Teriyaki Beef
intro
Tender, glossy seared beef coated in sweet-savory homemade teriyaki sauce, served over rice for a quick, umami-packed weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and Rest the Beef
Pat the 450g thinly sliced ribeye completely dry with paper towels, then cut slices into 5cm-wide bite-sized pieces; set aside at room temperature for 10 minutes to take the chill off for even searing.
Whisk the Teriyaki Sauce
In a small glass mixing bowl, whisk together 60ml low-sodium soy sauce, 45ml mirin, 30ml cooking sake, 25g packed light brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and 8g cornstarch until the sugar and cornstarch are fully dissolved with no visible lumps.
Sear the Beef Pieces
Heat 15ml neutral avocado oil in a large 30cm skillet over medium-high heat (190°C/375°F) until the oil shimmers. Add beef pieces in a single even layer, working in 2 batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, and sear for 1 minute per side until edges are deep golden brown but beef is not fully cooked through; transfer seared beef to a clean plate.
Thicken the Teriyaki Sauce
Reduce stovetop heat to medium (160°C/320°F), pour the pre-mixed teriyaki sauce into the same unwashed skillet (use the browned pan bits for extra flavor), and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
Toss the Beef to Coat
Return the seared beef and any accumulated plate juices to the skillet with thickened sauce, toss continuously for 30–45 seconds over medium heat until every beef piece is evenly coated in glossy sauce and reaches medium doneness (internal temperature 63°C/145°F).
Garnish and Serve the Beef
Turn off the heat, transfer teriyaki beef to serving bowls over freshly steamed white rice, then top with 3g toasted white sesame seeds and sliced green scallion parts as a bright, fresh garnish before serving.
Tips
2.For ultra-tender beef, slice against the grain into 3–5mm thick pieces; popping the beef in the freezer for 20 minutes before slicing firms it up, making clean, thin slices much easier to cut.
3.If you don’t have mirin or cooking sake, substitute with 45ml dry sherry plus 1 extra teaspoon of brown sugar to match the traditional sweet-umami balance of teriyaki sauce without sacrificing flavor.
OMG this teriyaki beef was a total game changer for our weeknight family dinner! My 7 and 9 year old are super picky and they both asked for seconds, no complaints at all. It was so easy to throw together after work too, only took me 25 minutes just like the recipe said. Served it over jasmine rice with steamed broccoli and everyone cleaned their plates. Will be adding this to our regular rotation for sure!
Made a big batch of this on Sunday for my weekly meal prep and it held up perfectly all week in the fridge! The sauce is so flavorful, not too sweet like that store-bought teriyaki garbage I used to buy. I swapped the flank steak for sirloin because that’s what I had on hand and it still came out super tender. 10/10, way cheaper than getting takeout teriyaki every lunch break.
As someone who can barely boil pasta without messing it up, I was shocked how easy this was to make! I had all the ingredients in my pantry already (soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger) so I didn’t even have to make a special grocery run. Tastes way better than the takeout spot near campus that charges $18 for a tiny beef teriyaki plate. My roommates all begged me for the recipe after they smelled it cooking. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I overcooked the beef a little because I got distracted by a football game, but that was 100% my fault.
Brought this to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were literally hovering over the platter! I ended up giving the recipe out to like 6 different neighbors before the night was over. Quick question though — has anyone tried making this with chicken instead of beef? My sister doesn’t eat red meat and I want to make this for her birthday dinner next week.
Made this after a long day hike last weekend and it hit SO hard. The only tweak I made was adding a little extra red pepper flakes for a kick, because I love spicy food. Quick note for anyone making this at altitude — I’m at 7,000 feet in Colorado and I had to add a couple extra minutes of cook time for the beef to get tender, no big deal though. Great recipe!
I’ve been making teriyaki beef for my grandkids for 40 years and I have to say, this recipe is just as good as my old hand-me-down version! The balance of salty and sweet is perfect, not cloying like a lot of newer recipes I’ve tried online. I did add a tiny splash of pineapple juice like I always do, and it paired beautifully.
Made this for dinner last night and it was chef’s kiss, my whole crew devoured it! Quick question though — can I toss in frozen stir fry veggies with this next time? I’m trying to cut down on food waste and I have a giant bag of frozen broccoli, carrots, and snap peas in my freezer that I need to use up. Don’t want to mess up the texture or anything!
This recipe was SO good, but my sauce came out a little thinner than I expected? Did I do something wrong? I followed the measurements exactly, but it didn’t coat the beef as thick as the takeout version I love. Any tips for next time?
My kids loved this! I was worried the ginger would be too strong for their picky palates so I cut it in half the first time, and it was perfect for them. Has anyone tried making this in a slow cooker? We have super busy soccer practice nights coming up this fall and it would be amazing to have this ready when we walk in the door.