Ultimate Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (Printable)

Savory beef slow-cooked with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce to tender perfection and rich flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

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

→ Sauce

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

→ To Finish

11 - 4 green onions, sliced
12 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Toss sliced flank steak with cornstarch in a large bowl until evenly coated.
02 - Place cornstarch-coated beef in the slow cooker.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil until smooth.
04 - Pour sauce mixture over beef and stir to coat evenly.
05 - Cover and cook on low for 4 hours until beef is tender and sauce has thickened.
06 - Stir in sliced green onions during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with additional green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Pair with steamed rice or vegetables.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender without any fancy techniques or watching pots
  • Your house will smell like an Asian-fusion restaurant all day long
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
  • Don't be tempted to lift the lid during cooking—every time you do, you add 15-20 minutes to the cooking time
  • The sauce will look thin at first but thickens remarkably in the last hour
  • Removing the fat that rises to the top before serving makes for a cleaner tasting dish
03 -
  • Slice the beef when it's partially frozen for thin, even pieces
  • Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version that doesn't compromise flavor

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