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Mongolian Beef

Our Mongolian Beef recipe became one of the most popular Woks of Life recipes after we first published it in July 2015, and for good reason!
What exactly are the origins of Mongolian Beef? Because it’s definitely not Mongolian. My theory is that someone just forgot to add the orange to a wok full of Orange Beef, and added more sugar instead. Hence, the Mongolian Beef recipe was born. Chalk it up to Chinese-American menu planners and marketers who dubbed the dish “Mongolian Beef.”
P.F. Chang’s version of this dish is probably the most well-known, but, personally, I think their dish is way too sweet. So, I adjusted: Cut the sugar and amount of oil used wayyy down.
This Mongolian Beef Recipe is a crispy homemade version that's less sweet and more flavorful than restaurant versions you're probably used to.
Servings: 3
Author: The Woks of Life

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces flank steak 225g, sliced against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil plus ⅓ cup for frying
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch divided, 1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ cup hot water or hot low sodium chicken or beef stock
  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or 1 ½ tablespoons water and 2 ½ tablespoons regular soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon ginger minced
  • 5 dried red chili peppers optional
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry
  • 2 scallions cut into 1-inch long slices on the diagonal

Instructions

Marinate the beef:

  • Combine the sliced beef with 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Marinate for 1 hour. The beef should still be quite moist after it has marinated. If it looks too dry, add a tablespoon of water to it.
  • Next, dredge the marinated beef slices in the remaining ¼ cup of cornstarch until lightly coated.

Prepare the sauce:

  • In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and hot water (or low sodium chicken or beef stock) until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Mix in ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce. If you don't have low sodium soy sauce, substitute 2 ½ tablespoons regular soy sauce and 1 ½ tablespoons water. The saltiness of various soy sauce brands varies, so give the sauce a taste, and adjust the amounts of sugar/soy sauce/water/stock to your own taste.

Brown the beef:

  • Heat ⅓ cup vegetable oil in the wok over high heat.
  • Just before the oil starts to smoke, spread the flank steak pieces evenly in the wok, and sear for 1 minute (depending upon the heat of your wok).
  • Turn over and let the other side sear for another 30 seconds.
  • Remove to a sheet pan. Tilt it slightly to let the oil drain to one side (lean it on a cookbook or cutting board). The beef should be seared with a crusty coating.

Cook the aromatics and the sauce:

  • Drain the oil from the wok, leaving 1 tablespoon behind, and turn the heat to medium-high.
  • Add the ginger and dried chili peppers, if using.
  • After about 15 seconds, add the garlic.
  • Stir for another 10 seconds and add the premixed sauce.
  • Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes and slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry mixture. Cook until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Finish and serve:

  • Add the beef and scallions and toss everything together for another 30 seconds. There should be almost no liquid, as the sauce should be clinging to the beef. If you still have sauce, increase the heat slightly and stir until thickened.
  • Plate and serve with steamed rice!

Notes

  • Cook's Country uses flap meat: Cut beef with grain into 2 1/2- to 3-inch-wide strips and place strips on a large plate; freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Cut strips crosswise against the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. 
  • Seonkyoung Longest adds 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine per pound of meat to her marinade.
  • Gastro Senses uses sesame oil in the marinade instead of canola.
  •  Kristy Still uses an air fryer to cook the beef.