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Steak Skewers with Scallion Dipping Sauce

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Steak Skewers with Scallion Dipping Sauce Tuukka Koski

Pelaccio flips the kebab script by cubing luxurious cuts of steak and marinating them in coconut milk, garlic, and chiles. Try this with tri-tip, top sirloin cap steak, or rib eye; just make sure a strip of fat is still intact; you'll use it to thread onto the skewers.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Meat and marinade:

1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
2 tablespoons palm sugar or (packed) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
6 garlic cloves
4 red or green Thai chiles, stemmed
2 lemongrass stalks, bottom third only, tough outer layers removed
1 1 1/2" piece ginger, peeled
2 pounds tri-tip, top sirloin cap steak, or rib eye, fat cap left on

Scallion dipping sauce:

15 scallions, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons chinkiang (black) vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Basting sauce:

1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Ingredient info: Chinkiang vinegar, also called black vinegar, an aged vinegar made from glutinous rice and malt, is available at Asian markets.

Special Equipment

Eight 8" metal or bamboo skewers (soak bamboo skewers for 1 hour before using)
  1. For meat and marinade:

    Step 1

    Purée all ingredients except steak in a blender or a food processor until smooth. Trim strip of fat (sometimes called a fat cap) from meat. Cut fat into 1/4"-1/2" cubes; cut meat into approximately 1" cubes. Place fat and meat in a large bowl. Add marinade and toss to coat; cover and chill overnight.

    Step 2

    Remove fat and meat from marinade, brushing off excess. Thread onto skewers, alternating meat with fat, so that pieces are touching but not pressed tightly together (which would slow down cooking). Leave at least 1" of space at the ends of skewers for easy turning. Discard marinade; save excess fat for basting liquid.

  2. For scallion dipping sauce:

    Step 3

    Combine all ingredients in a large bowl just before you begin grilling; stir occasionally.

  3. For basting sauce:

    Step 4

    Mince any reserved leftover fat. Transfer to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until fat is heated through, about 3 minutes (fat will not melt completely). Add all ingredients and cook until just heated through; keep warm.

    Step 5

    Build a medium fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Grill skewers, brushing with basting sauce and turning every 2 minutes, for 10 minutes. Stop basting and cook, turning every 2 minutes, until browned around edges and cooked through, about 6 minutes more. Serve with scallion dipping sauce on the side.

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  • This recipe was spectacular, including the dipping sauce. We loved every bite.

    • marcseattle

    • Seattle, WA

    • 6/10/2020

  • Whoa! This is so flavorful. I made it almost exactly as recommended - meat was dry aged sirloin, so no additional beef fat. Looking at the recipe I thought 1/4 c fish sauce was excessive for the dipping sauce. Reading the reviews, while some liked that amount others didn’t. I used 1T of fish sauce and that was enough for me. For others who haven’t yet made the dish, maybe start with a tablespoon, maybe even a teaspoon and add more to your taste.

    • wowar

    • Seattle, WA

    • 5/24/2019

  • This was delicious! Served the steak with a gyoza dipping sauce that I ha on hand and a red cabbage coriander scallion slaw - so so yummy!

    • sukiyumyum

    • Hudson, Quebec, Canada

    • 1/23/2013

  • I thought it was fantastic. The dipping sauce too. Though I did use brown rice vinegar rather than black.

    • gaudere

    • 8/24/2012

  • Thought it was great - agreed forget the dipping sauce - but marinade was fantastic - cooked quickly on grill just like a regular kabob - added some onion slices and bok choy - basted with marinate mixed with sweeter coco lopez which carmelized on the grill - turned out fantastic over rice

    • sbaum28

    • Mahopac, NY

    • 8/5/2012

  • So, yes, the dipping sauce is awful. It just tasted like liquid salt, don't even bother with it. But the marinade was delicious - I can't wait to try it on other things! The steak itself was very good, I don't think I've ever managed to get steak to absorb so much flavor. Served with jasmine rice and cucumber salad. Great easy dinner!

    • Anonymous

    • Chicago

    • 7/6/2012

  • Do not waste your time or money. Awful. On paper it looks great. The marinade turns the meat to mush and the "low and slow" cooking method recommended by the magazine renders the meat to an almost unpalatable, sponge-like consistency. The dipping sauce was good, a little salty. If you feel like putting 2 LBS of otherwise delicious beef down the disposal, feel free to give this a shot.

    • Raymundo1

    • 7/1/2012

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