Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

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I am a big fan of slow-cooking but I have never owned a slow cooker or crock-pot until recently. Well, I use to do all the slow cooking on the stovetop. The only difference really is that on the stovetop you have to keep an eye so the meat and gravy ain't sticking to the bottom but in a slow cooker you can forget about it for hours and nothing can go wrong. I do like that security - don't you?

Honestly, the credit for me getting the slow cooker goes to my blogger friend Arlene Braun Mobley of Flour on my Face. She is the queen of slow cooker recipes and I have been drooling over them for a long time now like this Easy Crock Pot Pepper Steak  And every time I told her I want to make this - she'd say - Veena you must get a slow cooker/Crockpot - it will make your life easier. If you love slow cooker recipes - I highly recommend you visit her blog soon after you've seen this delicious recipe of course.

Guess what? It does make my life so much easier - especially on days when I'm so busy with my cake orders.
For example, the other day I had to leave for cake delivery and I know I'd be late. Usually, we'd have to get take out or eat sandwiches. But I threw a few things into the slow cooker - set it on low and left..! When I came home the house was filled with the aroma of slow-cooked Teriyaki Chicken. By the time the kids got home from school, I made a nice bowl of hot rice and taken pictures for my blog to share with you. So yes, Arlene was right it does make my life a lot easier.

About this slow-cooker Mongolian Beef Recipe (Save/Pin)

A very simple and easy recipe that's also very versatile and adaptable. You probably have eaten Mongolian beef from some Chinese take away which usually is made with a similar sauce but cooked with strips of flank steak in a wok to make a quick stir fry.

This recipe takes that same sauce to the next level of comfort food. Here we season the beef and cook it in a slow cooker with the same sweet ginger-based soy sauce and cook it long and slow until the meat is fork-tender. The result is pure comfort food.

Serve it with a bowl of steam rice or noodles. My kids love a bowl of rice with this very much. I love bread so I usually keep some crusty bread like a baguette on hand when I make this dish.

Here I have used the slow cooker but for years I have made this recipe on the stove-top cooking on low for hours. I have given you the recipe below for both versions, the slow cooker Mongolian beef as well as the Stovetop Mongolian beef so now you have no excuse not to try this recipe.

Let's talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

• Beef - slow cooking works best with sirloin, chuck roast or flank steak kinda cuts. These can endure long slow cooking without drying out. If you ask the butcher he usually will be able to help you with what he has best available for you.
• Sweet Paprika - if you can handle the heat.. try hot paprika and take this to a whole new level. Hot paprika does go so well with the sweetness this recipe has in it. But my kids are small so I don't use as much hot paprika. I use more sweet or smoked paprika with a dash of hot paprika. I have made spicy Mongolian beef and it is to die for and all it takes is switching that sweet paprika to hot paprika. Works like magic.
• Stock - I usually always have chicken stock on hand but water works just as well. You can use chicken, vegetable or beef stock whatever is on hand.
• Brown Sugar - The light brown sugar works best for this recipe. Do not use the dark brown - the molasses might be a bit more intense in flavor. The soy sauce combines well with brown sugar giving a deep unique flavor with the beef juices.
• Dried herbs - this is optional. Personally, I do like adding some kind of herbs to my meat dishes I think it adds so much more. But again you can omit or switch to personalize it to your favorite herb.

Useful Tips and Tools

• In the interest of good hygiene, it is a good practice to always use separate chopping boards, one for the veggies and a separate one for the meat.
• A chef's knife does a great job of cutting meats, while a utility knife works best for the veggies.
• And, a heavy-bottom saute-pan or cast-iron skillet to sauté if using any veggies.
• Slow cooker or Crock-Pots are readily available these days and also quite affordable. They make meal planning so much easier, avoiding that last-minute stress of "what's for dinner?" If possible, choose one that has the option to sauté, so you can do everything in one pot including browning the meat. My only regret is that I can't brown the meats or saute the onions in the same pot. By the way, the Instant Pot also has a slow cooker option. And I'm pretty excited that I will be able to use it for slow cooking. 
• And, if you don't have a slow cooker, a good quality Dutch oven does a great job of slow cooking on the stovetop.
• If you plan to cook it on the stovetop, but don't have a Dutch oven, use a heavy-bottom skillet that will endure the long slow cooking. You can also use a heat tamer or heat diffuser that you can place under the pan to distribute the heat evenly.
• Also, I like to use my wooden spatula to cook, so I do not damage the surface of my pans.
• And, if you following a recipe it's best to use measuring cups and spoons for accuracy.
• Read - 10 essential pots and pan to help you cook better.

How to Make Slow-Cooker Mongolian Beef (Save/Pin)

Stove-Top Mongolian Beef

• Add all sauce ingredients to a bowl or measuring cup. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
• Cut beef into large bite-size pieces
• Place in a bowl or zip lock bag (for easy clean up)
• In a small bowl - combine salt, pepper, paprika, and flour.
• Add flour mix to the beef bag and shake the bag to coat as evenly as possible.
• Pour 2 tbsp oil to a saute pan or skillet - bring to high heat
• Add the beef cubes and cook on high for 2 minutes - switch sides and cook another 2 minutes
• Remove beef and set aside - keep warm.
• To the same skillet - add a 1tbsp more oil
• Saute onions for a minute then
• Add the ginger and garlic - cook a minute more.
• Then add a few tablespoons of stock to help scrape the pan so you get all the caramelized bits stuck to the pan.
• Then, add the beef back to the pan.
• Pour the stock over - stir well.
• Add one extra cup of water to the pan - stir well.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to an absolute simmer.
• Cook on low for 2 hours stirring every 20 minutes to make sure there is liquid in the pan.
• If necessary add 1/4 cup water at a time. The heat should be low or the liquid will evaporate quickly.
• Mine usually gets done in 2 hours but a little longer is ok too as long as the meat cooks to fork-tender.

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Ginger Beef with Soy Sauce (9)

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Ginger Beef with Soy Sauce (6)

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Ginger Beef with Soy Sauce (5)

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef Ginger Beef with Soy Sauce (7)

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

• Add all sauce ingredients to a bowl or measuring cup. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
• Cut beef into large bite-size pieces
• Place in a bowl or zip lock bag (for easy clean up)
• In a small bowl - combine salt, pepper, paprika, and flour.
• Add the flour mixture to the beef bag and shake the bag to coat as evenly as possible.
• Pour 2 tbsp oil to a saute pan or skillet - bring to high heat
• Then add the beef cubes and cook on high for 2 minutes - switch sides and cook another 2 minutes
• Remove beef and set aside - keep warm.
• To the same skillet - add a 1tbsp more oil
• Saute onions for a minute then
• Add the ginger and garlic - cook a minute more.
• Then add a few tablespoons of stock to help scrape the pan so you get all the caramelized bits stuck to the pan. (See video)
• Into the slow cooker
• Add the seared beef cubes
• Followed by the cooked onion mixture
• Pour the sauce/marinade over.
• Give it a stir to make sure it's all mixed well.
• Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours ( or overnight) up to 10 hours.
• OR Cook on high for 3 hours then on low for 2 hours
• The beef should be soft, tender and juicy with a gorgeous brown gravy.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving.

8 Tips for slow cooking meats

1. Use the right pan - slow cooking works best with cast iron, Dutch-oven kinda thick pans as these distribute heat evenly. Avoid using thin metal pans as these can cause the food to stick to the bottom.
2. When slow cooking in the oven it's best to brown the meat on the stovetop first because slow cooking does a great job of cooking meat to fork-tender but without any added caramelization.
3. If you adding vegetables add them to the last hour of slow cooking so the vegetables won't go mush with the long cooking.
4. Always use the right meat for the right recipe. Pork shoulder, beef brisket, chicken thighs, lamb shanks, short ribs these do well with slow cooking. Meats like chicken breast are best made on the stovetop for quick meals.
5. While you can slow cook on the stovetop or oven, using a slow-cooker makes for stress-free cooking as you can leave the slow-cooker on unattended.
6. Never use too much water when slow cooking as the meat will release its own juices. Having said that keep a close eye for excess liquid evaporation.
7. Thicken sauces and gravies at the end of cooking time so the meat has enough liquid to cook in.
8. Similarly, add greens at the end of cooking or they will wilt with slow cooking. Alternatively, add them, in the beginning, to slow cook for long and then take them out at the end.

Frequently asked questions

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Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 27 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 6 hrs

Total Time: 6 hrs 10 mins

Calories: 132kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 6 servings

Description

This is probably the best Mongolian beef recipe you will make. Sirloin beef cubes flavored with ginger, garlic, paprika in a tomato, soy, and brown sugar gravy in a slow cooker or stovetop until it is fork-tender and delicious. Serve it over noodles, steamed rice, or just plain crusty bread

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE - 6 servings

Ingredients

• 650 grams (1.43 lb) Beef Sirloin / chuck roast / flank steak
• 2 tbsp (1 floz) Canola oil
• 3 tbsp (1.56 oz) Flour or cornstarch
• 1 tbsp (0.52 oz) Sweet paprika
• 1 (1 ) Onion about 1/2 cup chopped
• 1 tbsp (0.52 oz) Garlic minced or grated
• 1 tbsp (0.52 oz) Ginger grated or minced

Sauce/Marinade

• 250 ml (1.06 cups) Stock   beef /chicken/veg or water
• 2 tbsp (1.04 oz) Tomato paste
• 100 grams (0.45 cups) Brown sugar
• 120 ml (0.52 cups) Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp (1 tsp) Dried herbs optional, 1/2 tsp dried parsley +1/2 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

Season the beef cubes

• Cut beef into large bite-size pieces
• Place in a bowl or zip lock bag (for easy clean up)
• In a small bowl - combine salt, pepper, paprika, and flour.
• Add flour mix to the beef bag and shake the bag to coat as evenly as possible.

Sear the beef cubes

• Add 2 tbsp oil to a saute pan or skillet - bring to high heat
• Add the beef cubes and cook on high for 2 minutes - switch sides and cook another 2 minutes 
• Remove beef and set aside - keep warm. 

Saute onions

• To the same skillet - add a 1tbsp more oil
• Saute onions for a minute then
• Add the ginger and garlic - cook a minute more. 
• Then add a few tablespoons of stock to help scrape the pan so you get all the caramelized bits stuck to the pan. (See video) 

For slow cooker Mongolian Beef

• Into the slow cooker
• Add the seared beef cubes
• Followed by the cooked onion mixture
• Pour the sauce/marinade over.
• Give it a stir to make sure it's all mixed well. 
• Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours ( or overnight) up to 10 hours. 
• OR Cook on high for 3 hours then on low for 2 hours
• The beef should be soft, tender and juicy with a gorgeous brown gravy.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving.

Stove-Top Mongolian Beef

• Sear beef cubes as we did above and set aside
• Saute onions, ginger garlic as we did above 
• Scrape the caramelized bits using some stock as we did above 
• Then, add the beef back to the pan. 
• Pour the stock over - stir well. 
• Add one extra cup of water to the pan - stir well. 
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to an absolute simmer. 
• Cook on low for 2 hours stirring every 20 minutes to make sure there is liquid in the pan. 
• If necessary add 1/4 cup water at a time. The heat should be low or the liquid will evaporate quickly. 
• Mine usually gets done in 2 hours but a little longer is ok too as long as the meat cooks to fork tender.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 73gCalories: 132kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1.8gFat: 6.8gSaturated Fat: 0.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 207mgPotassium: 0mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 12.4gVitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

Did you make this recipe? Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov

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