Mongolian Beef Slow Cooker (Printable)

Tender beef in a rich, savory-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger and soy. Perfect over rice.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain

→ Sauce

02 - 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 cup water
05 - 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Slurry

10 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
11 - 1/4 cup cold water

→ Garnish

12 - 4 green onions, sliced
13 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves completely.
02 - Place sliced flank steak in a large zip-top bag, add cornstarch, seal tightly, and shake vigorously to coat all pieces evenly with a light dusting.
03 - Transfer coated beef to the slow cooker insert, pour prepared sauce over the meat, and stir thoroughly to ensure every piece is submerged in liquid.
04 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours until beef becomes fork-tender and easily shreds apart.
05 - During the final 30 minutes of cooking, whisk cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir into the slow cooker and allow sauce to thicken.
06 - Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, generously sprinkling sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over each portion.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender without any fancy techniques or standing over a hot stove
  • You get that perfect balance of salty, sweet, and savory that makes restaurant Mongolian beef so addictive
  • Everything happens in one vessel, meaning less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy your evening
02 -
  • Cutting the beef against the grain is non-negotiable, or you'll end up with tough, chewy pieces instead of melt-in-your-mouth tenderness
  • Adding the cornstarch slurry too early can cause it to break down and lose its thickening power, so wait until those final 30 minutes
  • The sauce will continue to thicken slightly after you turn off the heat, so don't panic if it seems a little thinner than you want right away
03 -
  • Partially freezing the flank steak for 20 minutes makes it infinitely easier to slice into those thin, even strips
  • If your sauce tastes too salty at the end, add a teaspoon of rice vinegar or a pinch more brown sugar to restore the balance

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