Mongolian Beef (Easy, 30-Minute Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the fastest way to prepare beef? ›

When it comes to cooking your beef, searing and sautéing are the most common practices. The former involves quickly cooking the outside of the meat, while the latter is similarly fast but with the goal of cooking the meat all the way through.

Sear the meat before cooking it in the oven

This may change for the cut meat but, usually, searing the meat before putting it in the oven will help to keep the juices inside. If you are cooking a big piece of meat like roast beef or similar with sauce, make sure you pour some sauce in while cooking it to keep it juicy.

In conclusion, Mongolian beef can be a healthy and nutritious dish when prepared with the right ingredients and cooking methods. It's a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and various vitamins and minerals.

Like many stir fry dishes, it is important to thinly slice the meat, which means stir-frying will obviously overcook the meat, which in turn will make it tough and chewy.

To cook rare, allow 15-20 minutes per 500g of meat. To cook medium allow 20-25 minutes per 500g of meat. To cook well done allow 25-30 minutes per 500g of meat. Use a leave-in meat thermometer for the perfect roast – try this one.

Tea contains tannins, which are a natural tenderiser. Method: Make 1-2 cups of strong black tea, allow it to cool, and then immerse the beef in the liquid for up to 24 hours. The longer you leave the beef to marinade, the more tender it will be.

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.

In 1950s Taiwan, a dish called Mongolian BBQ became hugely popular. It drew on the stereotypes of the time that Mongolian cuisine was lavish, foreign, and packed with meat. It became common to call this style of meaty stir fry "Mongolian," and eventually, Mongolian beef has become a famous dish in America, too.

Stir-Fried Spicy Beef (Previously: Mongolian Beef)

Sliced beef marinated in soy and then stir-fried with peppers and onions.

What ethnicity is Mongolian beef? ›

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.

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

The beef is super tender and it's coated in a delicious sweet & savory sauce – trust me, you're going to love this one! If you're a fan of Mongolian Beef, you'll never need to order takeout again after trying this recipe!

If the heat is too high, your beef may get overcooked on the outside, yet undercooked on the inside. Use medium heat with most dry-heat cooking methods, such as grilling and sautéing, and medium-high heat for stir-frying. Low heat is ideal for moist-heat cooking methods, like braising.

Boiling meat already helps make tough cuts more tender. These cuts of beef often have elastin and collagen marbled within, making it sinewy and chewy. Cooking it with moist heat — such as by boiling or simmering — helps to slowly break down this connective tissue without drying out the meat altogether.

In regards to tenderizing, soaking in water does make the meat more tender, but at the cost of reducing the flavor. There are many other alternatives to tenderizing meat.

Use a pressure cooker to roast meat quickly.

Pressure cookers steam the roast by using a great deal of pressure and force the heat into the meat. This option will roast food in approximately 1/3 of the time compared to traditional cooking methods.