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!

The Origins of Mongolian Beef

But first. What exactly are the origins of Mongolian Beef? Because it’s definitely not Mongolian…

In fact, in Mongolia, more often than not, home cooks simply boil meat and dip it in sauces. Not exactly a stir-fry.

Everything is served with Bai Jiu, a stiff, white lightning liquor made of sorghum (usually 90 proof or higher!) very popular in China.

(A friend of mine who visits his Mongolian in-laws almost always ends up drunk and horizontal on the couch after the traditional welcome-home dinner!)

As for the true origins of Mongolian beef, 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. (But, as Judy and the girls would say, that’s just my crazy theory/the ramblings of an old coot!)

Anyway, chalk it up to Chinese-American menu planners and marketers who dubbed the dish “Mongolian Beef.”

It’s a close cousin to “Singapore Noodles,” a dish that many actual Singaporeans scratch their heads over––most likely born in the stainless steel kitchen of a Chinese takeout joint!

The Woks of Life Mongolian Beef Recipe

Now that we have that clear, it doesn’t take a genius to know that despite their somewhat misleading names, these Westernized Asian dishes can be GOOD!

P.F. Chang’s version of this dish is probably the most well-known, but, personally, I think their dish is way too sweet, and it’s definitely too sweet for Judy (which is saying something, since she comes from Shanghai, where sweet-savory dishes are often the main event).

In fact, when Judy found out I was going to make a Mongolian beef recipe, the exclamations were strong and immediate: “Too sweet! Too oily! No good! You’re crazy!”

So, I adjusted.

• Cut the sugar–wayyy down.
• Reduce the amount of oil used–wayyy down.

And after the photographs were taken, the Mongolian beef on the plate disappeared before all of our eyes once the rice was served. Amidst the feeding frenzy were these comments, muffled by mouthfuls:

• Sarah: “Holy crap, that’s tasty!”
• Kaitlin: “Daaang, gimme more of that rice!”
• Judy: “WOW. That is SO good!”
• My humble remark: “Ok, you guys were hungry.”

If you would rather have some chicken, then check out our popular Mongolian Chicken recipe!

Mongolian Beef Recipe: Instructions

Combine the sliced beef with 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch and let it sit and marinate for an 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 1/4 cup of cornstarch until lightly coated. These steps ensure that the Mongolian Beef is tasty and crispy! For more detailed information on the many ways to use cornstarch to get authentic results at home with our recipes, see our post on How to Use Cornstarch in Chinese Cooking.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and hot water (or low sodium chicken or beef stock) until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce.

If you don’t have low sodium soy sauce, substitute 2 1/2 tablespoons regular soy sauce and 1 1/2 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. 

Heat 1/3 cup oil in the wok over high heat. Just before the oil starts to smoke, spread the flank steak pieces evenly in the wok, and let sear for 1 minute (depending upon the heat of your wok). Fry in smaller batches for best results! 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.

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. Then slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry  (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) mixture. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the beef and scallions, and toss everything 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 hot steamed rice!