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Looking for a crowd pleaser? Throw together the marinade for these Lemongrass Beef Skewers early in the day and dinner will be super easy - and super delicious!
This one's been in "the hopper" for awhile. Actually, I've been making these Lemongrass Beef Skewers all summer, but it wasn't until just recently that I got them right.
"Not charred enough". "Not enough lemongrass flavor". "Too salty". "Kind of tough". "Results not worth the cost of the expensive cut of beef". "Cut too thin". "Cut too thick"... and on and on it went. For awhile I thought this one would never make it to the blog, as only the best recipes cut the (blog) muster. I can't say we suffered as we went through the different renditions though, after all, who doesn't love Asian-inspired beef, fresh off the grill?
I looked at lots of different options as I was trying to determine the best cut of beef. I tried beef short ribs, sirloin, filet, sirloin tips and flat iron steak. In the end, flat iron steak was the grand prize winner, as it's fairly lean, decently priced and yields delicious, tender results.
Lots of wonderful lemongrass flavor
The marinade also took a few tries. I wanted the lemongrass to shine, so I knew I couldn't use too much soy sauce, as it tends to cover up more subtle flavors. The perfect combination ended up being lots of fresh lemongrass (see tip below regarding lemongrass and ginger), fresh ginger, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and minced garlic.
We've enjoyed these Lemongrass Beef Skewers this summer with my 5 Minute Easy Peanut Sauce as well as on their own, served with jasmine rice and roasted or grilled veggies. They also make a delicious Asian salad with Udon or Ramen noodles, cucumbers, tomatoes, mango, fresh basil and cilantro and chopped cashews.
The sliced steak can be marinated for as little 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. The flavor intensifies with longer marination, but either way, it will be delicious. The marinade is more for flavor than tenderization, as flat iron steak is quite tender on it's own.
The tenderness is one of the reasons I love flat iron steak. It's actually known to be second in tenderness only to beef tenderloin. Flat iron steak also goes by butler's steak (UK), oyster blade steak (Australia and New Zealand), shoulder top blade steak, top blade filet or top blade steak. It's fairly readily available in larger grocery stores.
If you don't see flat iron steak at your local market, ask the butcher. If he doesn't carry it, sirloin tips also work very well in this recipe. Cut them in 1-inch chunks (not too big) and thread them on to the skewers in lieu of the strips of flat iron steak.
Café Tips for making these Lemongrass Beef Skewers
- You can purchase stalks of lemongrass at some larger grocery stores, Asian markets and specialty stores like Whole Foods, Fresh Market, etc.
- You can also find tubes of lemongrass (and ginger) paste in the produce department of many larger grocery stores. They're usually in the same area that you'll find the little packets of fresh herbs.
- I keep both Lemongrass Paste and Ginger Paste in my freezer. They have great, fresh flavor and make Asian cuisine super easy to throw together (Plus, they're perfect for lazy people like me!). I just let the little tube sit out for about 10 minutes to thaw, squeeze out as much as I need, then pop it back in the freezer. It will store in the freezer indefinitely.
- Metal skewers (in lieu of wooden or bamboo) are wonderful, as you don't have to worry about them burning. I really like these 8-inch skewers. They're reasonably priced, hold up well after many washings and have a flat shape, which makes flipping the meat super simple.
- Be sure to grill over a hot fire, with the lid off. You want the outside of the beef to have a bit of char and crispiness, while the inside remains juicy and tender.
- I like to make plenty of these Lemongrass beef skewers, so there's enough for dinner with leftovers for a delicious Asian salad the next day.
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass
- 1 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or other neutral flavored oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 3 medium cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½-2 pounds flat iron steak see post for substitution
- chopped salted peanuts for garnish
- chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
- Peanut Sauce if desired
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Combine the sugar, lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, oil, chile garlic sauce, garlic and kosher salt in a medium size bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves.
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Slice beef into ¼-inch slices (crosswise) and add to marinade mixture in the bowl. Toss to coat beef well with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
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When ready to cook, heat grill to high. (You should be able to hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above the grate for only 2 to 3 seconds). Oil grates with cooking spray or oil.
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Drain beef and discard the marinade. Thread 4-5 beef strips onto each skewer, accordion style.
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Place the skewers on the grill. Cook, turning every couple minutes until golden brown and charred in places, about 10-12 minutes total. Do not cover grill while cooking skewers.
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Remove from grill and tent with foil for 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and cilantro for garnish. Serve with Peanut Sauce, if desired.
Tara says
Any chance I can use this on chicken? I found similar recipes for chicken, but I really want to try this one. I also couldn’t find flat iron steak so I was going to try with London Broil. Do you think it will be too tough? Any problem with marinating overnight?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Tara, this would be delicious with chicken, particularly chicken thighs. London Broil should also work nicely and an overnight marinade would be great. Just be sure to cut the London Broil thinly, against the grain. Enjoy!
CJ says
This marinade is a winner! My family loved it. I will be adding this to my rotation. I used Ribeye Steak. We skipped the peanut sauce and made a lighter vinaigrette from a different recipe so I can't comment on the peanut sauce. Honestly, it doesn't need a sauce. So delicious!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, CJ, for taking the time to leave your review. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Maya says
Hey, just wanted to say that this is truly a terrific marinade/recipe. I found it by doing a search for "lemongrass beef" and then decided to try it because apart from the lemongrass (we ended up buying a tube at the grocery store), we had most of the ingredients on hand, including flatiron steak (my favorite relatively inexpensive cut of beef!). Worked out great following the recipe to the letter. We skewered the marinated beef and then "grilled" it in the oven.
Today, we decided to make the marinade again, but this time using boneless chicken thighs as the protein, as well as adding a bit of turmeric powder. We also decided to do a lettuce wrap/salad take on it that included red leaf lettuce, cucumber, mint, basil, Vietnamese-style pickled carrots/daikon, green onions, cherry tomatoes, crushed peanuts, and home-made pickled shallots. Wow, wow, wow!
Both versions were excellent. We also used nuoc cham with both (1 part lime juice, 1 part fish sauce, 1 part sugar, 3 parts water, plus sweet Thai chili sauce to taste (maybe a tablespoon?)).
This is truly a great recipe and I love that it can be riffed on. Next time, we'll probably do chicken thighs again and maybe make banh mi.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Maya, for sharing this detailed review. I know it will be helpful to other readers!
Ellen says
Do you sub lemongrass paste/chopped lemongrass equally? 1 T = 1 T? Happen to have lemongrass in fridge and think this sounds fine!
Chris Scheuer says
Yes! Equal parts! Try it 😋
Erica says
This looks wonderful but, alas, I live in an apartment with no access to a grill. How about a larger chunks off beef with the marinade as a sauce in a slow cooker to be shredded afterwards? Could it be done? Anyone tried it?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Erica, I haven't tried that so I don't want to say for sure. I always test recipes a number of times before I share them. If you try this let us know your results.
I do think you could thread this beef on smaller skewers and "grill" them in a large non-stick pan.
Betsey says
I always cook this types of recipe using the broiler setting in oven (flip when the 1st side is nice and charred and repeat on 2nd side). Works perfectly
Chris Scheuer says
That's great to know, Betsey!
Mary says
These are absolutely fabulous! The flavor is fantastic and using lemongrass paste is so easy! The peanut sauce is so good that you could eat it with a spoon! Yummy! Thanks for this recipe! Definitely a keeper!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Mary! I'm so happy you tried them and enjoyed them!
Amira says
Can I make these stove top or oven? If so, what is the best way?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Amira, I haven't tried these on the stovetop or oven so I wouldn't want to advise on that. Let us know if you try it either way.
Bets says
The broiler works - gives a nice char.
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful!
Dolly A says
This was great, I had a small jar of lemongrass confit that my friend made in her sous vide machine so I used that. I never had lemongrass before, it is really different, not really like a lemon, we really like it. I used the whole jar which was only about 1/4 cup. I served it with rice noodle salad with nuom nok sauce and thai basil and cilantro and green onion. Excellent!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks for sharing your results, Dolly. We love lemongrass, it's such a fresh, unique flavor. Sounds like a wonderful dinner!
Kay says
Made these amazing skewers tonight on a wood charcoal grill. I Love lemongrass but my hubby is not a fan. However, he absolutely loved these! Couldn’t stop eating them! Thanks for such a flavorful recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome!
Leslie says
How do i make the chilie garlic sauce and the dipping sauce?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Leslie, the chili garlic sauce is available at most grocery stores in the Asian section. The peanut sauce is one of my recipes. https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-peanut-sauce/ I put a link for it in the post and in the recipe. Enjoy!
Elizabeth says
Could I use beef tenderloin if we cut it into chunks? I happen to have a large tenderloin in my fridge ready to be cut.
Thanks
John/Kitchen Riffs says
I don't often see flat iron steak at my market, but sirloin tip is always available, so I'm covered. This looks great -- fun to make and eat, and delish flavor. Thanks!
Sandra L Garth says
The smell of lemongrass is divine and I can only imagine what it does to these skewers. Since the Mr is the grill master I'll prepare these and let him man the fire!
Jenna says
This sounds incredible Chris and the peanut sauce is already on my must do list...yum!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I love flat iron steak Chris. and I know I'm going to love these skewers. They sound so flavorful and perfect for my low carb diet at the moment!
cheri says
Hi Chris, I had something similiar once on a banh mi sandwich in Portland, it was spectacular. Lemongrass has such a wonderful flavor but I have been a little intimidated by it, nice to know that the paste can be used. FABULOUS!!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
I love lemongrass, so I can only imagine how wonderful it is in these beef skewers! And of course, Summer is made for eating food on sticks I say 🙂
Susan says
I love the idea of having lemongrass and ginger paste on hand in the freezer! What a great tip. Your skewers are truly mouth-watering, Chris! A must try!
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
What mouthwatering skewers, Chris! I love the lemongrass flavor and the side of peanut sauce!
Liz says
I haven't made beef skewers all summer! This must change and your lemongrass marinade sounds like a delicious change of pace. I never thought about keeping my tubes of herbs in the freezer! Brilliant 🙂
Ginny Hartzler says
Looks wonderful! A meat eater's delight for the summer. Looks so light and fresh. I do love that you are showing all the prep utensils. too!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
These beef skewers look amazingly delicious! I am going to make this in a grill pan. Thanks, Chris!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Angie, enjoy!!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
These sounds amazing, I love lemongrass, and I'm always looking for new ways to use it, I'm heading out for flatiron steak now!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Sue, flat iron steak is wonderful in so many ways!
Mel says
Am assuming lemongrass paste in the tube is more concentrated than chopped fresh lemongrass, so use maybe 1 tablespoon 'tubed' instead of the 2 tbls chopped?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mel,
Good question. Actually the recipe calls for very finely chopped lemongrass and I actually use the same amount of paste. If the lemongrass was roughly chopped (like if it was going into a blender recipe), then it would be a little less but not with this one.
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
I love these skewers and I bet that marinade is delicious. How terrific served with the peanut sauce - yum! Thanks for going to such great lengths to bring us this perfected recipe. A must try this summer!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Tricia, I didn't mind all the testing at all 🙂