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Sous Vide Recipes

Sous Vide Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Tough, inexpensive stew beef turns tender after a long, low sous vide cook — then it's tossed with crisp broccoli and peppers in a quick garlic sauce.

By The Vacuum Sealer Expert Editorial Team Updated 1 min read
Beef and broccoli stir fry in a glossy sauce
Photo: Ivan Georgiev / Pexels
In this guide
  1. Sous Vide Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
  2. Why such a long cook?
  3. Food safety
  4. Make ahead

Takeout-style beef and broccoli usually relies on tender, pricey cuts sliced paper-thin. Sous vide lets you use inexpensive stew meat instead: a long, gentle cook breaks down its connective tissue while keeping it pink and juicy. The vegetables are stir-fried at the end so they stay bright and crisp.

Adapted from a recipe by Pastured Kitchen. We’ve moved the vegetables to a quick stir-fry for better texture.

Recipe card

Sous Vide Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

  • Water bath132°F (55.5°C)
  • Prep45 min
  • Cook18 hr
  • Serves3–4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450 g) beef stew meat (chuck), cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 crowns broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 3 tbsp beef tallow or neutral oil, plus 1 tbsp for the sauce
  • Marinade: 1 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp arrowroot powder, 1 tbsp chili sesame oil
  • Sauce: 1 garlic clove (crushed), 3 tbsp chicken stock, ½ tsp coconut aminos or soy sauce, 1 tsp arrowroot powder, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat your sous vide water bath to 132°F (55.5°C).
  2. Mix the marinade ingredients, add the beef and toss to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes (a vacuum marinating canister speeds this up).
  3. Transfer the beef and marinade to a vacuum bag. Freeze for 30–60 minutes until the liquid is firm, then vacuum seal so the marinade isn’t drawn into the sealer.
  4. Cook in the water bath for 12–24 hours (18 hours is a good middle ground).
  5. Shortly before serving, dissolve the arrowroot in the chicken stock.
  6. Heat 3 tbsp tallow in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir-fry the broccoli and pepper for 3–4 minutes until bright green and just tender. Remove.
  7. Add 1 tbsp tallow and the garlic; stir for 30 seconds. Add the stock mixture, aminos, salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened.
  8. Drain the beef (add a splash of its juices to the sauce if you like), add it with the vegetables to the wok and toss until coated and hot. Serve immediately, with rice if desired.

Notes

  • For a quicker version, use flank or sirloin at 131–134°F for 1½–2 hours.

Why such a long cook?

Stew meat is full of collagen. At 132°F it stays medium-rare, but over many hours the collagen slowly softens — giving tenderness you’d normally only get by braising (which cooks the meat well-done).

Food safety

Food safety note

Don’t cook below 130°F (54.4°C) for long cooks — bacteria can multiply at lower temperatures. Keep the meat fully submerged and the bag well sealed for the whole cook. If you’re cooking for vulnerable people, follow the USDA’s 145°F (63°C) guidance for beef.

Make ahead

Cook the beef, chill the sealed bag in ice water for 30 minutes and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days, or freeze for 2–3 months. Reheat in a 130°F bath for 30–45 minutes, then stir-fry as above.

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