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A square, overhead shot of Beef Yakiniku. The Yakiniku is on a light blue plate with light brown speckles on it. On the right side of the Yakiniku there is a small pile of white rice, and above that (still on the plate) there is a small pile of mixed chopped vegetables. On the bottom right corner of the plate, there is a pair of dark brown chopsticks resting on the plate at an angle. In the left of the background, there is a navy blue napkin tucked beneath the plate. This is all set on a light blue/grey background.
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5 from 1 vote

Beef Yakiniku

This is my wok-fried version of Beef Yakiniku. Very thin slices of beef, marinated in a sweet-sesame-soy sauce and quickly fried over a very hot temperature until lightly crisped and caramelized.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Marinading time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 28 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: fried steak, steak
Servings: 4
Author Nicky Corbishley

Ingredients

Steak:

  • 750 g (1.65lbs) flank or skirt steak sliced into very thin slices, against the grain (see notes)

Marinade:

  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) low-sodium light soy sauce (see notes)
  • ½ tbsp gochujang (Korean red bean paste)
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • ½ tsp garlic powder or 1 tsp garlic paste (I don’t use fresh garlic as it can burn)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or rapeseed are good)
  • 4 tbsp light brown sugar

To Serve:

Instructions

  • Mix the marinade together in a large bowl until combined.
    80 ml (1/3 cup) low-sodium light soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tsp minced ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp neutral oil, 4 tbsp light brown sugar
  • Add the sliced steak and stir together to thoroughly coat the steak in the marinade.
    750 g (1.65lbs) flank or skirt steak
  • Cover the bowl and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours.
  • After two hours, warm up a bowl or dish in the oven. We’re going to be working in two batches, so the bowl is to keep the first batch warm.
  • Heat a wok over a very high heat.
  • Working in 2 batches, add the steak to the hot wok and spread it out as much as you can, so as much of the beef as possible is directly touching the wok (this will help it to caramelize).
  • Fry for about 3 minutes, without moving it around, then toss with a spatula and fry for another 2-3 minutes, until the steak is browned and lightly caramelized.
  • Place in the warm bowl and repeat with the remaining steak.
  • Once all of the steak is cooked, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with boiled rice.
    sesame seeds, Boiled rice
  • I like to serve with some chopped cucumber and tomato too.
    chopped cucumber and tomato

Notes

Cut of steak

I use skirt or flank steak as they’re juicy and flavourful, and also tender once they’ve been marinaded.
You can use ribeye or sirloin if you prefer (even more tender), but they’re more expensive.

Slicing the steak

We want the steak to be sliced REALLY thinly – almost shaved.
To make this easier, you can freeze the steak overnight, then defrost for 20-30 minutes before slicing. This makes the steak softer on the outside, but still firm in the middle, so it’s easier to slice thinly without it squishing beneath your fingers.
If you haven’t got time for freezing overnight, you can place fresh steaks in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to firm them up a little, then slice them.
Slice as thinly as you can, against the grain.

Soy Sauce

If you can find Japanese soy sauce, use that. Japanese soy sauce is usually lighter, less salty and a little sweeter than regular Chinese soy sauce. So if you’re using Japanese soy sauce, use the dark Japanese soy sauce (such as Kikkoman or Yamasa).
Chinese light soy sauce or Chinese low sodium light soy sauce all work well in this recipe too.

Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (not including the serving suggestions). This recipe serves 4.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 912mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 10g

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