Name: Steak Teriyaki for Two
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: JapaneseAsia
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup mirin; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons water; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 (1-pound) boneless strip steak , 1 inch thick, trimmed and halved crosswise; pepper; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 2 scallions , sliced thin on bias

Why This Recipe Works

We cut a 1-pound steak into two portions so that it would cook more quickly. We then built a pan sauce from the tasty browned bits left in the skillet after cooking the steaks; this fond gave the sauce a meaty boost. Using a nonstick skillet ensured a great crust and kept our sauce from sticking to the skillet. Store-bought versions of teriyaki sauce were either too sweet or too thick, so we made our own. Mirin, a traditional ingredient in teriyaki sauce, added the perfect amount of sweetness.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use unseasoned rice vinegar here. Both rice vinegar and mirin can be found near the other Japanese ingredients in the international food aisle of the supermarket and in Japanese markets. Serve the steak with rice.

Instructions

Whisk sugar, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, water, cornstarch, and pepper flakes together in bowl.

Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Cook steaks until well browned and meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add sugar–soy sauce mixture to skillet. Bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Slice steaks thin and top each with 3 tablespoons sauce. Sprinkle with scallions and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.