This slow-cooked beef and broccoli recipe has become one of our favorite meals of the night. As much as we love our stovetop beef and broccoli recipe, there are times when a clay pot is the best choice for cooking.
Simply throw the ingredients of the meat and sauce into the clay pot and let it cook. Go about your day and then, 20 minutes before dinner, add the broccoli so it can become tender, but not soft.
This recipe can serve as a standalone main course or served over a bed of rice or cauliflower rice for a full meal! We’ve even served it over pasta for a real comfort meal in the dead of winter!
But the biggest question I get when I mention any kind of meat and broccoli recipe is what kind of meat should be used. My answer, you have some great options.
What kind of meat to use
Traditionally, this recipe is made with slices of flank steak. It is a very tasty cut of meat that is also very lean. However, when thinly sliced, this hard section of beef can become pleasant and tender.
Another option would be a flat iron fillet. It is the second most tender cut of beef with a lot of marbled fat throughout. It’s a great option when cooking beef and broccoli on the stove, but it’s a waste to use such a tender cut of meat when using the slow cooker.
However, what I have found to be the perfect steak to use in this recipe is Top Round Steak. The upper round is very lean and hardy, and is therefore one of the least expensive cuts of meat.
However, when cooked over low and slow heat, it is the perfect meat to use in the slow cooker and broccoli. When thinly sliced and cooked in a clay pot for hours, the meat becomes pleasant and tender and takes on the flavors of the sauce.
Plus, it’s a
great option for those on a budget because it’s one of the cheapest cuts of meat. It’s most often used to make roast beef slices for sandwiches, but it’s also fantastic to use as the star attraction in this recipe!
How to Make a Slow Cooker Beef &
Broccoli Ingredients
- Top round steak Meat broth
- Brown sugar
- Sesame oil
- Sriracha sauce*
- Garlic
- Green onions
- Cornstarch
- Broccoli
Soy sauce
florets
Yes no
You are a fan of spicy food, don’t worry! This meat and broccoli recipe is not spicy at all. Sriracha sauce is included to balance the sweetness in the recipe only. It does not add any noticeable heat.
The
first step is to cut your top round roast into thin slices. Using a sharp knife, cut against the grain of the steak and cut the steak into thin strips.
Then put the meat slices in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Next, add the meat broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic and sliced green onions with the meat.
Stir the mixture. Put the slow cooker on low heat for 4 hours. If you have a programmable clay pot, set the timer and when the cooking time is up, the slow cooker will automatically switch to the keep warm setting.
Then, 20 minutes before you are ready to eat, remove some of the hot liquid in a bowl and add the cornstarch to make a suspension. Return the mixture to the slow cooker and stir. This is what will help the liquid thicken as it continues to cook.
Now add the broccoli florets and stir well so that they are covered with the hot liquid. Continue cooking on the low setting for 20-30 minutes or until the broccoli has become tender, but not soft.
Most of the time, beef and broccoli are served over a bed of cooked white rice. However, for a low-carb option, you can serve it over a bed of cauliflower rice or as a standalone main course.
Enjoy it!
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