Easy, Inexpensive Recipe: Mongolian Beef for Under $10!
I have thought multiple times about tackling Mongolian beef in my kitchen, but I never, ever thought I’d be able to do it. I finally worked up the confidence as my nearest PF Chang’s restaurant is over 30 minutes away and on a weeknight that’s just not feasible. And, the menu price… well that’s not always in the budget. So I whipped up my own version of this very popular restaurant favorite and let me tell ‘ya. I’m glad I got the guts to do it because this recipe is SO easy. And, for my family of four, the recipe cost me about $10 to make. And a little boost to my ego if I do say so myself. 😉 I think you can do it, too. Items I used for this recipe:
Recipe for Mongolian Beef
Make the sauce first. Pour 2 teaspoons of oil into a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Add minced garlic and ginger stirring with a whisk. Add the soy sauce and water. Dissolve the brown sugar into the liquid and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. The sauce will still be fairly runny when it’s done boiling, that’s ok. Remove it from the heat.
Slice the flank steak in 1/4 inch slices at a 45 degree angle against the grain into bite size pieces. (I had my butcher do this – easy peasy! My butcher is awesome.) Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a thin layer of dusting to the steak. Let that sit for about 10 minutes.
As the beef sits, heat one cup of oil in your pan. If you don’t have a wok (I don’t as you can see from the pictures) use a little more oil. I used about a cup and a half – just enough to almost cover the meat. The beef will begin to brown on the edges. That’s good. Stir the meat around a bit and after a couple minutes remove the beef from the oil with a slotted spoon into a bowl lined with paper towels and pour the oil out into a bowl or something that it won’t melt.
Put the pan back over medium heat and put meat back in, browning for a minute or so. Add the sauce to this pan and the green onions. Serve over rice.Enjoy.
What is Mongolian Beef?
Mongolian beef is a dish usually served in Chinese-American restaurants consisting of sliced beef, typically a flank or flat-iron steak, and stir-fried with vegetables (usually green onions) in a savory brown sauce, usually made with soy sauce, and chili peppers.
Easy, Inexpensive Recipe: Mongolian Beef
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Author Kate
Ingredients
- Mongolian Beef Ingredients:
- 2tvegetable oil
- 1/2t.minced ginger
- 1Tchopped garlic
- 1/2cuplow sodium soy sauce
- 1/2cupwater
- 3/4cupdark brown sugar
- 1cvegetable oil
- 1poundflankor flat iron steak
- 1/4ccorn starch
- 2large green onions
Instructions
Pour 2 teaspoons of oil into a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.
Add minced garlic and ginger stirring with a whisk.
Add the soy sauce and water.
Dissolve the brown sugar into the liquid and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes.
The sauce will still be fairly runny when it's done boiling, that's ok.
Remove it from the heat.
Slice the flank steak in 1/4 inch slices at a 45 degree angle against the grain into bite size pieces. (I had my butcher do this - easy peasy! My butcher is awesome.)
Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a thin layer of dusting to the steak.
Let that sit for about 10 minutes.
As the beef sits, heat one cup of oil in your pan.
If you don't have a wok (I don't as you can see from the pictures) use a little more oil.
I used about a cup and a half - just enough to almost cover the meat.
The beef will begin to brown on the edges. That's good.
Stir the meat around a bit and after a couple minutes remove the beef from the oil with a slotted spoon into a bowl lined with paper towels and pour the oil out into a bowl or something that it won't melt.
Put the pan back over med heat and put meat back in, browning for a minute or so.
Add the sauce to this pan and the green onions.
Serve over rice. Enjoy!
Studies have shown that if you like this Mongolian Beef recipe you’ll probably really love these ones, too. Click on the image to be taken directly to any of these posts.
See more dinner recipes.
FAQs
Our recipe for Mongolian beef sauce includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, tamari soy sauce (as a replacement for dark soy sauce), chili sauce, sugar, and cooking wine. Check the ingredient list to see precise amounts. Don't forget that you can scale the recipe up and down!
What is the difference between Mongolian beef and Chinese beef? ›
Szechuan beef vs Mongolian beef, what's the difference? Szechuan beef has a sweet and spicy flavor, and Mongolian beef has a mild taste. Szechuan beef hails from the Sichuan Province in southwestern China. Its main ingredients are chili peppers, garlic, and Szechuan peppercorn.
Why is Mongolian beef so tender? ›
That's because restaurants use baking soda or cornstarch to tenderize the meat. It's a process called velveting beef. While the beef is tender (artificially so), it's lacking true beefy flavor. I gave up ordering Mongolian Beef years ago once I figured out how to make it better at home.
What can I substitute for flank steak in Mongolian? ›
The best meat to use instead of flank steak is skirt steak, flat iron steak, flap (sirloin tip) steak, tri-tip steak, and hanger steak (in that order). Each has its differences, but all do well being marinated and cooked over high heat, like flank steak.
What is the secret ingredient in stir fry beef? ›
Velvet the beef: The velveting technique involves tenderizing, marinating, and a quick searing of the meat. To tenderize: Sprinkle with baking soda (the secret Chinese meat tenderizer). To marinate (a quick marinade): Add basic beef marinade and mix to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight.
What ethnicity is Mongolian beef? ›
Despite its name, the dish has nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine. Mongolian beef is among the meat dishes developed in Taiwan where Mongolian barbecue restaurants first appeared. Thus, none of the ingredients or the preparation methods are drawn from traditional Mongolian cuisine but rather from Chinese cuisine.
Why is Chinese takeout beef so tender? ›
In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.
Is Mongolian beef healthy for you? ›
In conclusion, Mongolian beef can be a healthy and nutritious dish when prepared with the right ingredients and cooking methods. It's a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and various vitamins and minerals.
Is Szechuan beef the same as Mongolian beef? ›
Szechuan Beef vs Mongolian Beef
Szechuan Beef has a sweet and spicy flavor with added chili peppers and Szechuan peppercorns. The Szechuan peppercorns has a distinctive tingly numbing sensation when eaten. Mongolian beef has a mild and much simpler taste, making it a kids' favorite, outside of broccoli beef.
Do you need to rinse baking soda off meat? ›
Just as you would with dry brining, rinse your meat until it's (mostly) free of all the baking soda.
Baking soda. Here's where it gets science-y: The baking soda raises the pH on the outside of the meat as it marinates, in a process known as velveting (which can also be done with a cornstarch slurry). This makes it so the proteins have a harder time bonding to each other when it's time to cook the meat.
How to velvet beef for Mongolian beef? ›
Instructions
- Place the beef in a bowl and sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda. ...
- Rub the bicarbonate of soda into the beef so it's thoroughly coated.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Thoroughly rinse the beef in cold water, drain, then pat dry with kitchen towels.
- Use as per your recipe.
Yes, sirloin steak is an excellent all-around alternative to flank steak. For fast cooking like grilling, pan frying, stir-fries and fajitas, etc, use top sirloin. For slow cooking like braising and smoking, use bottom sirloin.
What is a cheaper alternative to flank steak? ›
The Best Flank Steak Substitutes And When To Use Them
- Skirt Steak. ...
- Flat Iron Steak. ...
- Sirloin Tip Steak. ...
- Tri-tip Steak. ...
- Hanger Steak. ...
- Top Round Steak. ...
- Tofu. ...
- Cauliflower or Broccoli Steaks.
Stir-Fried Spicy Beef (Previously: Mongolian Beef)
Sliced beef marinated in soy and then stir-fried with peppers and onions.
What is the difference between Mongolian and teriyaki? ›
True Teriyaki has Mirin and Sake in it and those two ingredients aren't in my Mongolian Beef recipe. That's like saying Ketchup is just co*cktail Sauce even though it needs horseradish to make it so.
What is Mongolian beef supposed to taste like? ›
When done just right, it's perfectly sweet and savory, slightly spicy, and loaded with lots of delicious aromatics such as ginger, garlic, green onions and even a few dried red chilis, all combined to bring a nice pop of deep, fragrant flavor.
What does Mongolian beef taste like? ›
Szechuan Beef has a sweet and spicy flavor with added chili peppers and Szechuan peppercorns. The Szechuan peppercorns has a distinctive tingly numbing sensation when eaten. Mongolian beef has a mild and much simpler taste, making it a kids' favorite, outside of broccoli beef.
What does Mongolian food taste like? ›
For instance, meat from the Gobi region has a distinct taste with hints of wild garlic, while meat from the steppe areas is known for its rich wild onion flavor.” These nuances are important as many Mongolian dishes contain just three basic elements: meat, wheat and salt. Spices and sauces don't play a big part.
