Ultimate Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (Print Version)
Tender beef slow-cooked in a savory-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger, and soy creates perfect takeout-style flavor at home.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 2 lbs flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
→ Sauce
02 - 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 cup water
05 - 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
06 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 2 tablespoons sesame oil
→ To Finish
11 - 4 green onions, sliced
12 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
# How to Make It:
01 - Toss sliced flank steak with cornstarch in a large bowl until evenly coated.
02 - Transfer the cornstarch-coated beef to the slow cooker.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil in a separate bowl until smooth.
04 - Pour sauce over beef and stir to coat evenly. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours until beef is tender and sauce has thickened.
05 - Stir in sliced green onions during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
06 - Serve hot, garnished with extra green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Pair with steamed rice or vegetables.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender, practically melting in your mouth without any fancy techniques or hours of active cooking time
- That sauce hits every single flavor note - salty from soy, deep sweetness from brown sugar, and the aromatic warmth of fresh ginger and garlic
- You get restaurant quality results with literally ten minutes of prep work
02 -
- Cutting against the grain means slicing perpendicular to those long muscle fibers running through the meat - look for the lines and cut across them, not parallel
- The sauce will look thin when you first pour it in but thickens beautifully as it cooks and the cornstarch does its job
- Every slow cooker runs differently so check at 3.5 hours - you want the beef tender but not falling apart into shreds
03 -
- Partially freeze the flank steak for 30 minutes before slicing - it becomes firm and much easier to cut into thin, even strips
- Freshly grated ginger makes a huge difference compared to pre-minced - use a microplane for the best results
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for just 30 seconds before garnishing - the aroma alone is worth the extra step