I could not be more pleased with how this Mongolian Meatloaf experiment turned out. Since I could not decide whether to make meatloaf or Mongolian beef, I decided to try both things at once. The result is a tender meatloaf, sliced and crisped in a skillet and served with a sweet, salty, savory sauce, which, like the American Chinese restaurant favorite, Mongolian Beef, is not remotely Mongolian. But it sure is delicious, especially served over steamed rice with bok choy.
I am kind of a fan of P.F. Changs. Its not a place I crave if I am in a city like San Francisco, but if I amm stranded with few good options in a mall in rural Upstate New York, like I was so many times while visiting my mom, it was a welcomed respite to the usual food court fare. I will also admit to using a P.F. Changs copycat Mongolian beef recipe I found many years ago in the occasional stir-fry. Its that simple, sweet, salty sauce which found its way on top of this meatloaf mash-up.
As I mentioned, Mongolian beef (or Mongolian meatloaf) has absolutely nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine. Apparently, its a Taiwanese dish that made its way to American-Chinese restaurants. But, horribly inaccurate names aside, this is an easy-to-make flavor bomb. I loved how this came out. You can easily adapt this to other ground meats (I think lamb, pork, chicken, or turkey would all work beautifully). Regardless of what you use, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!