Mongolian Beef Slow Cooker (Printable version)

Silky beef in rich sauce with Asian-inspired flavors, ready in slow cooker.

# What you'll need:

→ Beef

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

→ Sauce

02 - 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 cup water
05 - 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
08 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Thickener

11 - 1/4 cup cornstarch

→ Vegetables & Garnish

12 - 5 green onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
13 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
14 - Steamed white or brown rice, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Place sliced flank steak in a large bowl and toss with cornstarch until evenly coated. Shake off excess powder.
02 - Transfer cornstarch-coated beef to the slow cooker insert.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a separate bowl until sugar dissolves.
04 - Pour sauce mixture over beef and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Scatter white parts of green onions over the beef and sauce.
06 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours until beef becomes fork-tender and sauce slightly thickens.
07 - Stir in sliced green onion tops and cook additional 10 minutes.
08 - Spoon beef and sauce over steamed rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and extra green onions if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender, practically melting in your mouth after hours of slow cooking
  • The sauce strikes that perfect balance between savory and sweet, with just enough heat to keep things interesting
  • Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
02 -
  • Slicing the beef against the grain is absolutely crucial, otherwise you'll end up with tough, chewy pieces instead of tender bites
  • Don't skip the cornstarch coating, it's what gives the sauce that luxurious restaurant-style consistency
  • The sauce will thicken significantly during the final minutes, so don't panic if it looks thin earlier in the cooking process
03 -
  • Partially freeze the flank steak for 30 minutes before slicing to get thin, even pieces effortlessly
  • Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make this completely gluten-free without sacrificing flavor

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