What do you do when you’re craving steak, but aren’t excited about the usual steak on the grill? You make these Korean steak kabobs!
Marinated in a simple but tasty combination of soy sauce, rice-wine vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil and minced garlic, these kabobs boast big flavor and colorful appeal.
Kabobs on the grill make any meal feel festive — and they’re so easy to make, you’ll want to celebrate with these sticks of meat and veggies as often as possible. Once you master the basics, you can add or swap in different vegetables (or even fruit!) that your family loves to eat. As a bonus, they’re a fun, sneaky way to get your picky eaters to eat more vegetables.
Let’s talk steak. This recipe calls for flank or sirloin — not the tenderest cuts in the bunch, but lean and economical. Marinating the bite-sized pieces will tenderize them as the acid in the vinegar breaks down the tough proteins (we recommend at least 30 minutes but up to eight hours). A word of caution, though: Marinating any steak in a high-acid marinade for long periods can over-tenderize and result in flabby or chalky meat — definitely not the point of a marinade. Rice-wine vinegar is less acidic than regular vinegar, so it works well here.
Our steak kabob marinade has a pleasing balance of flavors, and makes a delectable finishing sauce for the grilled kabobs. Make your marinade and reserve half to brush on the kabobs later. When you’re ready to grill, alternately thread the steak, bell pepper and onion pieces onto skewers. Brush the kabobs with marinade, season, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Then you just need to grill the steak kabobs for three minutes per side or until desired doneness, then let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Brush with the reserved marinade (make sure it’s not the marinade from the meat, but the unused portion) and sprinkle them with more sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
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Combine soy sauce, rice-wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil and garlic
Mix steak in plastic bag with marinade to coat all pieces
Slide meat, onion & bell peppers to make Korean steak kabobs
Flavorful and colorful kabobs!
Slather the steak kabobs with the marinade
Sprinkle with sesame seeds
Place Korean steak kabobs on heated grill
Allow kabobs to cook on the grill
Turn Korean steak kabobs over and continue to cook
Look for some char and color on kabobs
Brush the kabobs with remaining (fresh) marinade
Beautifully carmelized steak!
Juicy and tender Korean steak kabobs
Simple, healthy and full of flavor!
Korean steak kabobs
Yield 6-8 servings
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Kabobs:
- 2 pounds flank or sirloin steak, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 8 metal or wooden* skewers
- 3 large red and/or yellow bell peppers, cored, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large red onion, peeled, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Whisk all marinade ingredients together in large bowl until well combined. Pour half of marinade into small bowl and set aside.
- Place steak in large bowl with marinade. Toss until steak is evenly coated, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- When ready to cook, thread skewers alternately with marinated steak, bell pepper and onion pieces.
- Brush each kabob liberally with marinade. Season each with pinch of salt, pepper and sesame seeds.
- Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Grill kabobs for 3 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until steak is cooked to desired doneness.* Place seared kabobs in oven to complete cooking if desired.
- Remove kabobs from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Brush each kabob evenly with reserved marinade. Garnish with more toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
*If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in a bowl of water (so that they’re completely submerged) for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
**Prep time does not include marinating the steak, which can vary (your choice!) from 30 minutes to 8 hours.
Courses Main dish