This slow-cooker Mongolian roast beef is a fresh take on the classic Mongolian beef stir-fry. Instead of quickly frying sliced beef, this recipe slow-cooks an entire beef joint in a rich, garlicky-ginger gravy made with soy and brown sugar. When ready, the meat is sliced and served over fluffy white rice with steamed vegetables, all generously covered in the glossy sauce.
A new twist on roast beef
Mongolian beef from a Chinese takeaway is one of my favourite comfort meals—the sticky sweet-and-savoury sauce clings to every strip of beef. I wondered: why limit those flavours to stir-fries? So I slow-cooked a whole roast in the same sauce base and the result was fantastic.
A beef joint placed into the slow cooker with sliced onions and a stock flavoured with garlic, ginger, brown sugar and soy turns meltingly tender after several hours. The slow cooking lets the gravy infuse the meat, producing slices you can cut with a fork. A little cornflour thickens the pan liquid into a glossy sauce for serving.
I serve the sliced Mongolian roast beef on white rice with steamed vegetables on the side, and spoon over plenty of the sauce. You could also present this as a traditional roast with the usual trimmings—imagine Yorkshire puddings drenched in that sauce.
Why I think you’ll love this recipe
This slow-cooker Mongolian roast beef is appealing for a number of reasons:
- It tastes delicious—sweet, tangy and richly savoury.
- The slow cooker keeps your kitchen cool, which is handy in hot weather.
- Prep and searing are quick, then you can leave the cooker to do the rest—no standing at the stove.
- Slow cooking keeps the roast moist and tender, avoiding the dryness that can spoil other roast recipes.
- Leftovers slice easily, freeze well in the sauce, and make a speedy meal later.
Ready to make it? Here’s what you’ll need and how to do it.
What you will need
Equipment
You will need a slow cooker.
Also useful: a frying pan for searing the beef and a pair of tongs to turn and hold the joint while browning.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with exact quantities is in the recipe section below. This version serves 4 people.
Beef – thick rib worked well for me, but brisket, chuck, silverside, flank or topside are all suitable slow-cooker cuts. I used a 650 g (around 1½ lb) joint.
Onions – cut into large wedges so they hold up in the slow cooker.
Cornflour – used to coat the beef before searing and to thicken the sauce at the end.
Garlic – fresh or jarred minced garlic works fine.
Ginger – grate fresh if you can, or use a small amount of ground ginger.
Stock – beef or vegetable stock, or a dissolved stock cube.
Brown sugar – for that classic sweet note.
Vinegar – rice wine vinegar adds a gentle tang.
Soy sauce – use low-sodium if possible; dark soy gives good colour and depth.
Chilli – optional; dried flakes, sriracha or a pinch of cayenne will add heat.
Sunflower oil – for browning the meat.
What to do
Coat the beef evenly with cornflour.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the beef on all sides. Use tongs to hold the joint steady as you turn it.
Put the coarsely sliced onions in the base of the slow cooker and set the browned beef on top.
Mix stock with garlic, ginger, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and chilli flakes, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Pour the flavoured stock over the beef so it’s partly submerged.
Cook on your preferred setting until the beef is tender:
- Low: 5–6 hours
- Medium: 4–5 hours
- High: 3–4 hours
Cooking time will vary by cut and size; my 650 g thick-rib joint was tender after about 4½ hours on low. The meat is done when a fork slides in with no resistance. Check your slow-cooker manual for guidance tailored to your appliance.
Thicken the sauce
When the roast is cooked, pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and bring it to the boil.
Make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
Whisk the slurry gradually into the boiling liquid until the sauce reaches the desired thickness. You may not need all of the slurry.
Slice the meat, arrange it over white rice, and spoon over the sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side.
FAQ
Serve with plain white rice to catch every drop of the sauce and a side of steamed vegetables. Broccoli prepared with a little oyster sauce complements the dish nicely. A simple leafy salad with cucumber and tomato also pairs well if you prefer something fresh and light.
Yes. Slice leftover beef, pack it with sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge or microwave and reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot. Freeze rice separately for a complete ready meal.
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Related recipes
If you like slow-cooker beef, try these other recipes from the same collection:
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Slow cooker boeuf bourguignon joint
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Slow-cooker short ribs in monkey gland sauce
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Slow-cooker oxtail stew
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Slow-cooker beef and kidney stew
📋The recipe
Slow-cooker Mongolian beef roast
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Frying pan
- Kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds / 650 g beef roasting joint (thick rib, brisket, flank, chuck or topside)
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped and separated into petals
- 2–3 tbsp cornflour, plus extra for thickening
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or jarred)
- ½ tsp ground ginger or 1″ fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup / 240 ml beef or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- Dried chilli flakes to taste (optional)
- 1–2 tbsp sunflower oil for browning
Instructions
- Coat the beef evenly with cornflour.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the beef on all sides, using tongs to turn it.
- Place the coarsely sliced onions in the base of the slow cooker and set the browned beef on top.
- Combine the stock with garlic, ginger, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and chilli flakes. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then pour the mixture over the beef.
- Cook on Low for 5–6 hours, Medium for 4–5 hours, or High for 3–4 hours, until the meat is very tender.
- When cooked, pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Make a slurry of 1 tbsp cornflour and 2 tbsp water, then whisk it into the sauce until thickened to your liking.
- Slice the meat, serve over white rice, and spoon over the sauce. Serve with steamed vegetables or a fresh salad.
Notes
The actual cooking time depends on the cut and size of your joint. Check tenderness with a fork; it should meet no resistance when the meat is done. Consult your slow-cooker manual for specific guidance.
Nutrition figures exclude rice and sides and assume four people share the meat and sauce.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates – 17.2 g |
Protein – 40.8 g |
Fat – 7.2 g
Nutrition is an estimate and for guidance only.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please consider leaving a star rating or a comment to let me know how it turned out. For questions or feedback you can email [email protected].