Mongolian Beef Slow Cooker (Printable version)

Flavorful beef cooked in rich sauce with Asian-inspired ingredients for an easy weeknight meal.

# Ingredient list:

→ 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 the liquid.
04 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours until beef becomes fork-tender and easily pulls apart, avoiding the temptation to lift the lid during cooking.
05 - During the final 30 minutes of cooking, whisk cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir into the slow cooker and continue cooking until sauce thickens.
06 - Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, generously sprinkling each portion with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds for added texture and visual appeal.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce thickens into this incredible glaze that coats every single piece of beef perfectly
  • Your house will smell absolutely amazing all day long while this cooks
  • Its honestly easier and better than most restaurant versions Ive tried
02 -
  • The beef needs to be sliced very thin against the grain or it will be tough, no matter how long you cook it
  • That slurry step at the end is what transforms this from soup to that thick, glossy sauce you want
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid too often, every peek adds about 15 minutes to your cooking time
03 -
  • Pat the beef dry before coating with cornstarch or it will clump up instead of evenly coating
  • If your sauce is too thick at the end, add water one tablespoon at a time until it's right

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