I meant to post this recipe ages ago, truly. The name of it alone is almost too good: Sticky Mandarin Beef-Stuffed Flatbreads. And Sriracha pickles, no less! It’s a go-to, back-pocket, sleeper of a recipe that I make at least once a month, altering the seasonings and flavor combinations from time to time, but keeping the heart of the recipe the same. Tender, easy-going shredded beef gets smacked upside its head with an intense flavor bomb of soy sauce, sesame, ginger, and fresh orange – bless its heart. It has no choice but to be delicious. But alas, life happened and here the recipe is, a couple of months later than I’d initially planned. And so it goes.
I’ve teased it a bit on Instagram recently and have had some friendly souls secretly message me for the recipe, so I figured I should delay no more (“stop dilly dallying, Lauren,” as my Mom would say). I think you’ll love it, and even so, you will inevitably wind up with lots of extra beef (intentionally so) and to be clear, this is a very good thing. I like to pile the extras on top of some Hawaiian sweet rolls in a baking dish and top that with some Swiss cheese, charred pineapple, and some extra spicy mayo (see the above photo). Brush all of these lil sliders with some melted butter, cover with foil, and bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes until gooey and slightly crisp on top. Boom! Two recipes in one here. Win win.
Enjoy, guys! This one’s a total keeper.
xo, L
Sticky Mandarin Beef-Stuffed Flatbreads with Quick Sriracha Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef chuck roast
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- The juice and grated zest of 4 mandarin oranges you can sub 2 naval oranges
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1- inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 4 naan or other flatbread such as pita
- 4 to 5 cups mixed greens
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp Sriracha
- Sriracha pickles (recipe follows)
Instructions
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Place the beef into the sleeve of your slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, orange juice and zest, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and the grated ginger. Whisk to combine and then pour the mixture over the beef. Cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is pull-apart tender. When it is done, remove the meat from the slow cooker and set aside (I put mine in a large bowl or even a storage container to shred).
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Pour the liquid in the slow cooker into a medium to large saucepan set over medium heat. In a small ramekin or bowl combine the cornstarch with 3 Tbsp water and stir until smooth (if you need a bit more water to get it smooth, that’s fine). Add this slurry to the pan and bring to a low boil, whisking constantly. As soon as it boils, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until it has reduced and noticeably thickened. If it bubbles and spatters too much, you can cover and leave the lid ajar to allow the moisture to escape. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as needed. I often add a bit more honey here, but this is up to you.
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Pour this sauce over the shredded beef and toss to combine. To make a flatbread, lay a naan on a flat surface and top with some greens, followed by some of the shredded beef. Combine the mayo and the 2 Tbsp of Sriracha in a small bowl and use this to top your flatbreads, if desired. Top with some of the Sriracha pickles and enjoy!