Description
These Mongolian Meatballs are a flavorful and savory dish featuring juicy ground beef meatballs glazed in a sweet and tangy sauce made with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, and ginger. Cooked in a skillet to achieve a delicious caramelized exterior, these meatballs are perfect served hot over steamed rice for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 4 green onions, chopped
Sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
Slurry
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
Others
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 green onion, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a medium-size bowl, combine ground beef, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, chili flakes, brown sugar, grated garlic, and grated ginger. Beat the mixture until the meat becomes sticky and bouncy in texture. Add breadcrumbs, egg, and chopped green onions, mixing thoroughly to incorporate all ingredients.
- Form the meatballs: Shape the mixture into 24 heaping tablespoon-sized meatballs using your hands. To prevent sticking, grease your palms lightly with a bit of oil. Set the formed meatballs aside.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, water, grated garlic, and grated ginger. Stir well to dissolve the sugar completely.
- Prepare the slurry: In another small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until fully combined. Set aside.
- Cook the meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon of canola oil, heating until hot. Place the meatballs in the pan with space between them. Cook undisturbed until the bottoms turn brown. Flip the meatballs 2 to 3 times to brown most sides evenly.
- Remove excess fat: Reduce heat to medium. Push the browned meatballs to one side of the pan. Use a spoon or kitchen paper towels held with tongs to absorb and remove some of the excess fat from the pan.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring the meatballs carefully to coat them evenly with the sauce.
- Thicken the sauce: Lower the heat to medium-low. Stir the cornstarch slurry once more to ensure it’s well combined, then swirl it into the pan. Stir immediately and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Garnish: Sprinkle sliced green onions over the meatballs for a fresh and vibrant touch.
- Serve: Serve the Mongolian meatballs hot over steamed rice as a hearty main dish.
Notes
- For easier meatball shaping, lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking.
- Adjust chili flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- Shaoxing wine can be substituted with dry sherry if unavailable.
- Remove excess fat from the pan to keep the dish from becoming greasy.
- The sauce thickens quickly once the slurry is added, so be sure to stir constantly to avoid lumps.
- Serve this dish immediately for the best texture and flavor.
