Mongolian Beef

Hearty beef dinner.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Sticky, sweet-savory takeout flavor at home.
• Done in 30 minutes.
• Restaurant-quality glaze.
• Cheaper than ordering out.
• Pairs with rice or stir-fried vegetables.

Ingredient Notes

• Flank steak is traditional — slice against the grain for tenderness.
• Dark brown sugar adds molasses depth light brown can't match.
• Fresh ginger is dramatically better than powdered here.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Skirt steak, sirloin, or chicken thighs work.
• Tamari for gluten-free.
• Honey or maple syrup for brown sugar (use ⅓ cup).

Equipment Needed

• Large wok or 12-inch skillet
• Small bowl for sauce
• Tongs

Prep Tips

• Slice the beef while partially frozen for paper-thin slices.
• Mix the sauce before the beef hits the pan — the timing is fast.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 1 lb ground beef, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 cup brown sugar, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 ginger, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice. mince the garlic, and grate the ginger before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Coat beef in cornstarch, sear. Pull beef at 130°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium; rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.

3. 3

   Simmer soy, sugar, garlic, ginger.

4. 4

   Toss beef in sauce.

5. 5

   Serve over rice.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Dry the beef hard before coating with cornstarch — wet beef makes wet, gummy coating.
• Fry in two batches. Crowded beef steams, not crisps.
• Toss the beef back in the sauce just before serving so the crust stays crispy.

Common Mistakes

• Not getting the oil hot enough, so the cornstarch coating goes gummy instead of crisp.
• Sauce simmered too short — it should thicken visibly into a syrup before the beef goes back in.
• Slicing with the grain, making the beef chewy.

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