Honey-Glazed Steak Strips
27 min
|
easy
|
Mediterranean diet
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Sweet, garlicky, and a little fiery, these honey-glazed steak strips sear hard and get lacquered in a glossy honey-soy butter that clings to every bite.
Think teriyaki-adjacent but bolder, perfect for fast weeknights or rice bowls, tacos, or lettuce wraps, with sesame aroma and a clean hit of rice vinegar so it stays balanced, not sticky-sweet.
Ingredients (4 servings)
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Ingredients for the Steak
- 1½ lb sirloin steak, cut into thin strips sirloin beef steak 24 oz
- 1 Tbsp olive oil olive oil
- ½ tsp salt salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper black peppercorns (for black pepper)
- ½ tsp garlic powder garlic powder 0.05 oz
Ingredients for Honey Glaze
- ¼ cup honey honey 2.96 oz
- ¼ cup soy sauce soy sauce 2 fl oz
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 1 oz
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar rice vinegar 0.5 fl oz
- 1 tsp sesame oil sesame oil 0.17 fl oz
- 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced garlic 0.18 head (for fresh garlic)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional, for heat) crushed red pepper 0.03 oz
- 1 tsp cornstarch (for thickening, optional) cornstarch 0.1 oz
How to Make Honey-Glazed Steak Strips
-
Chill and slice the steak
Pop the steak in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to firm it up for cleaner slicing.
Slice across the grain into 1/4 inch strips and pat the pieces very dry with paper towels for maximum browning.
-
Season and preheat the pan
Toss steak strips with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
Heat a large cast iron or carbon steel skillet over medium-high until the surface is just starting to smoke.
-
Sear in batches
Add half the steak in a single layer and do not crowd the pan.
Sear 1 to 2 minutes per side until well browned but still slightly pink inside, transfer to a bowl, and repeat with the remaining steak.
-
Build the honey glaze
Lower heat to medium, add butter and minced garlic, and cook 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant.
Stir in honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes, scraping up the browned bits as it bubbles.
-
Thicken and coat
If using cornstarch, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, then stream it into the simmering sauce while stirring.
Return steak and any juices to the pan and toss 30 to 60 seconds until glossy and just cooked through, then kill the heat so it stays tender.
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Rest and serve
Let it rest 2 minutes to relax the meat and keep the glaze clinging tight.
Serve hot over rice or noodles and spoon on every last drop of sauce.
Substitutions
- Soy sauce to tamari or coconut aminos
- Tamari keeps the deep umami while staying gluten free, and coconut aminos run sweeter and less salty, so the glaze tastes rounder and you can keep the honey as is.
- Honey to maple syrup or brown sugar
- Maple syrup brings a subtle smokiness and stays glossy, while brown sugar gives a molasses depth and slightly thicker body once reduced.
- Sirloin steak to flank or skirt steak
- Both cuts slice beautifully across the grain and sear like a dream, giving you bolder beef flavor with a tender chew if you keep the strips thin and the cook fast.
Tips
- Freeze for pro-level slicing
- A short chill firms the steak so your knife glides cleanly and you get even strips that cook at the same speed.
- Crank the heat and keep it dry
- Rip-roaring heat in a cast iron pan plus bone-dry meat equals a hard sear and no gray, steamed steak.
- Batch searing is non-negotiable
- Overcrowding drops the pan temp and floods it with juices, so work in batches for fast browning and better flavor.
- Cornstarch without clumps
- Always mix cornstarch with cold water before adding and keep the sauce simmering, not boiling hard, to stay silky and clear.
- Cut across the grain for tenderness
- Look for the muscle lines and slice perpendicular to them so short fibers stay tender even with a quick cook.
- Grill variation that slaps
- Use a flat griddle on a hot grill, sear the strips, then brush on the glaze in the last minute so sugars do not scorch.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 594 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 44 | g |
| Total Fat | 36 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 20 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- How do I keep the steak from turning tough or dry?
- Slice across the grain, sear hot and fast, and stop at medium at most, then rest a couple minutes so juices settle back in.
- My pan flooded and I lost the sear, what happened?
- You likely crowded the pan or did not dry the meat, so next time sear in batches and wipe out excess moisture between rounds if needed.
- The sauce is too thin and I skipped cornstarch, how can I fix it?
- Let it simmer a few minutes to reduce until syrupy, and swirl in a small knob of butter at the end for extra body and shine.
- The glaze tastes too salty, how can I balance it?
- Add a splash of water and a little extra honey, then a few drops more rice vinegar to keep it bright, and simmer briefly to re-thicken.
- Can I make this ahead for meal prep?
- Sear the steak and make the glaze separately, then combine and reheat gently in a pan so the meat does not overcook and the sauce stays glossy.
Serving Suggestions
This honey-glazed steak loves garlicky jasmine rice, sesame blistered green beans, and a sprinkle of scallions or toasted sesame for crunch.
Bump it up with fresh grated ginger in the glaze or a tiny splash of bourbon while deglazing for warm caramel notes that play beautifully with the honey.
More pairings:
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