Homemade Mongolian Beef

Time :1 45

Yield :4 servings

Recipe Background

Don't ever be afraid to try something new! Homemade Mongolian Beef is typically thought of as a takeout dish, but with a little help here, you'll have this dine-in-only dish whipped up in no time! Hearty beef flank steak is sliced against the grain and soaked for a bit in a delicious, tangy marinade. Then, each bite is cooked and coated with an unbelievably authentic sweet-and-savory sauce that comes along with some exceptional seasonings that pack a little punch. Delete that number you've hungry-dialed so many times! Thanks to Homemade Mongolian Beef, there will never again be a need to call in to order that soggy, lukewarm, boxed beef. Oh, no! Not when you have this wok-of-wonderfulness on your plate. It's so much better when it's homemade!

Ingredients

For the beef:

1 pound beef ﬂank steak sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch divided
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the sauce:

1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
3/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
8 dried red chilies
3 medium cloves garlic finely chopped
4 scallions white and green parts separated, cut on an angle into 2-inch-wide pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Directions

In a large bowl, add the steak slices, 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil, the sherry, 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of the water, and the baking soda and stir to combine.
Let the steak strips marinate at room temperature, about 1 hour. Set it aside.
In a small bowl, add the brown sugar and 3/4 cup of the hot water and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of the dark soy sauce to the brown sugar mixture and stir to combine. Set it aside.
In a shallow bowl, add 1/2 cup of the cornstarch.
Dredge the marinated steak slices through cornstarch until they are thoroughly coated.
In a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat, heat the remaining vegetable oil just until it starts to smoke.
In batches, add the coated steak slices in a single layer to the heated oil and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees F and the coating is crusty, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer the cooked steak strips to a plate.
Turn off the heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok in a small bowl and discard the rest.
Carefully use a paper towel to wipe the wok clean.
In the same wok over medium-high heat, add the reserved oil, the ginger, and the dried chilies and cook, while stirring, about 15 seconds.
Add the garlic and the white scallions to the chili mixture and cook, while stirring, about 15 seconds.
Add the soy sauce mixture to the chili mixture and simmer, about 2 minutes.
In another small bowl, add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of water and stir to combine.
Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce mixture and stir to combine.
Add the cooked steak slices and the green scallions to the sauce mixture and cook, while tossing, until the scallions are wilted and there is hardly any sauce standing at the bottom of the wok, about 30 seconds.
Serve.