jason’s response. Beef & broccoli is my go-to take out pick but yours looks so much better!
Over the top delicious!
Looks wonderful. I’ll have to try the slow cooker for this.
Love slow-cooker recipes that are just dump-stir-serve. I can see why Jason went gaga over this!
Thank you for living up to your blog name…every single recipe I’ve made of yours is truly DAMN DELICIOUS!!
Can’t wait to cook this one for my hubs! 🙂
This looks amazing! Bookmarking for later! 🙂
I went ahead and bought a second slow cooker because I’ve realized how amazing they are. I’ve been looking for a brilliant beef recipe and BAM here it is! Thanks Chung-Ah! Thank goodness I get all your updates!!! LoL 🙂
Slow cookers are the bomb. This looks a million times better than any of the take-out recipes I’ve tried to make at home, haha! Love the responses too. No doubt it’s amazing! 🙂
Dude…. :), I’ve been looking for a recipe for this in the crock pot! Awesome! Can’t wait to try it. This may seem like a dumb question, but do you purchase your beef pre-sliced or will stew meat work? As you can tell, I’m really inexperienced when it comes to meat.
I do not recommend using stew meat. You should go to your local grocery store and ask for a boneless beef chuck roast. From there, you should slice them up across the grain. Hope that helps!
Try popping the meat in the freezer for 15-20 min to firm it up a bit first, makes it easier to slice.
Haha, I like Jason’s response – I’m convinced! Looks so delicious and I had never thought of making Chinese food in slow cooker! What a brilliant idea!
Throwing everything into the slow cooker makes life so much easier!
Wonderful to look at, easy to prepare and can’t wait to eat! 🙂
Looks delicious! Are you sure it only cooks for 90 minutes?????
Yes, Sharon – as indicated in the post, this is really based on personal preference. If you would prefer a more shredded-tender-texture, I recommend cooking for 3-4 hours.
I am very allergic to anything that lives in water. Can I just omit the oyster sauce?
Here is a great forum discussing possible oyster sauce substitutes – hope that helps!
This looks delicious!
I have been following your blog for a few months now and I LOVE it! The recipes are easy to make AND they aren’t full of weird ingredients. Every recipe I’ve tried has been a complete success! THANK YOU! I also love that you include pictures but not 8,000 of them – yours is the perfect balance!
I just started following your blog and love your recipes, can’t wait to try this one. I made the shrimp cobb salad last week and it was excellent. I love your reicpe variety, thanks!
Fabulous! I reckon beef and broccoli is one of the most underrated dishes in Asian take-away restaurants, as the sauce (though humble) holds so much flavour! Making it in the slow-cooker is an amazing idea! I might just have to give this a shot 😀 Thanks for the recipe! x
dude… I am all over this one. So pinning for latet.
Hi there, only recently found your blog and very yummy easy to make recipes….. thanks for sharing them…. I am a stitcher and so I love easy to make meals that taste delicious too
Hugz
Made this tonight and it was AMAZING!!! I did cook for 4 full hours on high in my crockpot. Soooo easy, soooo good! The meat was so tender- it truly tasted just like a Chinese restaurant! Only question I have- is there a more lean cut of beef that can be substituted for the chuck? Or is the reason it is so tender because of the chuck roast? Delicious, thanks for the recipe- even my super picky eater-child enjoyed it! 5/5!
I find that the chuck roast is one of the best meats for the slow cooker.
If you can find a mock tender roast it should work. It is a very lean chuck roast. It is good for crock pot because it needs moist cooking or it turned out tough and dry. For this recipe I just cut it into thin slices and put it in the pot