You know those delicious grilled skewers you get at Japanese restaurants? That’s kushiyaki (unless it’s chicken, then it’s yakitori). Made with a richly flavorful sauce (tare), it’s a favorite in Japan.
You can DIY this crowd-pleasing dish at home using NY strip. It’s as simple as whisking together the sauce, slicing the steak and marinating, then skewering and cooking. Grill the skewers–or broil, if indoor cooking is preferable.
The same marinade works on other meats, so try it with other cuts of steak, or on pork or chicken. Some white rice or a quick salad on the side is all you need to make it a complete meal.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds plus more for garnish, optional
- 2 ButcherBox NY Strip Steaks about 20 ounces each
- 6 to 8 scallions cut into 1-inch pieces
- rice for serving, optional
Instructions
- If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them in a bowl of cool water for at least 30 minutes. Make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the tamari, honey, sake, mirin, ginger, garlic and sesame seeds.
- Pat the steaks dry thoroughly and cut into ¼-inch-thick strips (we got 14 per steak). Add to the bowl with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1 ½ hours. Remove from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler to high with a rack 3 to 4 inches from the heat source. Remove the skewers from the water and pat dry. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry. Thread the meat onto the skewers, alternating with pieces of scallion. Place the skewers on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Broil the skewers until just cooked through and the meat is caramelized in spots, turning once, 1½ to 2 minutes per side.
- Place the skewers on a bed of rice and sprinkle with additional sesame seeds, if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
* You can grill these skewers, if you prefer. Grill over high heat, covered, until just cooked through and grill marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes per side. For Grain-Finished Steaks: When pan searing, grilling, or any other direct heat method; increase the cook time by 1-2 minutes depending on your desired temperature. The grain finished beef has more intramuscular fat in it, which insulates the meat from the heat. Therefore you need to cook the grain finished NY strips slightly longer than the grass fed equivalent.
Beth Lipton is a Brooklyn-based recipe developer and writer specializing in food and wellness. Her work has appeared in Clean Eating, Paleo magazine, FoodNetwork.com, Well+Good, Outside, Sleep.com and more. Beth's latest cookbook, Carnivore-ish, featuring 125 animal protein-forward recipes, is available now.