Vietnamese Beef Skewers

Ingredients

• ¾ lb beef sirloin or tenderloin
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass stalks, white and pale green parts only
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 cloves garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the beef on a cutting board and cut it into 1-inch cubes by slicing lengthwise into strips about 1 inch wide, then crosswise into 1-inch pieces, so each cube is roughly the size of a dice.

2. 2

   Trim the lemongrass stalks: remove the dry outer layers until you see pale, tender flesh. Slice the stalks crosswise into very thin rings, about the thickness of a toothpick. You should have about 3 tablespoons of sliced lemongrass.

3. 3

   Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots—by pressing the flat of your knife blade on top of each clove to crush it, then chopping it finely.

4. 4

   Place the beef cubes in a medium bowl and add 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the minced garlic, and the sliced lemongrass.

5. 5

   Stir the beef and marinade together with a spoon for 30 seconds until every piece of beef is coated and the aromatics are evenly distributed.

6. 6

   Let the bowl sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the grill or heat a cast iron skillet.

7. 7

   Thread the beef cubes onto 4 skewers, leaving a tiny gap between each piece so heat can circulate. Leave about 1 inch of skewer empty at each end as a handle.

8. 8

   Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until you can feel strong heat radiating from it and a drop of water sizzles immediately on contact.

9. 9

   Place the skewers on the hot pan, leaving 1 inch of space between them. Do not move them for 2 minutes so the beef develops a dark golden-brown crust on the bottom.

10. 10

    Rotate each skewer a quarter turn and cook for another 2 minutes until the new side is dark golden-brown.

11. 11

    Repeat the rotation two more times, cooking for 2 minutes on each of the remaining two sides, so all four faces of the beef are charred and the meat is cooked through.

12. 12

    Transfer the skewers to a serving plate and let them rest for 2 minutes before serving so the juices settle inside the meat.

Tools you’ll need

• cutting board
• sharp chef's knife
• medium bowl
• spoon
• 4 wooden or metal skewers
• 12-inch cast iron skillet or grill pan
• serving plate

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