Ultimate Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (Printable)
Tender beef slow-cooked in a rich, savory-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger, and soy. Melt-in-your-mouth perfection with minimal effort.
# What goes in:
→ Beef
01 - 2 pounds 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
# Directions:
01 - Place sliced flank steak in a large bowl and toss with cornstarch until evenly coated on all sides.
02 - Transfer the cornstarch-coated beef to the slow cooker insert, spreading it into an even layer.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil until completely smooth and sugar is dissolved.
04 - Pour the sauce mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Stir thoroughly to coat all pieces evenly. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours until beef is fork-tender and sauce has thickened.
05 - During the final 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the sliced green onions and allow them to soften slightly.
06 - Serve hot over steamed jasmine or basmati rice. Garnish with additional green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce develops this incredible complexity that makes people think you spent hours reducing it on the stove
- Everything happens in one pot so cleanup is basically nonexistent
02 -
- The sauce will look thin when you first pour it but it thickens beautifully as it cooks
- Resist the urge to lift the lid too often, every peek adds 15 minutes to cooking time
03 -
- Freeze the flank steak for 20 minutes before slicing to get those thin, even strips
- Double the sauce ingredients if you want extra for serving over rice