Skillet Teriyaki

You want it to be sweet, salty, glossy, and thicker than soy sauce. But you don’t want it to come from a bottle. Skillet Teriyaki proves that searing meat on just one side is perfectly acceptable. Skirt steak is ideal for a quick braise; it’s got plenty of fat for tenderness and flavour, and it melts away quickly over high heat because the meat is so thin.

Serves: 4 | Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1½ pounds skirt steak
2 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
¼ cup honey
½ cup soy sauce
2 scallions, sliced, for garnish

Directions

If you have time, put the steak in the freezer for up to 30 minutes. Put a large skillet over medium- high heat. Slice the steak against the grain as thin as you can manage. When the pan is smoking hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. Add half the beef to the skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn the heat to high, and cook undisturbed until it’s browned on the bottom and releases easily from the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining tablespoon oil and the beef.

Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring frequently until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return the steak to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Garnish with the scallions and serve right away.

Tip

This recipe also works for boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork sirloin steaks, cut into narrow strips.

Excerpted from Dinner for Everyone by Mark Bittman. Copyright © 2019 by Mark Bittman. Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.