Miso Butter Steak Bites

Macro of a miso butter steak bite held in chopsticks, cut to show the pink center, over the bowl of rice and green beans.

Rate this Recipe!

You're two tablespoons of miso away from the best thing you'll cook this week. Set it down in front of people, let them try to work out what's in that butter, and refuse to tell them.

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time32

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese-American

Servings: (1 bowl, about 6 oz steak over 1 cup rice)

Calories: 655kcal

Author: Brittany Lauren

Equipment

Large cast iron or heavy carbon steel skillet
Instant-read thermometer
Wooden spoon
Whisk
tongs
Paper towels
Cutting board and chef's knife

Ingredients

For the Steak

1.5 lb sirloin steak cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
2 tbsp avocado oil

For the Vegetables

8 oz green beans trimmed
4 scallions trimmed and left whole

For the Miso Butter Sauce

4 tbsp unsalted butter cut into cubes
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tbsp scallion whites minced (from a second bunch)
2 tbsp white miso paste see note
2 tbsp mirin

To Serve

4 cups cooked white rice hot
2 tbsp scallion greens sliced thin
1 tsp togarashi

Instructions

Season the Steak

Pat the steak bites bone dry with paper towels and season with the kosher salt and black pepper. Dry meat is the whole point here, since any surface moisture steams instead of searing.

Sear the Steak Bites

Heat the avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the steak bites in a single layer, working in batches to avoid crowding. Sear untouched about 2 minutes per side, until a deep crust forms and the beef reaches 130F for a pink center, or your preferred doneness. Move to a plate and let rest.

Blister the Green Beans and Scallions

In the same pan over high heat, add the green beans and whole scallions. Toss occasionally 3 to 4 minutes, until charred in spots and the beans still snap. Set aside with the steak.

Check the Pan

Look at the fond before the butter goes in. If it is blackened rather than deep brown, wipe the scorched bits out with a paper towel so the sauce does not pick up bitterness.

Melt the Butter

Reduce the heat to medium low, add the butter, and scrape with a wooden spoon as it melts into the fond. As soon as the butter foams, add the garlic and minced scallion whites and stir 30 seconds, until fragrant and not colored.

Whisk in the Miso and Mirin

Whisk in the white miso and mirin until the sauce is smooth and glossy, about 1 minute. Keep the heat low. Miso scorches fast and turns bitter, so pull the pan off the heat if it feels too hot.

Toss the Steak Back In

Return the steak bites and any juices from the plate and toss to coat, about 30 seconds.

Build the Bowls

Divide the hot rice between four bowls. Spoon the steak over one side and pile the blistered green beans and scallions alongside. Spoon any extra sauce from the pan over the top.

Finish and Serve

Garnish each bowl with the sliced scallion greens and a pinch of togarashi. Serve immediately.

Notes

Start with 2 tablespoons white miso paste for a balanced, approachable sauce, then increase up to 3 tablespoons if you want it bolder and funkier.
You need two bunches of scallions: one left whole for the pan, one broken down for the minced whites in the sauce and the sliced greens on top.
Keep the heat at or below medium-low once the miso goes in. Above a simmer, the sugars in the paste scorch and the sauce turns bitter and grainy.
Store steak and vegetables together up to 3 days, rice separately. Reheat in a skillet over medium with a splash of water, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not freeze; the butter sauce breaks on thaw.

Nutrition