Stuff You’ll Need
- 1½ pounds beef flap meat, trimmed and cut into thin strips
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2½ to 3 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
- 4 scallions: white parts finely chopped, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 to 4 dried árbol chiles (about 2 inches each), stems removed, halved
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ¾ cup water
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice
Stuff to Know Before Cooking
Freezing the beef strips makes them firmer and easier to slice thinly.
Ask your butcher for a 1½-pound piece of flap meat instead of pre-cut steak tips, which are harder to slice thin. Flank steak can also be used as a substitute.
For extra heat, use the higher number of arbol chiles. If dried arbol chiles aren’t available, substitute small dried Asian chiles or ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
Prep the Beef
Cut the beef with the grain into 2½- to 3-inch-wide strips and place them on a large plate. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
Then slice the strips crosswise against the grain into ⅛-inch-thick pieces. Toss the beef with cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.
Fry the Beef
Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F. Add one-third of the beef and fry, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, about 4 minutes.
Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F. Transfer the beef to the prepared rack using a slotted spoon or spider skimmer.
Return the oil to 375°F and repeat with the remaining beef in two more batches.
Make the Sauce
Transfer 1 tablespoon of the frying oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high until shimmering.
Add the scallion whites, arbol chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the water, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring to a vigorous simmer.
Cook until the sauce thickens and reduces to about 1¼ cups, 6 to 8 minutes.
Combine and Serve
Add the fried beef and scallion greens to the sauce, tossing constantly until the beef is well coated, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and serve with rice.
Mongolian Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds beef flap meat trimmed and cut into thin strips
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2½ to 3 cups vegetable or peanut oil for frying
- 4 scallions: white parts finely chopped green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 to 4 dried árbol chiles about 2 inches each, stems removed, halved
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ¾ cup water
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice
Instructions
- Cut the beef with the grain into 2½- to 3-inch-wide strips and place them on a large plate. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Then, slice the strips crosswise against the grain into ⅛-inch-thick pieces. Toss the beef with cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.
- Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F. Add one-third of the beef and fry, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, about 4 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F. Transfer the beef to the prepared rack using a slotted spoon or spider skimmer. Return the oil to 375°F and repeat with the remaining beef in two more batches.
- Transfer 1 tablespoon of the frying oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add the scallion whites, arbol chiles, garlic, and ginger, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the water, sugar, and soy sauce, bringing to a vigorous simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens and reduces to about 1¼ cups, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the fried beef and scallion greens to the sauce, tossing constantly until the beef is well coated, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and serve with rice.
