Spicy Mongolian Beef

Gonna be honest. I have no idea what to call this one. It’s like a funny-looking newborn that I just can’t bring myself to name yet. This is a cross between Beef Bulgogi and Mongolian Beef, so I decided to use the name you have a better chance of pronouncing correctly (do you like how I assume you lack culture?)

This recipe is salty, savory, sweet, and a little spicy. Fair warning: someone will probably say it’s “too spicy” and that they prefer “American food.” We all have that friend (they’re probably named Karen.) In all seriousness, it’s a cheap recipe that’s perfect for dinner, or a lunch to bring to work. I guess breakfast too, if you’re into that. I don’t know your life.

Ingredients

• 1 lb skirt or flank steak cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 red apple, grated (any sweet apple is fine)
• 2 tbsp gochujang sauce*
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 cup chicken or beef broth

Directions

1. Cut your steak against the grain into thin strips.
2. Grate your red apple (literally, using a cheese grater). Eat the other half.
3. In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, grated apple, gochujang, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
4. Place strips of meat into the bowl, ensuring the marinade coats every piece. Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, you can also let it marinate a few hours or overnight.
5. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
6. Using tongs, place the strips of beef into the pan in 3-4 batches*. Let the marinade drip off before placing into the pan, as the liquid burns quicker than the meat cooks. Each batch should only take about 2 minutes: 1 minute each side.
7. When strips are cooked, place them onto a paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.
8. When all the meat is cooked, pour your used marinade into the pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to thin it out a bit. The marinade MUST cook for at least 2 minutes to ensure you kill the bacteria from the raw meat.
9. Once marinade has boiled for a few minutes, return the meat to the pan & toss.
10. Serve with rice & veggies.

Notes

*you can find gochuchang in any grocery store in the international isle. It’s a sweet & spicy chili paste. You can substitute sriracha, but it won’t be nearly as good.

*if you put too much meat in the pan, it won’t sear. It will steam and be all weird & rubbery. DON’T CROWD IT.