The Mongolian Beef My Dad's Made 100,000 Times
Why this recipe
Most mongolian beef recipes online are tested only a handful of times. My dad used to make this dish multiple times a day, every day, for 50 years and can make this in his sleep.
I know you'll love it as much as our community does! This recipe has over 1.3M views, 23.2K likes on YouTube.
“Is Mongolian beef actually Mongolian?” is one of the most common questions asked about this dish. Since we're asking, you might guess that no, it's not Mongolian, and you'd be right!
In 1950s Taiwan, a dish called Mongolian BBQ became hugely popular. It drew on the stereotypes of the time that Mongolian cuisine was lavish, foreign, and packed with meat. It became common to call this style of meaty stir fry "Mongolian," and eventually, Mongolian beef has become a famous dish in America, too.
You're not likely to find this kind of "Mongolian beef" in either Mongolia or China, but you will see a very similar dish, 葱爆牛肉 (cung1 baau3 ngau4 juk6), or beef stir fry with green onions, in China. What makes both of these dishes amazing is the very quick, very hot cooking process, and the delicious marinades and sauces that flavor them.
So, exactly what is Mongolian beef?
Mongolian beef is a stir-fried beef and vegetable dish. The sliced beef is tender and crispy, and the vegetables are usually strips of onion and bell peppers, cooked just enough so they are still crunchy and refreshing.
The dark brown sauce is savory with a bit of heat (adjustable, of course) and balanced with some sweetness. Our recipe for Mongolian beef sauce includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, tamari soy sauce (as a replacement for dark soy sauce), chili sauce, sugar, and cooking wine. Check the ingredient list to see precise amounts. Don't forget that you can scale the recipe up and down!
Thank you, Kikkoman!
This recipe is brought to you in part by Kikkoman. My dad has been using Kikkoman flavors throughout his 50-year career as a chef, and it's a privilege to get to partner with them on such a popular recipe, Mongolian beef!
- Kikkoman products are a major flavor enhancer and bring out the “umami” taste, and helps balance and round out flavors
- Kikkoman® Less Sodium Soy Sauce is perfect for home cooks who are looking to cut down on their sodium levels, without sacrificing flavor
- Kikkoman offers wide range of Gluten-Free Asian sauces, including Gluten-Free Oyster Sauce and Gluten-Free Hoisin Sauce
- The KikkomanUSA.com Chinese site offers easy Asian recipes that home cooks can enjoy any night of the week
You can learn more about Kikkoman and follow them on social media here:
- Website: https://www.KikkomanUSA.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KikkomanChineseUSA (Kikkoman 萬字在美)
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikkomanusa_chinese/ (Kikkoman 萬字在美)
Ingredients
Instructions
Cut and wash beef
We're going to start by trimming the beef (11 oz). Place it flat on a cutting board, and cut away any white, stringy gristle that'll make the beef difficult to eat.
Then, note which direction the grain of the meat is running. Cut the beef into thin slices across the grain. (You might have to first section your original piece of beef into chunks in order to get bite-sized slices.) This way, the beef slices will cook up silky and tender.
Next, put the beef in a medium-sized bowl. Use cold water to rinse the red myoglobin from the beef so that it will cook up to be paler and more appealing-looking.
Marinate beef
In a bowl, add baking soda (1 tsp), cornstarch (1 tbsp), water, oyster sauce (1 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tsp), tamari (1 tsp), and white pepper powder (0.25 tsp). Mix them thoroughly.
Squeeze the excess water out from the rinsed beef slices, firmly enough to get the water out, but not so firmly that the beef slices break apart. Add the beef slices into the marinade, and mix well. As you mix the beef into the marinade, the beef will soak it up.
Cut vegetables
On a separate cutting board, halve the onion (1 medium) to make a flat surface. It's much safer to cut it when it sits flat and steady on the cutting board. From there, chop it into 1/4-inch thick slices, and separate the slices by hand after.
Chop the scallions (5 stalks) into 1-inch pieces. Separate the white parts from the green parts.
Smash, peel, and mince the garlic (2 cloves).
To cut the green bell pepper and red bell pepper, sit them up with the stem up. Put your knife to the side of the stem and cut straight down. You should be able to avoid most of the seeds in the piece that you've cut away.
To make the strips more uniform, cut away the top and bottom edges of that piece to make a large rectangle, and then cut that rectangle into strips. Keep cutting away sides, making rectangles, and cutting strips for as much of each bell pepper as you need.
Make sauce
To make the stir-fry sauce, mix together oyster sauce (1 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tbsp), dark soy sauce (0.50 tsp), chili sauce (0.50 tsp), sugar (1 tsp), and cooking wine (1 tbsp) in a small bowl.
Prepare beef for stir fry
Once the beef has absorbed all of the marinade, add oil (1 tbsp) to the beef and mix it in. The oil will help seal the marinade in and lock in the juices.
Then, add cornstarch (1 tbsp) to the beef as well and give it another mix. The cornstarch will help the beef crisp up in the frying process.
Stir fry beef
Turn the stove to high heat, and let the wok heat up until it's just about to smoke, or barely smokes. You might see some color change in the center of the wok.
Add oil (1 oz), and swirl it around to coat the wok. Add the rest of the oil (2 oz), and let it heat for about a minute. Add the beef and fry it for about 1.5 minutes. The beef will be cooked through and even a little crispy by them.
Turn off the stove and remove the beef from the wok. Let the oil drain off as you scoop the beef out, so that the beef is not left sitting in a puddle of oil. Keep the cooked beef handy in a bowl nearby.
Pour the oil out from the wok into a separate container. You can reuse this oil for cooking other dishes. The oil that's remaining in the wok will be enough to finish cooking the rest of this dish.
Stir fry veggies
Turn the stove back on, and add the garlic, dried chili pepper, onion, and green onion whites, and green and red bell peppers. Fry them for about 1 to 1.5 minutes, until they're fragrant and cooked through.
Add the beef back in and stir fry for about 20 seconds.
Then add the sauce and the green parts of the green onion. Stir fry for 30 seconds more, then turn off the heat.
Finish by drizzling sesame oil (1 tbsp) over the top and mix to distribute.
Taste test and plate
Taste to adjust the flavors and plate once it's to your taste! This is usually served in a large serving bowl or plate and everyone can take the amount they want.