Mongolian Beef

We spent this last weekend in Manzanita, Oregon...a wonderful coastal town that still has the small town charm.  Every year I go and my mom's side of the family gathers for a long weekend of catching up and preserving memories, and this one was extra special because my 91 year old Grandpa was able to make it once again.  It was one of those events that was happy and sad because you never know when will be the last gathering that we can all make it to.  Other than that I stuffed my face with a fair amount of non-paleo food including yummy bread, cheese, and pasta!  I have come to a point in the paleo diet that I am strictly paleo during the week but on the weekends I give myself some wiggle room.  I have done this because it is definitely a challenge to eat out while following the paleo diet, not to mention sometimes you just want that cheese plate.  I have just decided to start this so we will see how successful it is.  I adapted this yummy paleo recipe last week, it is an easy weeknight meal and full of flavor.  As you can see I ate it with salad but I would definitely recommend putting it over something like cauliflower rice because the sauce is strong and needs to be diluted by something.  Enjoy!

Serves 3

The Ingredients
2 lb. flank steak
3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 Tbsp. + 1/2 cup lard/bacon fat or tallow
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried ginger
Dash red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup tamari
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
1/3 cup honey
Half a yellow onion, thinly sliced in rings

The Process
1. Cut the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch slices.

2. Add the arrowroot powder to a medium sized bowl and mix together with the pepper and sea salt. Dip each piece of steak into the arrowroot powder and shake off any excess coating. Lay coated steak on a drying rack and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. This allows the powder to adhere to the steak better.

3. While your steak is hanging out, you can make the sauce. Heat the 1 Tbsp. of lard/bacon fat or tallow in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and dash of red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute.

4. Add the sesame oil, tamari and broth to the pan and stir the ingredients together. Add the honey and allow it to melt into the sauce, stirring frequently.

5. Turn the heat up to high and continue to stir until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Turn off the sauce and allow it to sit in the pan while you cook the steak.

6. Add your 1/2 cup of favorite fat to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until hot. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes.

7.  Gently drop the beef into the oil using your tongs. Cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Remove the beef with the tongs and place on a paper towel lined plate.

8. Pour out the oil from the pan and add the beef back in. Cook for about 1 minute and then add the sauce. Cook together for about 2 minutes.

9. Remove the beef from the pan and pour any excess sauce into a bowl for anyone who might like some extra at the table. Serve!