Super crispy pieces of beef coated in a sweet salty sauce = heaven in the form of a stir fry. PF Chang’s copycat – done right! Marinating the beef is key for packing in great flavour into every single bite.
This recipe is similar to Honey Pepper Beef Stir Fry – with the addition of the crispy beef!
Mongolian Beef
I cannot get enough of this Mongolian Beef. I am obsessed!
PF Chang’s is an Asian themed restaurant chain in the US. They seem to be everywhere – and it’s wildly popular. Because of its sheer popularity, I had to try it when I was in the US. I actually didn’t mind the Chow Mein that my friend got, but personally I found the Mongolian Beef too sweet and too oily.
I didn’t get it. I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about, and why America is so obsessed with Mongolian Beef! Every single other food on my “must try” list that I had on my US foodie road trip was a home run. But Mongolian Beef? Disappointing.
But knowing how popular it is, I tried it again at a Chinese restaurant in LA. I had too, I was curious. This time, I scored! I understood! Made properly, it is absolutely addictive. Dangerously so.
What is Mongolian Beef – and what does it taste like?
For the Australians reading this, Mongolian Beef is similar to what we know as Szechuan Style Beef and Peking Beef. Thin slices of beef that is shallow fried so it’s super crispy then tossed in a sticky sauce.
It’s different to what we know as Mongolian Lamb which is not fried or crispy, and the sauce is not as sweet.
It’s the combination of crispy and sticky that makes Mongolian Beef SO good. See how thick and caramel-like the sauce is? The photo on the right is when the sauce is bubbling away, thickening and coating the beef. Heaven in a pan, that’s what this is. 🙂
Did you notice that I made it in a skillet instead of a wok? To tell you the truth, normally I make it in a wok but I wanted to try it in a skillet too so I could provide directions for that.
It’s easier made in a wok because you can shallow fry the beef in the wok. But if you don’t have a wok, I recommend frying the beef in a small saucepan instead because the beef is cooked with only 1/4 cup of oil. If you use a skillet, then the oil spreads too thinly and you won’t get the same crispiness. After the beef is cooked, finish the rest of the recipe in a skillet. Easy!
In the crispy / sticky stakes, I have to say that this is right up there with Buffalo Wings. That is to say, if someone put a plate of this and a plate of Buffalo Wings in front of me, I am not entirely sure which one I would go for.
Actually, I do know. Probably both at the same time. 🙂
– Nagi x
PS I got side tracked and forgot to mention that I tried a few recipes I found on a mission to get the closest match to the Mongolian Beef I had at a Chinese restaurant in LA, not PF Chang’s which I didn’t enjoy very much. A few were close, but didn’t nail it. This recipe is from a blog called Woks of Life which is run by a Chinese family who used to run a Chinese restaurant in America. It’s my “go to” source for American Chinese recipes. Every single recipe I have tried has been an absolute ripper. Honestly!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Crispy Sticky Mongolian Beef recipe video!
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Crispy Sticky Mongolian Beef
Ingredients
Beef and Marinade
- 8 oz / 250g beef steak (rump, scotch or flank), sliced into 1/5″ / 3mm slices (Note 1)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch/cornflour
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (light or all purpose, NOT dark)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry, or more chicken broth (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp / 1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
Crispy Beef
- 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch/cornflour
Stir Fry
- 1/2 tsp ginger, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 scallions/shallots, cut into 1 1/2″ / 4cm pieces on the diagonal
Instructions
Beef and Marinade
- Combine the Beef and Marinade ingredients in a bowl and marinate for 10 minutes (though you could even leave it overnight).
Sauce
- Mix the cornstarch with a splash of the water. Then add the remaining Sauce ingredients, including remaining water.
Crispy Beef and Stir Fry
- Add 1/4 cup cornstarch and use your fingers to lightly coat the beef.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wok (Note 2) over medium high heat. Add 1/2 the beef and cook the first side for around 45 seconds or until golden and crisp. Then flip (I use an egg flip) and cook the other side for 30 – 45 seconds until golden and crisp. Remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining beef.
- Discard the oil, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon in the wok.
- Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for about 15 seconds. Don’t let it burn!
- Add the Sauce into the wok. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for about 1 1/2 minutes or until it thickens into a glossy sticky sauce.
- Add the beef and scallions, toss to coat and cook for a further 30 seconds.
- Serve immediately with rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
That time I washed all his toys…
Hi Nagi! What a deliciously gorgeous dish! I have a chunk of beef in the frig that I was going to grind up, but now I’m reserving some for this! Your recipes are all wonderful! 🙂
You grind your own beef?? YES try this Dorothy!! The family that runs Woks of Life where I got the recipe from used to own a Chinese restaurant in America!! Doesn’t get any more reliable than that! 🙂 N x
Love that caramelizing – clutch. Gonna have to make this later – pin!
The sauce…INCREDIBLE!!! 🙂
It is so funny that PF Changs was a go to. For me it is a run from. My hubby lived in China for lots of years and we always try to find the most authentic Chinese we ca,n but many dishes have become so Americanized. I love Woks of Life, too and turn to it often. But now I know where I’ll turn when it comes to Mongolian Beef! The only thing I would do different is add pepper. Thanks, Nagi!
Well I definitely have no intentions to going to PF Changs again!!! I was just curious to try it because it’s so popular in the US 🙂 Now it’s a “run from”!
Ah I miss this so much from my time in China! It was called Sizzling Beef in English there. I’ve only found one place in my city that makes it close enough to what I had before. They call it Mongolian Beef at the restaurant but don’t make it crispy. But now with this recipe, I might be able to make my own!
Sizzling beef?? I actually didn’t even know this was served in China!! I really thought this was an American-Chinese dish. 🙂
I suppose I will have to make your recipe to compare but the Mongolian Beef that I have ordered here in our one resto was almost the same as what we had in Beijing. So being that you mentioned this also as Mongolian Beef I’m for hoping that it is a close comparison! Our M.B. here in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada is not crispy like your recipe though so maybe it’s ‘name’ only. But I have high hopes of it being tasty either way 🙂
But I miss most of all is authentic Jian Bings (egg crepes?), I haven’t tried a recipe yet as I am looking for the closest substitution to the sauces of what I never knew they were made of at the time …
That sounds more like the Mongolian Beef we have here in Sydney, it’s not crispy 🙂 Still tasty – but I REALLY love the crispy version !!
Your Mongolian Beef looks better than any I have seen! Can’t wait to eat some 🙂 Thanks!
Awww thanks so much Rachael! I hope you do try it 🙂 Don’t let that list of ingredients daunt you, there’s many repeat ingredients because I bundle ingredients up into groups. 🙂 Hope you love it!
Oh don’t worry 🙂 My tiny kitchen is filled with spices, sauces, and fresh ingredients like garlic, ginger, onions, ect! I have an entire laundry basket just filled with spices. The ingredient list doesn’t seem very long since the ingredients repeat for different steps! I also would like to say, it is really special how you take the time to respond to all of your comments!
Thanks Rachael! I enjoy responding to comments – it’s like chatting with friends! 🙂 I’m glad you don’t feel like the ingredients list is too long. I was a bit worried that they way I write the recipes made it seem too long! N x
I haven’t had Mongolian beef in ages! It’s good stuff, isn’t it? Yours looks much better than many versions I see — you definitely have done this right. Thanks for a terrific recipe!
Not my recipe John!! Woks of Life 🙂 They’re my “go to” source for American Chinese recipes!! They used to run a Chinese restaurant so they know their stuff!! 🙂
I have never had this dish at PFChang, I actually ate there only once in my life, but omg I am missing out, that sticky sauce is so shiny and perfect, and I love a good beef dish.
Honestly, you aren’t missing out on PF Chang’s!! This homemade version is SO much better! 🙂
Ahhh anything that has that sweet and salty flavor to it is a winner in my books! I’m half Japanese, so I grew up knowing the joys of that brown sugar and soy sauce combo ;). It can’t be beat!
Oooh! Half Japanese? V cool! Bet you had amazing food growing up!! 🙂
Hi Nagi, wow, yours turn out great! Love your photos. So glad to hear that you cook our recipes. Please come and visit us often. ^o^
Judy – I’m probably one of your most frequent visitors! I love everything about Woks of Life – I love that it’s run by your family, I love the STORY of your family, I love reading the recounts of conversations you guys have when you’re “arguing” about food, I ADORE your recipes (no fail, works every single time) and most importantly to me, we have the same “flavour standards”. I know that sounds odd, but I guess what I mean is that many Chinese American recipes are way too sweet or TOO saucy or too westernised. Whereas I always know the flavour of your recipes are going to be perfect.
Honestly. I’ve made stacks from your site! Thank you to you and your family for all the time, love and care you put into Woks of Life! 🙂
I should be eating something like oatmeal cereal right now for breakfast but you got me wanting Mongolian Beef. This looks incredible!
Ba ha ha!! I know what you mean – hazard of what we do!! 😉 N x
Oh my Gosh!! this crispy beef looks Mind-blowingly GOOD! Delicious and so simple to make as well.. Love it!
THANKS Arpita!! I am obsessed with this!! N x