Try this Beef Teriyaki recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 4.1281 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0555 g
- Fiber 0.691500016450882 g
- Protein 3.2453 g
- Saturated Fat 0.01463 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (61g)
- Sodium 2728.0187499998 mg
- Sugar 3.43659998354912 g
- Trans Fat 0.01554 g
- Calories 28 calories
Step-by-step
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for Teriyaki Sauce and mix well.
- Trim off extra fat from the steaks and put them in a Ziploc bag. Add 4 Tbsp. of the marinade in the bag. Tightly sealed up and keep in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Normally in Japan, Teriyaki Sauce is thin but American Teriyaki Sauce is always thick. If you prefer thick Teriyaki Sauce, combine corn starch and water and whisk well in a small bowl.
- For Teriyaki sauce, bring the Teriyaki Sauce to a boil in a frying pan to evaporate alcohol (sake) for 15 seconds. If you prefer thin sauce, remove from heat and set aside.
- For thick sauce, stir in the corn starch mix to the sauce and whisk all together so that the corn starch mix will blend in with the sauce well. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Before cooking the meat, make sure the meat is at room temperature. In a cast iron skillet or a frying pan, heat oil on medium high heat. When the pan is hot, remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel before cooking to prevent steaming.
- Sear the meat for 2 minutes on one side, then 1.5 minutes on the other side. That’s for medium-rare/medium for ½ inch thick steaks we had today.
- Pour 2 Tbsp. of Teriyaki Sauce over each steak. The sauce gets bubbly and gives nice glaze over the steaks.
- Remove the steaks from the pan to a plate before the sauce starts to burn. Let the steaks rest to allow succulent juices to distribute for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- In Japan it’s not unusual to serve steaks with chopsticks. We eat steaks along with a bowl of rice. If you plan to serve in Japanese style, carefully slice the steaks into thin pieces.
- I sprinkle a little bit of roasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top of the steak for decoration. Serve the leftover Teriyaki Sauce on the table for extra drizzle.
The Chemistry of the Sauce
Boiling the sake, mirin, and soy sauce mixture for precisely 15 seconds burns off the harsh alcohol taste while preserving the bright salinity required to cut through rich beef fat. Whisking a slurry of 1/2 teaspoon of corn starch with 1 tsp of water transforms a traditionally thin Japanese glaze into a clinging, American-style coat that bubbles aggressively over the meat.
Technique and Temperature Control
Patting the marinated rib eye completely dry with paper towels before hitting the pan prevents surface moisture from turning your sear into a grey steam bath. Searing the beef for 2 minutes on the first side and 1.5 minutes on the second side yields a reliable medium-rare for cuts measuring approximately 1/2 inch thick. Resting the meat for 7 minutes on a warm cutting board redistributes muscle fibers before slicing.
Optimal Pairings and Scaling
Steamed short-grain white rice acts as the necessary neutral carbohydrate to absorb the concentrated, high-sodium pan drippings without overwhelming the palate. Doubling this recipe for larger groups requires scaling the liquid components linearly while monitoring the pan surface area to avoid overcrowding and subsequent steaming.
