There’s more to these Asian Steak and Shishito Skewers than meets the eye. The sweet and garlicky marinated steak will be love at first bite, while the rare spicy surprise of a hot shishito keeps you coming back for more.
ASIAN STEAK AND SHISHITO SKEWERS
Popping up on trendy menus across America, you’ll typically find shishito peppers in the appetizer section-- blistered, salted and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon. It’s a simple, perfectly-balanced dish that you can’t help but keep ordering over and over again. And seeing over and over again... Until you start to wonder, "Do people even eat shishitos any other way?"
The truth is yes, shishito peppers are anything but a one-trick-pony. In fact, they're even better when they're served alongside tender, marinated meat like in these Asian Steak and Shishito Skewers-- a recipe that takes the classic steak-pepper-onion kabob and turns up the volume.
A DELICIOUS ASIAN-STYLE MARINADE
Because grilling is a quick cooking method, sufficient marinating time is a “must” for tenderizing your meats and infusing flavor. To highlight the shishitos in this recipe, we’re working with a zesty Asian-style marinade. It starts with a base of soy sauce - a known meat tenderizer - laced with bursts of fresh grated ginger and a generous amount of garlic (6 cloves to be exact)! Rice vinegar also helps to tenderize the steak, while a healthy pour of honey mirrors the sweetness of the peppers and balances the marinade's more pungent ingredients. The marinade wouldn't be complete without nutty, silky sesame oil and spicy sriracha for an added punch of flavor.
Simply whisk all of the marinade ingredients together, add in the steak, and let it sit for a few hours while you go about your day.
A KEBAB BY ANY OTHER NAME
Whether you know them as kabobs, shish kebabs, or simply skewers, this versatile dish couldn’t be much easier. There aren’t many “fatal flaws” to be made, but there are a few tricks that will take your skewers from good to great:
- Stew on It: We’ve established that marinades are non-negotiable if you want tender, flavorful meat. While the most common mistake is to rush the marinating process, longer is not always better. An acidic marinade left stewing more than 8 hours can turn meat tough, while over-tenderizing can leave it mushy. This recipe strikes a balance by hanging out in the fridge for 3 hours before grilling.
- Thread with Caution: Kebab components should be touching lightly on their skewers, not too tightly. While crowding your meat won’t allow air to circulate, a sparse skewer is hard to wield and more likely to cook too quickly.
- Consistent Cubes: Using plenty of veggies adds flavor to a kebab while stretching your meat farther. Just make sure to prepare your mixed grill strategically. Chop your meat into consistently sized cubes, and avoid slicing veggies into excessively small chunks - they’re more likely to overcook.
- Tools of the Trade: There are two camps when it comes to kabobs: metal skewers, or bamboo. Both will produce a delicious result, so it often comes down to convenience. If you opt for reusable metal, choose a flat skewer to keep ingredients from rotating. If you’d rather skip the extra dishes, don’t forget to soak your bamboo skewers in water for an hour to prevent singeing.
SHISHITOS: THE GAMBLER'S PEPPER
Eating shishitos is a bit like Russian roulette. While most of them are sweet, bright and barely spicier than a bell pepper, about 1 in 10 will take you by surprise with a pleasant kick somewhere below a mild jalapeño. Not “burn your mouth”, “regret your decision” heat, but just enough to keep you on your toes.
Other than that, these thin-walled East Asian peppers are consistent crowd pleasers that taste best when they’re blistered and salted. Similar in size to a Padrón, most shishitos are already ideal skewering size; if they’re too big, simply cut them in half before threading.
MORE SKEWERS TO LOVE
- Tarragon Mustard Chicken Skewers
- Grilled Chicken & Peach Saltimbocca Skewers
- Bacon Bourbon BBQ Chicken Kebabs
- Piri Piri Chicken and Potato Skewers
- Yogurt Marinated Lamb Skewers with Mint-Pistachio Pesto Pilaf
- Fiery Italian Chicken Skewers
Asian Steak and Shishito Skewers
- Total Time: 3 hours 27 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 6 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound flank steak, cut into chunks
- 16 shishito peppers, cut in half if necessary
- 1 small red onion, cut into chunks
- Sesame seeds, to serve
- Green onions, sliced, to serve
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, canola oil, honey, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add the flank steak and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and no more than 8 hours.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grilling grates.
- Thread the beef, shishito peppers, and red onion chunks onto metal skewers, alternating as you go to fill the skewers from top to bottom. (See note.) Season with additional salt and pepper.
- Grill the skewers until the steak is seared on all sides and center of beef reaches desired doneness, about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve warm.
Notes
Note: If using bamboo skewers instead of metal ones, soak them in water for at least an hour before grilling.
- Prep Time: 3 hours 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
Bonnie Pritchard says
Can your skewed steak and shishito peppers be made on a stove top cast iron flat grill. Thank you. This recipe looks delicious but I don't use a smoker or grill.
Jonah says
I've made it on a cast iron grilling pan on a stove and it was good, so you definitely can. You just have to use the right tools. Also be careful with temperature and turn regularly so they will come out even.