Mongolian Beef Recipe
This Mongolian Beef is luscious in every way. Sweet, savory, tender, and saucy. Be sure to cut beef thinly across the grain for superb tenderness. Have all ingredients measured and prepared so that your cooking process goes quickly and easily!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
- 1 cup regular soy sauce, not low sodium
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 lb flank steak
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 2-3 dried chilies, optional
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: Heat 4 teaspoon vegetable oil in a saucepan over med-low heat, until hot but not smoking. Add ginger and garlic to the pan, stir for 30 seconds, and quickly add soy sauce and water.
- Add brown sugar in the sauce, stir well, and bring to boil at medium heat 2-3 min. Sauce should thicken a little. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Slice flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch thick bite-size slices. To get nice cuts, tilt blade of knife at 45 degree angle.
- Toss steak pieces into a large bowl with cornstarch. All pieces should be coated. Let beef sit 20 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp table salt and toss to coat.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 cup oil in a large wok or large skillet. Heat oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add beef to pan and stir frequently, 2-3 minutes or until beef browns on the exterior. Beef will not be completely cooked, but remove with slotted spoon and place onto paper towel lined plate. Pour the oil out.
- Add the beef back into the empty pan and stir over medium-low heat for 1 minute. If desired, add dried red chilies.
- Add the sauce, cook and stir for 1 minutes. Add green onions. Cook 1 minute, stirring, until beef is fully cooked through and onions are wilted. Serve immediately over cooked rice.
Notes
- Use flank steak and slice it thinly across the grain at a slight angle. This helps the meat stay tender and easy to chew.
- Coat the beef evenly in cornstarch and let it rest for 20 minutes before cooking. This helps lock in moisture and gives the meat a velvety finish while also tenderizing it.
- Remove the beef before it’s fully cooked during the first sear. This prevents overcooking and keeps it tender when you finish it in the sauce.
- Add the green onions at the very end so they stay tender but don’t overcook. They should wilt slightly and keep their color.
- This recipe is part of our Better-Than-Takeout Recipes Collection.
- Serve beef over your favorite rice, such as this Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, along with desired amount of sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 1250kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 70g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 34g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 3680mg | Potassium: 1041mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 81g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 6mg