CrockPot Mongolian Beef Recipe

After many request, here is the recipe for CrockPot Mongolian Beef. FINALLY, after a few trials, I have made enough tweaks (found in Bold) that my family loves this. The Fried Rice Recipe was key!

I am not a food stylist, this photo was actually taken on day 2 as a leftover (still delicious!) I made up my plate and quietly took it into the next room to secretly photograph it for my post ... yes, right from the dinner table. My family would not quite understand that, ha! The background fabric is from my apron (which was still on me, therefore the odd angle of the photo.) It is from Scarlet Threads, a very cool fair-trade apron shop.

CrockPot Mongolian Beef & Fried Rice

Prep Time: 10 Minutes   Total Time: 6.25 hours   Serves 4
I serve this with a plate of Egg Rolls,  a nice big bowl of Stir-Fry Vegetables and sometimes a side dish of Orange Chicken (from the freezer Section) and something American (for my non-rice, non-Chinese eating son.)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef flank steak, (or other cut, I used round steak) sliced thinly across the grain
• 1 medium white or yellow onion (about 1 cup), sliced thinly into rings. 
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce 
• 1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine (I like Moscato)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1.5--2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (my family needs it to be a little lighter in flavor, so we use 1.5 Tbsp.)
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (or light)
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• *(Optional-we opt NOT on the HOT)1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• *Optional--1 cup cut scallion, in 1.5" pieces (Or use green onions. We skipped this last time and it was great)
• 1/3 cup fruity white wine (I opt instead for WATER her to keep it lighter in flavor)

Directions:

1. 1Slice the steak thinly across the grain - the strips should be 2 to 3 inches long each; set aside.
2. 2Combine the onion, soy sauce, sherry, broth, garlic, hoisin, brown sugar, ginger, and pepper flakes, then put the mixture into the crock pot.
3. 3Put the cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag; add the sliced beef and toss well to coat.
4. 4Add the coated beef into the crock pot, gently pushing it into the liquid to cover; pour the white wine over - do NOT stir.
5. 5Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours; an hour before you're going to serve, turn the crock pot to high, add the last bit of wine (Or water) the cut scallions (Optional) stir, and cook for an additional hour.
6. 6)Stir, and serve over rice or noodles.
7. 7Note: If you don't like your Mongolian Beef slightly sweet as the restaurants around here serve it, you can cut back on the brown sugar.
   

Fried Rice

By my friend Anneli Johnson (with a few notes in bold from me)

* make a batch of white rice (1.5 Cups measured raw was good for our family) and set aside for several hours to dry (fried rice is better if made with "old rice.")

* scramble a few eggs (I used 5 for our family of 5) - set aside.

* cut piece of pork into very small pieces. Marinade for several hours with chopped garlic, soy sauce, salt, and sugar. (I used 1/2 lb. cooked Pork Sausage marinated in the same manner and it was delicious!)

* When ready to make, warm cooked pork in a wok.

* Add carrots, green onions (or whatever else you want in it, I made a dish of Oriental Stir-Fry Veggies as a side dish and used some of them for the rice (carrots, broccoli, onions, peppers) and scrambled eggs.

* add cooked rice

* add some soy sauce and a little more salt.

Continually stir in wok until rice begins to get a little brown.

Then enjoy!