Orange Beef with Broccoli

Orange Beef with Broccoli - Gluten Free

Orange Beef with Broccoli is an easy way to do take-out at home without blowing your diet like the deep fried version from the Chinese restaurant would.  Now don’t get me wrong the deep fried version is outstanding but it’s hard to eat it too often and still maintain a healthy weight.  So instead, this version borrows the flavors of orange beef but uses the stir fry technique and vegetable ratio of beef with broccoli.  

The final result is a well balanced classic with a brand new citrusy makeover.  But if you’d prefer that deep fried version done at home then you can add an egg white to step one then toss the pieces of beef into some cornstarch and deep fry them until crispy and continue with the recipe as written.  

Now if only I was one of those people that could eat whatever they wanted  and never gain a pound.  That's just another one of those elusive dreams like winning the Powerball jackpot.             

Orange Beef with Broccoli

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 12 oz lean beef cut into thin strips 
• 4 tbsp gluten free soy sauce divided
• 1clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 3 green onions, chopped and more for garnish
• 12 oz of gluten free beef broth
• 1 tsp sambal sauce or other Asian chili sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Video Tutorial

Instructions

1. Stir the beef together with two tablespoons of soy sauce, the orange zest and garlic then set it aside.
2. For the sauce, in a medium bowl combine the beef broth, the remaining 2 tbsp of soy sauce, the sambal, vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice, and cornstarch then whisk it together until the cornstarch is dissolved and everything is well combined. 
3. In a large sauté pan or wok, over a medium high heat add the oil and beef and sauté stirring frequently for 3 to 4 minutes until the beef is no longer pink then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
4. Add the sauce to the pan but be sure to stir the sauce before adding it since the cornstarch has a tendency to settle to the bottom and you’ll need that cornstarch to thicken the sauce. 
5. Add the broccoli and bring the sauce up to a boil while stirring pretty continuously.  Let it boil for about 2 minutes then add the beef back to the pan and continue stirring until the sauce is thickened, the beef is heated through and everything is well coated in sauce. 
6. Garnish with additional orange zest, crushed red pepper and green onions then serve. 

Notes:  If you’re following a gluten free diet be sure to use gluten free soy sauce and beef broth in the recipe. If you want the dish extra spicy add more chili sauce and for a milder dish omit it completely.