Description
This Mongolian Beef recipe is a delicious copycat of PF Chang’s famous dish. Featuring thinly sliced New York strip steak coated in a savory marinade and stir-fried with a flavorful sauce made from soy, garlic, ginger, and a touch of sweet brown sugar, it’s the perfect balance of savory and sweet. Ready in under 40 minutes, this dish is ideal for a quick weeknight meal served over steamed rice and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 2 New York strip steaks (1” thick)
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 green onion stalks, chopped
Marinade Mix
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger root, grated
- 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Freeze the steak: Freeze the New York strip steaks for 1 hour to firm them up. This step makes it easier to achieve thin, uniform slices.
- Prepare marinade: In a ziplock bag, combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, minced garlic, ginger powder, and rice wine vinegar to create the marinade.
- Slice and marinate steak: Thinly slice the partially frozen steak into 1/4 inch strips. Add the steak to the ziplock with the marinade, massage well to coat all the pieces, and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour to absorb the flavors.
- Add seasoning and cornstarch: After marinating, add salt, coarse black pepper, sesame oil, and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch to the ziplock. Shake the bag to evenly coat the steak strips with the seasoning mixture.
- Heat cooking pans: Place a saucepan and a wok on the stove over medium-high heat to prepare for cooking the sauce and beef respectively.
- Cook the steak: Add the coated steak strips to the wok and cook for 6 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure even cooking and a seared texture.
- Make the sauce: In the heated saucepan, add oil and sauté the minced garlic and grated ginger for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in brown sugar and Shaoxing wine, cooking another minute to blend flavors. Then add soy sauce and gochujang, whisk thoroughly, and cook for 3 minutes to meld the sauce.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir together cornstarch and water to form a slurry and pour it into the saucepan. Whisk constantly and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Toss steak with sauce: Pour the thickened sauce over the cooked steak in the wok. Toss to fully coat the beef. Add chopped green onions and cook for an additional 2 minutes to combine flavors and heat through.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle sesame seeds over the finished Mongolian beef and serve immediately over steamed rice for a perfect meal.
Notes
- Freezing the steak slightly before slicing helps achieve thin, consistent strips for better texture.
- Shaoxing wine can be substituted with dry sherry if not available.
- Adjust the amount of gochujang based on your preferred spice level.
- Serve with steamed white rice or fried rice for a complete dish.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.