Mongolian Beef: One of Our Most Popular Recipes! - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Szechuan beef and Mongolian beef? ›

Mongolian Beef can be described as having a savory soy-based sauce with scallions as its main aromatic. Szechuan Beef has a similar soy sauce-based profile but with the addition of a spicy element, such as fresh or dried chilis and/or Sichuan peppercorns for a numbing sensation.

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.

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!

The science behind using baking soda to marinate Mongolian Beef: The alkalinity of baking soda raises the pH of the meat, causing the proteins to move further apart, and that makes it more tender and easier for us to chew or bite into.

It's a good source of protein, iron, zinc, and various vitamins and minerals. By using lean cuts of beef and adding plenty of vegetables, you can make Mongolian beef a part of a healthy and balanced diet.

In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.

Mongolian barbecue, despite its name, is Taiwanese, not Mongolian. Mongolians typically cook with beef, lamb, mutton, or cheval, all of which come from the traditional herd animals in Mongolia.

Stir-Fried Spicy Beef (Previously: Mongolian Beef)

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

Traditional Mongolian food is heavily influenced by the country's climate and nomadic culture. The majority of its dishes consist of nutrient-rich dairy, meat, and animal fats, particularly from cattle, mutton, horse, goat, and game meat. Due to the nomadic lifestyle, more delicate cuisines weren't prevalent.

Velvet the beef: The velveting technique involves tenderizing, marinating, and a quick searing of the meat. To tenderize: Sprinkle with baking soda (the secret Chinese meat tenderizer). To marinate (a quick marinade): Add basic beef marinade and mix to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight.

Why do Mongolians boil their meat? ›

Winters are harsh in Mongolia and it is better to preserve the fat… Boiling is a better choice and after a while people get used to taste… Because the Mongols cooked over dung fires, they usually boiled meat rather than roasting or frying it.

When done just right, it's perfectly sweet and savory, slightly spicy, and loaded with lots of delicious aromatics such as ginger, garlic, green onions and even a few dried red chilis, all combined to bring a nice pop of deep, fragrant flavor.

Allow the meat to soak in the baking soda solution for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the liquid and briefly rinse the meat in plain water to strip off the baking soda solution (or as much of it as possible). Cook as desired.

Baking soda. Here's where it gets science-y: The baking soda raises the pH on the outside of the meat as it marinates, in a process known as velveting (which can also be done with a cornstarch slurry). This makes it so the proteins have a harder time bonding to each other when it's time to cook the meat.

What Is Velveting? Velveting is a method of marinating tough cuts of meat in either a cornstarch or baking soda mixture to create a supple texture without altering the flavor.

Szechuan Beef is characterized by its bold, spicy, and numbing flavors, often derived from Szechuan peppercorns and chili peppers. Mongolian Beef, on the other hand, has a milder and sweeter flavor profile, with a balance of savory and sweet notes from ingredients like soy sauce and brown sugar.

Spices. Szechuan tends to be differing types of hot such as “hot and sweet” or “hot and sour.” The hotness also has a different tingly sensation due to the Szechuan peppercorn used. Mongolian tends to be mild and rarely uses spices. It is also has a lot more actual sauce typically than Szechuan.

The Spice Narrative:

While Szechuan cuisine is known for its numbing spiciness, Hunan dishes are celebrated for their pure, unbridled heat.

Stir-Fried Spicy Beef (Previously: Mongolian Beef)

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