Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli
Tender flank steak strips slow-braised in a sweet ginger-garlic soy glaze, finished with vibrant crisp-tender broccoli in 4 hours.
slow-cooker Timer
Set for 240 mins @ LOW (200°F / 93°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 4 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Slice 1.5 lbs flank steak thinly against the grain.
Whisk 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup beef broth, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 3 minced garlic cloves, and sesame oil.
Place beef in slow cooker with sauce; cook on LOW for 3.5 to 4 hours until meltingly tender.
Stir in 3 cups fresh broccoli florets and cornstarch slurry in final 25 minutes until glossy and crisp-tender.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Slice 1.5 lbs flank steak (or sirloin steak) thinly into 1/4-inch strips, cutting strictly across the grain. Place strips directly into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Cutting across the muscle fibers shortens the grain and ensures each bite melts in your mouth after slow braising.
In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup beef broth, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ginger powder), and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil. Pour evenly over the beef.
Low-sodium soy sauce is critical — standard soy sauce concentrates and turns excessively salty over 4 hours of slow cooking.
Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 3.5 to 4 hours until the beef is exceptionally tender.
Do not cook longer than 4 hours; flank steak strips are thin and reach peak tenderness quickly.
Whisk 2 tbsp cornstarch with 3 tbsp cold water. Stir into the bubbling slow cooker. Add 3 cups fresh broccoli florets. Cover and cook on LOW for 25 more minutes until the sauce turns thick and glossy and broccoli is vibrant green and tender-crisp. Serve over warm rice.
NEVER cook broccoli for the full 4 hours! Adding florets in the final 25 minutes keeps them bright green with a clean crunch instead of turning into brown mush.
The cardinal rule of slow cooker beef and broccoli: never put the broccoli in at the beginning. Add florets in the last 25 minutes with the cornstarch slurry. You get fork-tender beef in restaurant-grade glossy sauce with crisp, bright green broccoli.
Kids love the sweet teriyaki-style brown sugar glaze. Serve over heaps of white jasmine rice.
- Air fryer frozen egg rolls
- Steamed white rice
- Edamame
Reheat in microwave for 90 seconds or toss in a hot skillet for 2 minutes.