Best PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef Copycat

Every time I go to PF Chang’s, I look at the menu and am almost embarrassed that I can’t seem to order anything other than the exact same dish every single time.  It’s the PF Chang Mongolian Beef that is so amazing and has captivated my culinary heart.  Every once in awhile it’s a little bit more caramelized, a little bit more crispy and is mouth-watering-awesome.  After a little tweaking, this version is my Best PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef Copycat recipe.

First of all, I have to say that there are similar recipes all over the internet, so for the most part, I’m not posting something you can’t find elsewhere.  The difference in this version is related more to the cooking technique, as well as a reduction in the amount of sugar that many of the copycats call for.

Secret to Extra Crispy Mongolian Beef

The secret here is two-fold.  One part is coating the beef in cornstarch.  This sets you up for the potential of extra crispy beef, but if you cook it in oil at too low of a temperature, you’re not going to get the right texture.  So the second part of the secret is my new favorite in high heat cooking… avocado oil!  You can get to a higher heat without the oil smoking and end up with that crispy crunch you thought you could only get at the restaurant.

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Here are a few of my posts:  Reverse Seared New York Strip Steak (never over-cook your steak again, seriously!), and these Incredibly Simple Potato Cakes which are made from instant mashed potatoes and fried in avocado oil.

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Back to the recipe!

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Best PF Chang Mongolian Beef Copycat

Rating  5 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

• 1 lb thinly sliced steak (traditionally flank steak, but I use New York Strip)
• ½ cup cornstarch
• ½ cup Kikkoman soy sauce*
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced**
• 3 to 4 medium cloves finely minced garlic**
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup avocado oil for frying
• 2 to 3 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

Instructions

1. Slice steak into very thin strips (1/4 inch or less) against the grain. Tip: you can put it in the freezer for 15 minutes first to make it easier to cut.
2. Place half of the cornstarch into a ziptop bag, close and shake to coat sides of bag.
3. Add steak to the bag, then sprinkle the remaining cornstarch on top.
4. Make sure plenty of air is inside of the bag, then zip it closed.
5. Shake the bag to coat steak in cornstarch.
6. Let steak sit for 10 to 15 minutes so that cornstarch adheres well.
7. In the meantime, make the sauce by adding the soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic and brown sugar to a medium-sized sauce pan.
8. Whisk well and cook on medium heat at a bubble for 8 to 10 minutes.
9. Sauce volume will be reduced by about half. Remove from heat.
10. In a hot wok, fry steak in ½ cup avocado oil, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch.
11. Remove steak and place on a plate with paper towels.
12. Return sauce to the stove and warm to medium heat until bubbling.
13. Add green onions and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
14. Add cooked steak to pan, stir to coat in sauce.
15. Serve over your favorite rice. Enjoy!

Notes

* If you want this recipe to turn out like the restaurant version, make sure to use a high quality soy sauce. Kikkoman is my favorite.
** For easier prep, you can use Gourmet Gardens paste ginger and Gourmet Gardens paste garlic. Find it in your local grocery store in the produce section near the fresh herbs.

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