This recipe is a sandwich-like spin on one of my favorite Chinese restaurant menu items: beef and broccoli! The tender shredded beef is positively bursting with Asian flavor, but in my humble opinion, it’s the tangy slaw that sends these sandwiches over the top. Broccoli slaw is basically just shredded broccoli stalks to replace the cabbage found in traditional coleslaw, and you can find bags of it in the produce section of most grocery stores. Dressed with a mouthwatering Asian dressing, this Broccoli Slaw contributes a fabulous contrasting texture to the soft, juicy beef. If you want your slaw to be extra crunchy, don’t prepare it too far ahead of time—the broccoli will soften with time as it macerates in the dressing in the refrigerator. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because it also becomes more infused with flavor as it soaks! And while leftovers are unlikely, the beef will continue to soak up the sauce as it chills, so you may need to splash in a little extra beef broth when reheating.
YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
BEEF
3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
¾ cup (180 ml) low-sodium beef broth
3 tbsp (54 g) oyster sauce (preferably MSG-free)
3 tbsp (45 ml) honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
1 ½ tsp (8 ml) rice vinegar
2 tbsp (19 g) minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp sesame oil or toasted sesame oil
Sandwich buns, for serving (make sure they’re not too soft, or the juices from the beef may soak through)
BROCCOLI SLAW
2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil or other light vegetable oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) rice vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
½ tsp sesame oil or toasted sesame oil
1 tsp (3 g) minced fresh ginger
1 (12-oz [340-g]) bag broccoli slaw
¼ cup (30 g) sliced almonds, toasted
Place the chuck roast in the bottom of a large slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the beef broth, oyster sauce, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Pour the broth mixture over the roast, cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
While the roast is cooking, prepare the Broccoli Slaw. In a large bowl, whisk together the canola oil, rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and minced ginger until well blended. Add the broccoli slaw and almonds and toss to coat them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it until ready to serve.
Transfer the roast to a cutting board, remove and discard the fat, and shred the beef. Use a large spoon to skim the fat from the surface of the liquids in the slow cooker. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir in the sesame oil. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 1 hour, or on high for 30 minutes, so that the beef can further absorb the flavors of the sauce. Use a slotted spoon to place the shredded beef onto buns. Stir the Broccoli Slaw and use a slotted spoon to pile it on top of the beef.