Korean Beef Skewers

If you can't find gochujang or you don’t like the ingredients in the store-bought stuff, use miso in the marinade instead or make your own. It’s an indispensable condiment in our house!

Prep time: 10 mins.
Cook time: 8 mins.
Marinating time: 30 mins.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the steak:

• ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons gochujang or light miso
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak (flap steak or flank steak works well here, too)
• Canola or other neutral oil

To serve (optional):

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• Cilantro or mint leaves
• Kimchi
• Extra gochujang
• Cooked rice, optional
• Nori (seaweed sheets), optional

Whisk together the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the tamari (or soy sauce), mirin, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and gochujang (or miso) for the marinade. Whisk until the ingredients are well-combined.

Marinate the steak for 20 to 30 minutes: Cut the skirt steak into 2-inch wide strips. Add the strips to the bowl of marinade and stir until evenly coated. Marinate the strips of beef for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat the grill for at least 20 minutes while the meat is marinating. The grill is hot enough when you can only hold your palm over the grill grates for a second or two.

Grill the beef skewers: Thread meat onto the skewers and brush with oil. Grill the skewers for 4 minutes. Flip and grill another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side, until the steak reaches your preferred doneness.

Serve the skewers: Sprinkle the skewers with sesame seeds and cilantro or mint, if using. Serve with rice, kimchi, nori, and extra gochujang