Crockpot Mongolian Beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 t. black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 1/2 pound ball tip steak or flank steak (from wallace farms
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried onion
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/4 c. white wine
- 1/4 cup cooking sherry
- 1 t. sesame oil
- 1 t. molasses
- 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter
- 3 t. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. cornstarch
- Carbohydrate 30.9993899271461 g
- Cholesterol 39.689332375 mg
- Fat 9.82479891828353 g
- Fiber 5.54520347594966 g
- Protein 32.9919309158841 g
- Saturated Fat 3.62681155949987 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (482g)
- Sodium 88.7782231340356 mg
- Sugar 25.4541864511964 g
- Trans Fat 1.49621023820029 g
- Calories 330 calories
Step-by-step
- Slice meat thin, put in baggie with cornstarch.
- Put all liquid and dry spices into crockpot, add PB, mix well.
- Add garlic and 3 green onions. Put meat on top, toss gingerly.
- Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours (mine took around 4).
Cooking tough cuts like flank or ball tip steak in a slow cooker requires understanding how connective tissue breaks down over a four to six-hour window. Slicing the beef thinly against the grain before coating it in cornstarch creates a protective barrier that seals in juices while thickening the surrounding sauce.
- Slice flank steak perpendicular to the muscle fibers into strips under a quarter-inch thick to ensure the meat remains tender rather than chewy.
- Coat every slice thoroughly in cornstarch inside a baggie; this starch gelatinizes during cooking, thickening the soy and sherry braising liquid without requiring a separate reduction step.
- Evaluate doneness visually by pressing a piece of beef with a fork after four hours; if the fibers yield apart easily with minimal resistance, the collagen has successfully converted into gelatin.
- Substitute tamari for soy sauce at a one-to-one ratio if managing a gluten restriction, ensuring the braising liquid remains safe for guests with sensitivities.
- Maintain low heat rather than high heat to prevent the lean beef proteins from seizing and turning dry during the extended cooking period.
Properly cooked beef yields tender textures that signal the completion of the slow braise. Adjusting liquid ratios allows home cooks to tailor salt levels to personal preference.
