Better Than Takeout Mongolian Beef
This Better Than Takeout Mongolian Beef is made with tender strips of beef coated in a sweet and savory sauce. The beef is lightly coated in cornstarch, pan-fried, and then tossed in a flavorful sauce made with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, hoisin, and a touch of sesame oil. Serve it over rice for an easy homemade takeout-style dinner the whole family will love.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 941kcal
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1½ pounds flank steak
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil leftover from removing all the fry oil except this 1 tablespoon
- 1 Tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger minced or grated
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sriracha hot chili sauce optional
Serving:
- white rice prepared
- 4-5 green onions cut on the diagonal
Instructions
- Place the beef in the freezer, in its package, for about 30-50 minutes. Then slice the meat against the grain into ¼-inch slices, then cut those slices into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the cornstarch in a bowl and toss the meat pieces in the cornstarch. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Heat the one cup of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the cornstarch-coated beef to the hot oil. Be careful not to crowd the pan and cook in batches. Cook 2-4 minutes per side (it will cook more later). Remove the meat to a plate. Be careful with the hot oil! Be sure to leave those yummy bits of fry stuff in the pan. They will add to the sauce flavor.
- Now, empty all the oil from the pan except about 1 tablespoon. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for about one minute. Add the brown sugar and stir.
- Next, add the soy sauce, water, hoisin sauce, and sriracha (if using) to the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens. Stir occasionally, scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
- Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir this mixture into the bubbling sauce and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Once the sauce has thickened, add the meat back into the pan. Add the sesame oil. Stir to combine and heat through.
- Serve over the prepared white rice and sprinkle with green onion. Serves 4.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 941kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 34g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1852mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 4mg