Grilled Ginger Soy Beef

Last month, I joined a group called the Pass the Cookbook Club and discovered a couple of great recipes, including Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies, and Sweet & Spicy Baby Back Ribs.  I had such a great time that I decided to give it another try this month.

I really enjoy Asian flavors, and I've been trying to cook with them more.  I was excited to see that this month's cookbook challenge would be centered around recipes from  Seoultown Kitchen Korean Pub Grub to Share with Family and Friends by Debbie Lee.

Ginger Soy Beef with Chile-Tomatoes
Ingredients:

1 pound grilling tips cut into cubes
Grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon finely ground chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Ginger-Soy marinade
Ingredients:

½ yellow onion, cut in quarters
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup mirin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup cola
¼ cup sesame oil

Directions:

Start by making the marinade in a food processor.  Mince the onion, then add the ginger and garlic (I like to use a box grater for my ginger and garlic). Next, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin and spices and blend well. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the cola, then whisk in the sesame oil to emulsify the marinade. Pour half of the marinade over steak cubes in another mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the beef marinates place the grape tomatoes, chili-powder, smoked paprika, sesame and olive oils into a bowl. Toss well until the tomatoes are well coated. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside.

Once the meat is marinated, assemble each skewer, starting with a grape tomato, then a cube of steak and finishing with another grape tomato. Continue alternating until you have four pieces of meat on each skewer.  (Note, I used metal skewers, but if you're using wooden ones, you'll want to soak them in water for at least two hours before grilling).

Mr. Juggling Act has said that when (not if!) we make these again, he'd like to add pieces of onion on the kabobs as well.