Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe (P.F. Chang’s Copycat)

Introduction

Mongolian beef Recipe is one of the all time favorite Chinese American dishes, characterized by tenderloin beef, sweet and savory glaze and texture. As many of you know, this delicious take out favorite is actually very simple to make at home in your own kitchen.

This dish is definitely quite hearty and it is ideal to prepare if you are planning a regular weeknight dinner or if you are having guests over for dinner.

Before talking about this mouth-watering dish, let’s go detail through the process of making of Mongolian Beef recipe step by step.

Why People love Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef has nothing to do with authentic Mongolian food. It began in Chinese American restaurants, extracting inspiration from flavours and methods of cooking discovered in Northern Chinese culinary traditions. Soon after, this became a common meal throughout the United States and beyond, becoming a favorite of Chinese American menus.

As the dish has deep and layered taste that is appreciated by millions of people worldwide, Mongolian Beef is clearly one of the most popular meals that can be made in a short period of time with very basic components.

Choosing the Right Cut of Beef

You need the correct cut of beef if you want a soft and juicy meal. Recommended options include:

• Flank steak: It’s the most popular because of its tenderness and flavor.
• Sirloin: A slightly leaner option with great flavor.
• Skirt steak: It offers bold flavor, but must be handled carefully because it becomes very tough if not cut well.

Pro Tips for Slicing Beef:

• Freeze briefly: Beef goes into the freezer for atleast 15 to 20 minutes to firm up and make it easier to slice.
• Slice against the grain: All of this shortens the muscle fibers, making them tender.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Mongolian Beef Recipe

For the Beef:

• 1 pound (450g) flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch (for coating)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for stir-frying)

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (or honey for a healthier option)
• 1/4 cup water or chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes its optional if you want it spicy.
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce or oyster sauce (optional, for richer flavor)

Optional Additions:

• Sliced bell peppers, snap peas, or 1 cup broccoli florets
• Scallions, 2 green onions thinly sliced (for decoration)
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (for garnish)

Instructions for Mongolian Beef Recipe: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Marinate the Beef

1. In a bowl, mix minced Garlic, soy sauce, Brown sugar, and grated ginger separately in a bowl.
2. Place the sliced beef back into the marinade in order to guarantee equal coverage of each piece.
3. Allow beef to marinate for 20 minutes, at the room temperature, or 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Coat the Beef

1. Take the beef away from the marinade while drippings some gravy.
2. To ensure the meat slices are well covered, smear them with cornflour. This will make a crispy coating during stir-frying.

Step 3: Prepare the Sauce

1. Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, water or chicken broth, and cornflour until smooth in a another bowl.
2. To raise the taste of the food a little bit more, include oyster sauce or hoisin sauce depending on taste.

Step 4: Stir-Fry the Beef

1. In a wok or large pan heat up some oil over high fire. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
2. Cook the beef in small portions so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan when being sautéd. Fry each portion for 1-2 minutes until they turn golden brown on the outside, crispy on the inside.
3. Take the cooked beef and then put aside.

Step 5: Cook the Sauce

1. Low the heat down and also pour this prepared sauce into the pan you used for cooking the meat.
2. Scrape the sauce using a wooden spoon in circles while you heat it for 1-2 minutes until it thickens.

Step 6: Combine and Serve

1. Put the beef back in the pan and pour the sauce over the meat, to get it well coated. In case you have chosen to include any extras add and sauté for a further 1-2 minutes or until vegetables are soft yet crispy.
2. It must be consumed immediately with rice or any type of noodles on the side.
3. They can be served divided and garnished with sliced greenish onions and sesame seeds to add taste to the food.

3 Cooking Method for Mongolian Beef Recipe

Traditional Stir-Fry:

1. Place a wok or a large skillet over high heat, until it comes onto a smoke. Pour in extra virgin olive oil, as extra or even an additional one tablespoon.
2. It is important to use small chunks in order to stir fry the beef in small portions at a time to avoid clustering in the frying pan. Overcrowding tends to reduce temperature and instead of searing, there is steaming. Fry each portion for roughly 2 minutes allowing the outer surface to brown slightly.
3. Take out the already cooked beef and place in another plate container.
4. Lower the stove’s heat and then pour the sauce you prepared in the other pan into the Panko crumb coated chicken. Allow it to cook for slightly between one to two minutes with constant stirring until it is thickens.
5. Place beef back on the pan and mix it well in the sauce. Cook for another 1 min and for the beef to absorb the juice.

Slow Cooker Method:

1. If you prefer a easy approach, the slow cooker is a great alternative.
2. Put all the marinated beef and sauce ingredients right into the over slow cooker.
3. Stew at a slow heat for 4-5 hours at low heat, or at high heat for 2-3 hours. Because the dish preparation involves slow cooking the beef becomes tender and the combination of the ingredients is well acquired.
4. For a thicker consistency to the sauce mix one tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of water and add it midway through the final half an hour.

One-Pan Skillet Method (For Beginners)

This basically is the simplest way of preparing the dish and would only take a short amount of time in the kitchen and therefore, would be best suited for novices preparing food to accompany a novel most notably during dinner in the evening.

Steps:

1. Cook the Beef: Brown the beef slices in a skillet on medium high heat after seasoning with salt if desired. Remove and set aside.
2. Make the Sauce: Well done the garlic and ginger for few minutes then put soy sauce, brown sugar and water. Mainly cook for 2–3 minutes over moderate heat ensuring that it has thickened a little.
3. Combine and Simmer: Put back the beef into the skillet and mix to get an even coating. To thicken this sauce, simmer for about 1-2 minutes.
4. Serve: It goes well especially when partnered with steamed rice or noodle and has toppings of green onions.

Serving Suggestions

Accompaniments

• Rice: White steamed jasmine or brown rice are the recommended accompaniments for the dish Mongolian Beef. This sauce is rich that the rice is well soaked each time you take a bite.
• Noodles: You can also garnish it with lo mein, rice noodles, noodle zucchini for those who are already on low-carb diets.

Garnishing:

• Green Onions: We use thinly sliced green onions to add some freshness to the color to the food.
• Sesame Seeds: In addition, toasted sesame seeds serves as not only a nutty seasoning but also a appealing decoration.

Tips and Tricks for Mongolian Beef Recipe

• Achieving Tender Beef: Be sure that the beef is sliced thin across the grain and dredge the meat in a little bit of cornstarch. This technique helps one retain the tenderness of the meat while at the same time it forms a light crust on the same.
• Balancing Flavors: When using this recipe also modify the sweetness and saltiness of the sauce to your preferred taste. If you like hotter additions include red pepper flakes, or freshly sliced chilies as a garnish.
• Efficient Cooking: Do not overcrowd the pan with the beef so you cook it in small portions. That is why overcrowding the pan, while searing, leads to steaming rather than browning and thus loses the purpose of intended flavoring and tenderizing.

Mistakes to Avoid While Cooking

1. Crowding the pan, which results in the beef not searing adequately due to lack of space.
2. We overcook the beef so that instead of tender and juicy the texture becomes hard and dry.
3. Omitting the cornstarch coating process through which the entire dish loses its desirable texture and the sauce has poor thickness.

Conclusion

Making Mongolian Beef recipe at home may be such a fun and tasty experience because you can recreate a restaurant meal to your taste. By cracking this ultimate guide, you will learn how to get succulent tender beef, a well-blended sauce, and an appealing presentation. Try different versions, adjust the spices, and add it to what you like to eat with it to create the best meal.

This is one recipe that once mastered, Mongolian Beef is going to become one of your household’s most-loved dishes. It’s a dish one can easily sink their teeth into and enjoy this timeless recipe!

Frequently Asked Questions About Mongolian Beef Recipe