Thursday, July 2, 2009

P. F. Chang's Mongolian Beef


I love the P. F. Chang's in Boston. I went there, in my first limousine(!), with a group of co-workers for a Christmas gathering and then we went to a play in the theater district that's nearby. I don't remember a lot about the play, but I do remember I loved the food. After having dined there it was difficult to enjoy Chinese food any place else; their food is just that good.

I was fortunate enough to find this fabulous recipe for Mongolian Beef on Meemo's Kitchen. Have you visited Pattie's blog there? She has a ton of super secret and copycat restaurant recipes: Olive Garden, Outback, Red Lobster, Hard Rock Cafe, just to name a few. I spent a looong time there perusing all those delicious recipes and she has a ton I want to try!

I didn't have the Mongolian Beef on my only trip to P. F. Chang's so I can't swear to its authenticity, but I can swear that Ole Sweetie-Pi devoured his dinner when I served him this.
If you like the flavor of teriyaki beef, I think you'd enjoy this as well. For us, this is an absolutely keeper recipe!

P. F. Chang's® Mongolian Beef

Sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pound flank steak (to make slicing easier, put the beef in the freezer for 30-45 minutes to freeze slightly)
1/4 cup cornstarch
4-6 large green onions

For the sauce:

Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ginger and garlic to the pan. Quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. If your oil is too hot, this may splatter, so be careful. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then bring the heat up to medium heat and allow the sauce to boil for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Slice the slightly frozen flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.

Coat the steak pieces with a very thin coating of the cornstarch on both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.

Heat one cup of oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat until it's hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. Stir the meat so that it cooks evenly. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon or a spider to take the meat out and onto paper towels.

Pour the oil out of the wok or skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, add the meat back into the wok or skillet and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring. Add the green onions. Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.

Servings: 2

42 comments:

  1. I love PF Changs as well. Thanks for the recipe.

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  2. Oh my, Katy, I think I'll have to make this for my hubby and me; my kids won't touch anything asian style, but that will leave it all for us!Yes!
    Thanks for posting this delicious dish!

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  3. I love copy cat recipes from restaurants! I've never eaten at a P.F. Chang's but this Mongolian beef looks awesome!

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  4. I have never gotten a chance to eat there, but this dish certainly looks delicious. Ill have to check out the website you recommended.

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  5. I'm a big P.F. Chang's fan too. I'll have to give this one a try!

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  6. Wow, the color on this beef is just gorgeous! I definitely want to try this...bookmarked :D (don't know what P.F. Chang's is, but I wish I did!)

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  7. I have eaten there a few times and I have always loved what I've ordered. I remember the mu shu(sp?)pork was great!

    This recipe looks so delicious too!

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  8. Never had those before...looks very tasty and ideal with some steamed rice..

    Angie's Recipes

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  9. I've never tried PF Chang's, but the delicious look of that beef makes me want to try it. Thanks for the link to Meemo's Kitchen!

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  10. Looks like a must try meal! YUM!

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  11. Yummm, Katy! This looks so tender and tasteful! Love it!

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  12. Oh Katy...the boys would love this one I am sure! Nice dark and flavorfully simple...gosh...is that a word? Grin. Love it. Just made ribs last week after a long hiatus and the boys were liking that so I am thinking...yep...this would go down good too! Nice shot...your photos are all so nice...like in a cookbook....makes me want to order "two of those please". Have a great day Katy dear!

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  13. Hey Katy!!

    I am with you about PF Changs! It is the best. Have a happy holiday.

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  14. I really want to try this. It looks delicious. Our grocery store doesn't regular carry that cut of beef... can you recommend another cut?

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  15. I am loving this recipe. Mongolian beef - wonderful! I also love the copycat recipes! Great change form my usual summer pastas and barbecue.

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  16. Another great recipe, Katy! You continue to amaze me :)

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  17. We have a PF Chang's nearby and I definitely want to check it out. Your beef dish looks wonderful. We love Chinese food in my house!!!

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  18. This looks great! I love being able to recreate meals from restaurants at home :)

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  19. This looks really, really good. and it happens to be one of my husbands favorite dishes.

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  20. I am in love with PF Changs, so I can only imagine how delicious this was! It looks fantastic!

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  21. I am making this Katy it sounds wonderful! Do you think you can use another steak in it like maybe round steak??? I have round steak in the freezer!

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  22. This sounds delicious, Katy! I love re-creating restaurant food. Thanks for the link - I will definitely go have a look around.

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  23. THis really does sound awesome! I love PF Changs but I've never ordered that there either. Can't wait to try it :)

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  24. Wow Katy. This looks so awesome. I am going to try it next week!

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  25. Bunny, I used the flank because that's what the recipe called for.

    However, I wouldn't hesitate to try round steak. I think the flank is suggested because it's already a thin slab of meat; the round may take a couple of extra cuts to get the associated look.

    But then I'm no meat expert.

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  26. We're fans of PF Changs and the Mongolian Beef. And now I have the recipe. Thank you!

    It looks yummy!

    I have an award waiting for you on my blog. Happy 4th of July!

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  27. I've never had mongolian beef, but I've heard it's delicious! This recipe looks simple and authentic enough to try it for the first time! thanks!

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  28. I think I will try this with venison! Looks delish and thanks for the link...I am going to spend some time checking it out myself!

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  29. I nominated you for a blogger award. See my blog to accept it.

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  30. I'm with you... once you eat at PF Changs, it is hard to eat chinese food anywhere else. Your dish looks super and I will definitely be making it!

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  31. Hi Katy!
    I have an award for you over at my blog :)

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  32. I've always wanted to try PF Changs!!! I LOVE copycat recipes and know this must be wonderful if you give it your "stamp of approval"!

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  33. Katy, this looks SO yummy. I'm printing it out right now. And trying not to drool on the keyboard ;)

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  34. I love this dish! Thanks so much for the recipe - sounds wonderful for Sunday dinner!!!

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  35. PF Changes serve great Chinese Bistro food. It looks like your mongolian beef turned out well, I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing the recipe. It's easy & very quick to make. I'll have to try it sometime this week.

    Raeann

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  36. It's the best article I had ever seen

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  37. My husband & I visited and had a very unpleasant experience. The food was so salty it made us ill for 2 days. We will make our own at home or go to Ming Tree from now on.

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  38. I just ate at P.F. Chang's for the first time today and it was WONDERFUL!! I just happened to have the Mongolian Beef and am so excited to see the recipe on here. I can't wait for my Chef hubby to cook it up for me...hint, hint!

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  39. This is an amazing and easy recipe!! Though there is a TON of sauce bit that's ok I don't mind saving the extra for some chicken ;0) ! I did add mushrooms to my beef and a Serrano chili (and some red pepper flakes we like it spicy) the sauce was truely AMAZING!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Brilliant! I love the idea of the chili and red pepper! I'm going to try that too!!

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  40. Ha ha ha ha..the translation is hilarous (malay) for instance.. i loved the food is translated as = the food loved me..ha ha ha ha..goog thing that i understand English..

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