Korean BBQ Steak w/ Grilled Pineapple + Sweet & Salty Coconut Rice
I don’t even really have the words to describe how much I love this dish altogether…I’m pretty sure I could eat all the rice by itself in one sitting. It’s as close as I could get to the sticky rice you see on the menu at Thai restaurants…close enough I say!
The Korean BBQ-inspired marinade for the flank steak is freakin amazing. Add the roasted pineapple component on top of the meat with the rice and this is by far one of the best dishes I have ever cooked. If that description + the picture haven’t sold you, I’m not sure what else I can say or do.
Ingredients:
For the Coconut Rice:
1 and a half cups jasmine rice
One 14oz can coconut milk (NOT light)
1/4 cup sugar
1 and a half teaspoons kosher salt
For the Steak + Pineapple:
2 lbs. flat iron steak
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar, separate
1/2 cup light soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 tablespoons pineapple juice (honestly, just get it from a simple Dole can of sliced pineapple)
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (red chili paste)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
The rest of the pineapple slices, (from the Dole can), cut into half-moons
Cut the steak up into strips and, in a large baking dish, rub them all over with the salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Let sit for about half an hour.
Meanwhile, make the marinade in a bowl by combining the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, mirin, pineapple juice, onion, sambal, and sesame oil. Pour the marinade over the steak, shaking around to ensure strips are well coated, (use your hands if you like!). Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, but I would recommend overnight for best results! Remove from fridge half an hour before cooking.
To make the coconut rice - in a medium saucepan, combine the rice, coconut milk, 1 and 3/4 cup water, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring all together to combine.
Reduce the heat to low so that the mixture is slightly bubbling, then cover the pan and simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed - about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir around/fluff with fork, re-cover and let it stand 5 mins longer.
As rice is sitting and covered, remove steak from the marinade and set on a side dish. Add the sliced pineapple half-moons to the marinade and shake around to coat.
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat for a couple minutes then add the steak strips a handful at a time to not crowd the pan. Grill until just cooked through - roughly 3 mins on each side. Remove from heat.
Throw the marinated pineapple slices onto the skillet and grill until caramelized - about 3 mins per side. Remove.
Serve steak over the coconut rice, topped with slices of the pineapple!
