Mongolian Beef

Chinese take-out always gets the best of us.

You’re tired when you come home from work and you have kids & husbands whining (haha) that they’re hungry.

What’s the easy thing to do? Pick up the phone and call take-out. I mean, I won’t lie, I’ve done it numerous times.

We have a bunch of Chinese take-out places near our house and some nights I’m like “screw it, let’s go get some.”

It happens, but you can’t let it happen one too many times!

It adds up in more ways than just your wallet!

Can this be made ahead of time?

Not really. The cornstarch will get mushy on the exterior of the beef if you prep it ahead of time.

You can make the sauce ahead of time, though.

I only have regular soy sauce

It may still taste okay, maybe a bit saltier. If you are sensitive to salt, I would just add more water to the sauce.

What are cornstarch alternatives?

Flour or arrowroot powder.

Is the dark brown sugar packed or loose?

I didn’t pack mine.

Can I use another type of protein?

If you don’t want to use beef, you can use chicken thighs, but this is called Mongolian beef for a reason!

Can I use another cut of beef?

Skirt steak or thinly sliced chuck would work.

My sauce isn’t thickening up

This could be because the heat isn’t high enough.

For cornstarch/flour/arrowroot powder to “activate,” the heat needs to be medium-high for it to thicken.

My sauce is super thick

You can add more water in to thin it out.

Other take-out favorites that you may enjoy:

• Chicken Fried Rice
• Crispy Beef
• Orange Chicken
• Beef and Snow Pea Stir Fry
• Beef and Broccoli

Print

Mongolian Beef

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

No need to call the takeout place for mongolian beef; you can make this right at home!

Course: Beef, Main Entree

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: 4 -6

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 pounds flank steak, sliced
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• Green onions, sliced

Instructions

1. In a small saucepot, over medium heat, add 2 tsp. of vegetable oil and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, toss sliced flank steak with cornstarch, shaking off the excess. Place in fridge for 10 minutes to allow coating to stick better on the beef.
3. After 10 minutes, in a heavy bottom saucepan, over medium high heat, add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and add the beef to the pan, in batches, to sear the outside on all sides, but barely cooked in the middle. Remove and let drain on paper towels as you finish up the rest of the beef. Pour out any excess oil in the saucepan.
4. Place the saucepan back on the burner, but on medium heat, and pour in the sauce from earlier. It should come to a boil immediately. Add in the steak and coat with the sauce. Continue cooking beef and sauce at a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken gradually. Add in the scallions.
5. Serve hot over white or brown rice.
6. Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

Source: inspired by Food.com via Just a Taste