Ground Mongolian Beef Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to cooking ground beef? ›

Break Up the Ground Beef While Cooking: Then start breaking it into smaller pieces with the wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring and breaking up the beef into small crumbles, until any moisture from the beef has evaporated and the beef is evenly browned and no longer pink.

This is the KEY ingredient to super tender beef. Baking soda is commonly used in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef. If you're curious about the science behind it – baking soda neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which causes the meat to become more alkaline.

Despite its name, the dish has nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine. Mongolian beef is among the meat dishes developed in Taiwan where Mongolian barbecue restaurants first appeared. Thus, none of the ingredients or the preparation methods are drawn from traditional Mongolian cuisine but rather from Chinese cuisine.

Work some oats into the beef.

Just like breadcrumbs, whole or rolled oats can help stretch ground beef a little further in your favorite recipe. They mix easily in with the beef and won't be noticed once you cook the meat. Best of all, the oats are high in fiber so they can help make your meal more filling.

Baking Soda is an Easy Meat Tenderizer

Baking soda helps prevent ground beef from drying out, allowing those burger patties to keep their moisture and brown quicker for the most flavorful cookout. Not to mention, baking soda is the ideal ingredient for getting the most out of your Thanksgiving bird.

Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt and wine weaken collagen and protein in meat. Once the proteins are broken by acid, one loose protein can bond with another and trap liquid in the meat, making it juicy and tender.

There are two popular velveting techniques in Chinese cooking: the baking soda method and the cornstarch method. Before making your favorite Chinese stir-fry, learn how to velvet thinly sliced beef with baking soda to ensure tender, juicy meat.

We also love serving this dish with garlic noodles, chow mein and a side of lightly roasted green beans. In the U.S. Mongolian beef is also commonly served over a bed of fried cellophane noodles, which adds a light, crisp texture to the overall dish.

Our recipe for Mongolian beef sauce includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, tamari soy sauce (as a replacement for dark soy sauce), chili sauce, sugar, and cooking wine. Check the ingredient list to see precise amounts. Don't forget that you can scale the recipe up and down!

"Suodui" is a traditional Chinese dish that involves stir-frying stones with vegetables and spices. The experience involves savouring the spicy flavours while delicately extracting the small rocks and discarding them.

What is inside hoisin sauce? ›

Hoisin is made with sugar, water, soybeans, salt, sweet potato, sesame seeds, cornstarch, garlic, wheat flour, chili pepper and spices.

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

It's the secret to quick browning.

The sugar caramelizes in the heat, easily creating a brown crust that you might otherwise have had to wait twice as long for, during which time you'd risk overcooking the insides.

The magic lies in the seasoning – a simple yet potent mix of garlic, onion, cumin, and cayenne, creating some of the most tasty ground beef.

If you're cooking for a family of four to six, a pound of ground beef in a skillet is likely the quickest and easiest solution for browning ground beef. But if you're feeding a crowd and need a way to brown ground beef in large quantities, an Instant Pot or even opting for a sheet pan dinner can be your supper savior.