Beef with Broccoli and Mushrooms in the Crock Pot

Ok, This will be the second night this week that I'm doing an "Asian Inspired" dish... But when I did my shopping this week I got a really good deal on the two main ingrediants (beef and broccoli)- and I remember seeing this recipe, so I decided to give it a whirl.

I got the beef and broccoli for about $7.00 together. And the rest of the ingredients are things that I usually have in my kitchen. The mushrooms are what was left over from the package I used for my stuffed peppers last night. 

I plan on this feeding 5 people tonight (3 adults, 2 kids) and having left overs too. For $7.00- not to shabby! 

INGREDIENTS:
(This was almost doubling the original recipe)

** This is a crock-pot recipe

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck (I used stew meat and cut each piece depending on the size in half or thirds to make a nice bite size)
• 2 cups beef broth or stock ( I usually have my own stock in the fridge, what I used was left over stock from a corned beef I made)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cups broccoli (rinsed and cut into florets, I used fresh broccoli)
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 1/2 white onion sliced thinly
• a few sliced scallions

To make the sauce, combine beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and red pepper in the bottom of the crock pot and whisk together. Add the cut beef and stir to combine. Cook on low in the crock pot for 3 hours.

At the 3 hour mark start preparing your veggies, if you haven't already done so. I threw them in a pot and steamed them for about 5 minutes, because once they are added to the beef in the crock pot- it is only going to cook for an additional 30 minutes to an hour.

Before you add the veggies into the crock pot take out about 1/2 cup of the 

broth, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk to make a slurry (to thicken up the sauce) then add back into the crock pot

Once quickly steamed, strain the veggies- then add to the crock pot, Then add the sliced scallions. Stir everything and cover. Check after 30 minutes - taste the sauce and add any more seasonings you may want according to taste. I added a little more sesame oil and ginger.

I served this with basmati rice.

Ollie and Maxx enjoying their fake out, take out :)















While the flavor of this was really good, (you cant go wrong with sesame oil and ginger) I think the next time (if there is a next time ) I do this dish I will probably apt out of it being a crock pot meal.

 I'll probably make the same sauce in a sauce pan, do the slurry to thicken it, but do a dredge of seasoned flour on the beef and fry it in vegetable oil in a pan then add the steamed veggies to that once the beef is cooked and top it off with the sauce. I think what this is lacking is the authentic crunch to the meat the flour and frying would provide. This would be a good meal however, for the time and efficiency that you can just throw everything in the crock pot and forget about it if you so choose to.


Credits:
Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli