Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

The secret to Mongolian beef is the hoisin sauce.  It is also important to sear the meat at a very high temperature to get that super caramelized and crispy outside, but that sometimes makes it difficult to get the meat tender.  This recipe incorporates the best of both worlds; you sear it first, then cook it long and slow in the crockpot to tenderize it.  It came out perfect!

Yield:  Serves 2-4 entree portions 

Ingredients:
2 pounds flank steak, cut into bite sized strips
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced garlic
6 large green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 cup hoisin sauce 

Optional:  2-3 cups steamed white rice for serving 

Directions:
Bring steak to room temperature and slice it.  Place flank steak and cornstarch into a sealed plastic bag.  Shake to evenly coat the flank steak with the cornstarch.  Add the hoisin sauce to the bag and shake again to coat with sauce.

Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.  Saute steak until evenly browned, about 2 to 4 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Deglaze the pan with half of the water, add that cooking liquid to a crockpot.

Place the vegetables, steak, and remaining ingredients into the crockpot with the reserved liquid and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Serve over rice, if desired.  This is also delicious if you add about a pound of sliced or whole mushrooms into the mix... mmm mushrooms and beef!  Enjoy!