Mongolian Beef with Caramelized Soy Sauce and Tender Flank Steak
By Liam Carter
A quick high-heat sear browns the thin beef slices before they finish in the sauce, keeping the flank steak tender instead of dry. This Mongolian beef is a sweet-savory stir-fry with peppery notes, aromatic onions, and a lightly charred, caramel-like aroma.
The marinade combines water, Shaoxing rice wine, salt, baking soda, cornstarch, and neutral oil. Baking soda helps tenderize the flank steak, while cornstarch coats the slices for cooking and the oil helps keep them from sticking together. Garlic, yellow onion, green onion, black pepper, more rice wine, sugar, and soy sauce form the stir-fry, with optional puffed rice vermicelli for contrast.
Look for beef that is just cooked and golden brown before removing it from the pan; it will return later for a brief finish. The key visual cue is a sauce that coats the beef and smells slightly caramelized or charred after the sugar and soy sauce are stirred in. Thick slices or prolonged cooking can make the beef dry, so slice against the grain no thicker than one-quarter inch.
Serve the beef over fried rice vermicelli or with rice, with the green onion added at the end for a fresh onion note. The puffed noodles begin crisp, then soften and turn chewy where they meet the sauce. Leftovers can be sautéed in a pan over medium heat with a small amount of water until hot.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Thinly sliced flank steak cooks quickly after marinating, which helps it stay tender while still developing golden-brown edges in the hot pan.
- Baking soda, water, and cornstarch work together in the marinade to tenderize and coat the beef before it reaches the wok.
- Searing the beef separately prevents the onions from crowding the pan, so the slices can brown before they finish in sauce.
- Adding Shaoxing rice wine around the pan lets it cook off into a fragrant aroma before the sugar and soy sauce are added.
- Sugar caramelizes with soy sauce over high heat, creating the lightly charred, barbecue-like aroma described for classic takeout-style Mongolian beef.
- Optional fried vermicelli brings a crisp base that turns soft and chewy under the sauce, giving the finished plate two distinct textures.
Ingredients
- •1 lb beef flank steak (thinly sliced, between 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick)
- •2 tbsp water
- •2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
- •0.5 tsp Kosher salt (use a little less if using fine salt)
- •0.25 tsp baking soda
- •2 tbsp cornstarch
- •1 tbsp neutral oil
- •1 tsp cracked black pepper (more or less to taste)
- •1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- •3 tbsp granulated sugar
- •2 tbsp regular soy sauce
- •1 tbsp garlic (minced, about 2 cloves)
- •0.5 large yellow onion (sliced)
- •1 bunch green onion (cut into 2-inch pieces; separate the white and green parts)
- •1 oz medium-thickness rice vermicelli (optional; use more or less to preference)
- •oil (as needed for cooking)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the thinly sliced flank steak, water, Shaoxing rice wine, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Mix vigorously until the beef absorbs most of the liquid.
- 2
Add the cornstarch and mix until the beef is well coated.
- 3
Add the neutral oil and mix until evenly distributed.
- 4
Set the beef aside to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients, or marinate it in the refrigerator overnight.
- 5
Optional: While the beef marinates, heat 1 to 2 inches of oil in a wok or pan to about 350°F for the vermicelli nest.
- 6
Check the oil with a wooden chopstick or skewer; if the tip sizzles rapidly in the oil, it is ready.
- 7
Fry the dry rice noodles until puffy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, working in batches if needed and keeping the noodles completely submerged.
- 8
Remove the puffed noodles and set them aside to drain on paper towels.
- 9
Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of a wok or sauté pan and heat it over medium to medium-high heat.
- 10
Add the marinated beef and sear it on both sides until just cooked and golden brown. Separate the slices so they cook evenly, working in batches if necessary.
- 11
Remove the beef and set it aside.
- 12
Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the same wok or pan. Cook the garlic until fragrant, then add the yellow onion and white parts of the green onion.
- 13
Stir-fry briefly until the onions are no longer raw.
- 14
Return the beef to the pan and stir-fry with the black pepper.
- 15
Drizzle the Shaoxing rice wine around the pan and cook until fragrant and evaporated.
- 16
Add the sugar and soy sauce and stir-fry until well combined and the beef smells slightly caramelized or charred.
- 17
Add the green parts of the green onion and stir-fry briefly.
- 18
Serve over the fried rice vermicelli, if using, and with rice.
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