These Steak Bites with Miso Ginger Dressing started as a “healthy” endeavor and ended up being a glorious exercise in flavor. Soy butter steak bites are seared to perfection, served with rice and a handful of veggies of your choice, and drizzled with wonderful creamy miso ginger dressing.
In short, it’s the best thing ever. And if you’re not drooling a little bit after reading that, maybe you’re a bot reading this. But yes, originally the white rice was quinoa, and the sauteed bok choy was a combination of raw greens. I will say, you definitely can still do that with this recipe and it would be great! But what can I say, baser instincts prevailed in this instance…I have included some notes in the recipe around where you can make adjustments, however.
Inspired by a Trip to Hawaii
The dish was inspired by our trip to Hawaii, where at one of the many food trucks, we had a simple platter of rice, salad, and steak bites served with a miso ginger dressing as a dipping sauce.
It was a refreshing and perfectly satisfying combination of umami goodness. To make it a full meal, we made it a little bit more substantial with the sauteed greens, and upped the flavor with the addition of soy sauce and butter in the pan.
The key to this recipe is really knowing how to cook a perfect steak bite. I got some tips from Ree Drummond, cow-cooking queen of Pawhuska, and the results were perfect.
A generous pat of butter browns in the skillet, a drizzle of dark soy sauce creates the start of an excellent sauce, and the steak bites get seared to medium rare perfection!
Steak Bites with Miso Ginger Dressing: Recipe Instructions
First, make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
Before you cook the beef, prepare your grains and veggies. The beef cooks quickly, so you’ll want everything ready to go. If you’d prefer to have raw veggies, this step is easy. If you’re cooking the veggies, I cooked mine in the pan drippings from the steak––no additional seasoning required!
Cut the steak into 1.5-inch cubes. Season the steak with a small pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. The miso dressing is quite salty, and we’ll be using soy sauce, so use your judgment per your tastes.
Next, heat a skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet.
Next, turn on your ventilation fan; you’ll need it! Brown the butter slightly (this will happen without a problem if your pan is as hot as it should be) and add 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce.
Place some of the meat in the pan in a single layer. It should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan. If it doesn’t, the pan isn’t hot enough. Don’t stir or disrupt the meat for 30 to 45 seconds.
You want it to sizzle and brown on one side. Scoop as many steak bites as you can with your spatula and flip them over. Repeat until all the meat is turned. Cook for an additional 30 to 45 seconds––just long enough to sear the outside and make sure you’re getting a perfect medium-rare interior.
Scoop the steak bites and pan drippings out, and then cook the greens in the same pan if desired. To serve, scoop the rice into a bowl, add a handful of steak bites and greens, and drizzle over the ginger miso dressing. Enjoy!
Steak Bites with Miso Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 shallot (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger (roughly chopped)
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ⅓ cup oil
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave
To assemble the bowls:
- Cooked rice (or other grain of choice--quinoa, couscous, or farro would all work great)
- A couple handfuls of bok choy or any leafy vegetable of choice (you can do this cooked or raw!)
- 1 pound steak (ribeye, sirloin, and skirt steak all work well; cut into 1.5 inch cubes)
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- First, make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
- Before you cook the beef, prepare your grains and veggies. The beef cooks quickly, so you’ll want everything ready to go. If you’d prefer to have raw veggies, this step is easy. If you’re cooking the veggies, I cooked mine in the pan drippings from the steak––no additional seasoning required!
- Season the steak with a small pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. The miso dressing is quite salty, and we’ll be using soy sauce, so use your judgment per your tastes.
- Next, heat a skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet
- Next, turn on your ventilation fan; you'll need it! Brown the butter slightly (this will happen without a problem if your pan is as hot as it should be) and add 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce.
- Place some of the meat in the pan in a single layer. It should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan. If it doesn't, the pan isn't hot enough. Don't stir or disrupt the meat for 30 to 45 seconds. You want it to sizzle and brown on one side. Scoop as many steak bites as you can with your spatula and flip them over. Repeat until all the meat is turned. Cook for an additional 30 to 45 seconds––just long enough to sear the outside and make sure you’re getting a perfect medium-rare interior.
- Scoop the steak bites and pan drippings out, and then cook the greens in the same pan if desired. To serve, scoop the rice into a bowl, add a handful of steak bites and greens, and drizzle over the ginger miso dressing. Enjoy!
