Teriyaki Sesame Beef Skewers -

Teriyaki Sesame Beef Skewers

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: beef, sesame, soy sauce, teriyaki

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Marinate Time: 1

Total Time: 1 25

Servings: skewers

Calories: 166kcal

Tender skewered beef slices with a sweet, sticky, sesame soy sauce that only take a few minutes to grill and are perfect as appetizers or part of a meal.

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Equipment

Ingredients

Tools

12 skewers wooden (or bamboo) soaked in water for 1 hour

Teriyaki Beef

2 Tablespoons white sesame seeds toasted
2 pounds boneless beef sirloin roast sliced 1 cm thick against the grain
½ cup dark brown sugar (dark brown preferred but light brown works too)
⅓ cup soy sauce (if using less-sodium, add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt)
2 Tablespoons garlic (6 cloves) pressed
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoons mirin or 1 teaspoon white sugar
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
½ cup pineapple juice or fresh crushed pineapples *Optional* - Will aid with tenderizing lean meat such as 'eye of round' or 'chuck'. Marinate for 5 minutes up to 15 minutes maximum, depending on the thickness of the sliced meat. If you want to add pineapple juice for flavour to tender meat, I recommend adding it at the very end after your meat is done marinating with the teriyaki sauce.

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Instructions

Prep the Beef: If your roast is soft, place it in the freezer for 45 minutes to make slicing easier. Trim any connective tissue or excess fat. Slice the beef against the grain into thin strips (about 1 cm thick and 2x3 inches long).
Make the Teriyaki Marinade: In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together the toasted sesame seeds, dark brown sugar, soy sauce, pressed garlic, sesame oil, mirin, hoisin sauce. (Note: Do NOT add the pineapple juice yet).
Marinate the Beef: Add the sliced beef to the teriyaki marinade and toss until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours). If you are using wooden skewers, submerge them in water to soak while the meat marinates.
The Pineapple Tenderizer (Optional): Only do this if using a tough cut of meat! Exactly 5 to 15 minutes before you are ready to cook, pour the pineapple juice into the marinating beef and stir. Do not exceed 15 minutes or the meat will disintegrate into mush. (If using a tender cut of beef, skip this step entirely).
Skewer the Meat: Remove the beef from the fridge. Skewer about 6 - 8 beef slices onto each soaked stick, leaving a 2-inch gap at the bottom for easy handling. Place the assembled skewers on a foil-lined tray.
Thicken the Glaze: If you have excess marinade left in the bottom of the bowl, pour it into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickens. Use this as an extra finishing glaze!
Grill and Serve:Preheat your BBQ grill (or an indoor grill pan) to medium-high heat (approximately 400°F). Grill the skewers for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the meat is cooked and the sauce is sticky and slightly charred. Brush with the thickened glaze from Step 6, and serve immediately!

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Notes

How to Cook from Frozen: Thaw the bag in your refrigerator before you leave for work in the morning. The beef will absorb the marinade as it thaws. When you get home, just dump the bag into a hot wok with some broccoli or green beans, and fry it up! The marinade will thicken into a gorgeous gravy for rice.

How do I freeze this meat for later use?

This is one of my favourite meal-prep hacks! Throw the raw, un-skewered beef and the teriyaki marinade into a zip-top freezer bag, squeeze out all the air, and freeze for up to 3 months. (Do not add pineapple juice if freezing).

Why do I need to slice the beef 'against the grain'?

Cutting against the grain means slicing perpendicular to the long muscle fibers in the meat. This achieves two things: First, the meat holds its shape on the skewer without tearing. Second, it shortens the muscle fibres, making the meat significantly easier to chew and much more tender!

Can I use a meat tenderizer instead of pineapple juice?

Absolutely. If you do not like the flavour of pineapple, or if you are worried about over-marinating the meat into mush, simply use a spiked meat mallet to pound the sliced beef before putting it into the teriyaki marinade.

What if I don't have an outdoor grill?

You can easily cook these indoors! You can use a cast-iron grill pan on your stovetop, or simply skip the skewers entirely and pan-fry the meat in a hot wok.

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