food safari beef satay recipe

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Beef satay with thai peanut sauce.

Beef Satay is one of those dishes that can be a hit or miss at Thai restaurants. If you want a sure thing, make it at home!! You’ll love the secret for how to make economical beef cuts so succulent you’d swear they’re top shelf meat. These skewers are so good you can eat them plain, but no one in their right mind would skip the Thai Peanut Sauce!

Top tip: These are excellent to grill on the BBQ, or even better, over charcoal for a truly authentic Thai experience .

Thai Beef Satay

When I eat out at Thai restaurants, I tend to default to Chicken Satay skewers because I know chicken is hard to get wrong. Beef Satay, on the other hand, can be terribly hit or miss. Bland, chewy and dry beef is an all-too-common refrain.

To experience Beef Satay the way it’s meant to be, better to make it yourself. It’s easy to do, cheaper and you know it will hit the mark!

And what is that mark? It’s succulent pieces of beef, firstly tickled in a marinade of satay seasoning. Then they’re seared on a ripping hot skillet for charry crust while staying lovely and pink inside. To serve, the skewers are befriended by a bowl of rich and smooth Thai Peanut Sauce – the perfect counterpoint for these smoky sticks of pleasure.

The secret for tenderising beef: baking soda / bi-carb

This Beef Satay recipe is a little bit special because it includes a handy method to tenderise a tougher beef cut so it becomes succulent, using baking soda / bi-carb. Cubes of raw beef are marinated overnight in a satay seasoning with a little baking soda added (just 1/2 teaspoon for 600g / 1.2lb of beef), then cooked in the usual manner.

The baking soda magically relaxes the meat fibres, making the beef more tender without changing the texture of the beef itself. It’s based on a method used by Chinese restaurants called velveting . Here’s the velveting recipe covering the technique in detail. The Chinese method is applied to thinner strips of beef, uses more baking soda and a shorter marinating time (~40 minutes to 1 hour). The baking soda is also rinsed off before cooking. The result is soft, “velvet”-like texture, hence the technique name.

For this Thai Beef Satay however, I specifically want to keep the original texture of beef intact so I use less baking soda and marinate overnight. The amount is so small too it cannot be tasted.

The result? Succulent pieces of beef that you’d swear are from a premium cut! The added bonus is that it’s also virtually impossible to overcook baking soda-tenderised beef.

Ingredients in Thai Beef Satay

In this section, I’ve separated the ingredients as follows:

Beef Satay marinade; and

Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce.

1. Ingredients for Beef Satay Marinade with tenderiser

Here’s what you need for the beef and satay marinade:

Just a quick run down on some of the ingredients:

Beef – I like to use rump steak (top sirloin is the equivalent in the US) which I then tenderise using baking soda/bi-carb, as outlined in the above section. This is a good mid-price cut of beef that’s got good beefy flavour and holds its shape will in neat cubes when cooked. It can be a little chewy though, making it an ideal candidate for marinating overnight with baking soda to tenderise it.

Feel free to use a more tender – and more expensive – cut of beef such as scotch fillet / boneless rib eye. If you do, skip the baking soda as obviously there’s no benefit to tenderising the beef further. And take care not to overcook it!

Baking soda / bi-carb – As explained in the section above, baking soda / bi-carb is the magic ingredient that tenderises tougher cuts of beef in this recipe;

Thai red curry paste – This is an essential and key flavouring in Thai satay, for both the beef marinade and in the peanut sauce, because it’s packed with a ton of umami (the food nerd term for savoury flavour ). You could make your own curry paste , but because this recipe only calls for 3 tablespoons, I tend to just use store-bought.

My recommended red curry paste brand is Maesri, pictured below. It comes in small cans, and is very cheap (~$1.25). It’s available at large grocery stores here in Australia (Coles, Woolworths, Harris Farms) as well as Asian grocery stores. The flavour is far superior (in my opinion) to other mainstream curry pastes.

Coconut milk – Not all coconut milk is created equal. Cheaper brands are diluted with water and contain less actual coconut, and in turn less coconut flavour and fats. I recommend Ayam brand, which is 89% coconut kernel extract (some other brands are as low as 53%!) You can use low fat coconut milk, but I won’t condone it! 😂

Leftover coconut milk  – The recipe doesn’t use a full can, so freeze leftovers if you don’t have an immediate use for it. Else click here for other recipes using coconut milk.

Curry powder – Curry powder is the other flavouring in satay. It’s a background flavour so there’s no need to use a specific type. Any generic “curry powder” is fine here. I use Clives or Keens (mild, not hot).

2. Thai Peanut Sauce

And here’s what you need for a restaurant-style Thai Peanut Sauce!

Red Curry Paste – This is the key flavouring in Thai Peanut Sauce so I really do urge you to try to get Maesri, the recommended brand shown in the above section! But if you can’t, any Thai Red Curry Paste you can get will do;

Natural Peanut Butter – This is the type of peanut butter typically sold in the health food aisle in grocery stores. It is different to mass-market stuff in that it has no added sugar, salt or other preservatives. It also has a stronger peanut flavour and is thinner than sweetened peanut butter (eg Kraft or Bega). This means better flavour in the sauce and makes the sauce the right consistency.

Commercial peanut butter spreads by contrast are thicker and the peanut flavour is not as good. So you need to use more to achieve the same flavour, which makes the sauce thicker than is ideal. That said, commercial peanut butter does work just fine as a substitute!

Dark soy sauce – This adds salt to the sauce as well as making the sauce a darker colour. If you don’t have it, light soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce is fine to use too. The sauce will be a bit paler;

Cider vinegar – Plenty of alternatives here, we just need a vinegar to add tang to balance out the flavour in the sauce;

Coconut milk – The primary liquid in Thai Peanut Sauce. As with the marinade, good brands with high coconut content are what you want (check label ingredients). I use Ayam. And don’t talk to me about low fat coconut milk!

How to make Thai Beef Satay

1. thai peanut sauce.

The peanut sauce is a plonk-and-simmer job:

Plonk all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium low heat; and

Simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally so the base doesn’t catch.

As I said, it’s a simple “plonk and simmer”!!

2. How to make Thai Beef Satay

Cut beef into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes.

Mix Satay Marinade ingredients in a bowl.

Mix beef into the Satay Marinade.

Marinate beef for 24 hours . For this recipe, I don’t recommend reducing the marinating time so as to ensure the baking soda has sufficient time to properly tenderise the beef.

Thread beef on to skewers. I like to use short skewers that fit inside a skillet. Typically I’ll thread 4 cubes on each skewer, but if I’m serving as an appetiser to pass around then I might only do 3.

Cook skewers on the stove in a griddle pan or skillet – or better still, barbecue them – over high heat. For the most authentic Thai street food experience, cook it over charcoal!

Turn skewer s to cook each side (ie all 4 sides) until nicely charred and cooked through to medium well done which takes around 8 to 10 minutes. It’s important to know that beef that’s been tenderised with baking soda only becomes tender once thoroughly cooked. If it’s medium rare, then the beef will be on the chewy side because we’re using an economical cut of beef. Yes this is the exact opposite of all the rules you read about cooking steak !!

An even more amazing fact out beef tenderised using baking soda is that it’s virtually impossible to overcook. In fact, even when cooked to well done, it will still be pink inside!

Rest the skewers for 3 minutes before serving. To add some colour and visual appeal, garnish with a dusting of finely chopped peanuts, coriander/cilantro and finely sliced red chilli (use large ones so they aren’t spicy).

And of course , don’t forget the peanut sauce!!

It’s truly impossible to properly capture how tender the beef is in a photo or even in a recipe video!

Notice how pink the beef is inside, even though this is cooked through to medium. That’s the baking soda at work here – the beef stays pink even when cooked beyond medium rare. This is typical with some types of tenderised beef, such as Korean Beef Galbi .

What to serve with Thai Beef Satay

Beef Satay is typically listed as a starter at Thai restaurants. However, more often than not, it forms part of a main course when I make it. Asian BBQ is a firm favourite menu theme when I have friends over!

Here’s a few suggestions for things to serve on the side, or as a starter:

Thai Fish Cakes – A popular starter at Thai restaurants, with a Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce;

Thai Lettuce Wraps – The Thai version of Chinese lettuce wraps, with a beautiful lemongrass-flavoured chicken or pork mince filling;

Rice options – Jasmine rice is the traditional rice served in Thailand. Plain is fine because you’ll douse it with peanut sauce! Else try Thai Fried Rice or Pineapple Fried Rice ;

Salad options – A cooling Thai Green Papaya Salad is classic! Meanwhile, some other options for you: Smashed Cucumber Salad with a Ginger Dressing (personal favourite!); Asian Slaw ; Asian Side Salad . Then of course, my standard fallback for all things Asian , possibly Australia’s favourite salad : Chang’s Crispy Noodle Salad (it’s a back-of-the-packet life essential!).

Enjoy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Ingredients

• ▢ 13-16 bamboo skewers , 16cm / 6.5" long (Note 1)
• ▢ 600g / 1.2lb beef rump steak (top sirloin in the US) , 2.5 cm/1" pieces (Note 2)
• ▢ 1/4 cup coconut mik , full fat (I use Ayam, Note 3)
• ▢ 1 tbsp curry powder (Note 4)
• ▢ 1 tsp white sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp red curry paste (Note 5)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carb (tenderiser, Note 6)
• ▢ 1 tsp salt

Thai Peanut Sauce:

• ▢ 1 tbsp red curry paste (Note 5)
• ▢ 2/3 cup coconut milk , full fat (I use Ayam, Note 3)
• ▢ 1/3 cup natural peanut butter , smooth (Note 7)
• ▢ 1 1/2 tbsp white sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 8)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tbsp cider vinegar (Note 9)
• ▢ 1/3 cup water

Cooking & Serving:

• ▢ 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil , for cooking
• ▢ 2 tbsp peanuts , finely chopped
• ▢ Lime wedges (optional)
• ▢ Coriander / cilantro leaves and sliced red chilli (optional)

Instructions

• If cooking on a BBQ or over charcoal, soak skewers for 2 hours in water so they don't burn.

Thai Beef Satay Skewers:

• Mix together the beef and Marinade in a bowl. Cover with cling wrap and marinate overnight (do not reduce marinating time else the beef may not tenderise enough).
• Thread onto skewers – I do 4 pieces each.
• Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan over medium high heat.
• Cook 10 minutes (yes, well done!): Cook skewers in batches for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on all 4 sides until deep golden (total of 8 to 10 minutes) and fully cooked through. (Note: baking soda tenderised beef needs to be thoroughly cooked to be tender. The beef is still a bit chewy if it's medium or less.)
• Rest: Transfer skewers to plate and rest for 3 minutes before serving with Peanut Sauce.
• Place all Peanut Sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low heat.
• Stir to combine then simmer, stirring every now and then, for 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with water – it should be a pourable but thickish sauce.
• Remove from stove, cover with lid and keep warm while cooking skewers.
• Pour sauce into a bowl. Sprinkle with some peanuts – stir some through if you want.
• Pile satay skewers onto a platter, sprinkle with remaining peanuts, coriander and chilli.
• Serve with sauce on the side for dipping. Add a side of Jasmine Rice or Thai Fried Rice or Pineapple Fried Rice to complete the meal!

Recipe Notes:

• Thai Chicken Satay
• Gado Gado  (Indonesian Salad with peanut sauce)
• Sauce for for rice, noodles, veggies (raw or steamed)
• Dip for prawn crackers and vegetables
• As the dressing for this Chinese Chicken Salad , Satay Noodle Salad ,  Peanut Noodle Salad  or Sesame Noodles

Nutrition Information:

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90 Comments

April 15, 2024 at 6:56 am

February 22, 2024 at 1:24 am

Satay sauce is delicious. A little sweet for us, but next time will add less sugar. I added some chilli powder for heat.♥

February 19, 2024 at 1:08 am

This would be great as a fondue

October 15, 2023 at 12:26 pm

October 9, 2023 at 3:11 am

August 8, 2023 at 8:36 pm

Forgot to click on 5 stars.

August 8, 2023 at 8:35 pm

Re: Beef Satay with Thai Peanut Sauce. Picked up our adopted Thai family from airport & we went shopping. Joy was looking for Thai pastes. Showed her all the ones in supermarket aisle. She said: “No Khun Helena, the flavour is not the same.” Kept moving till she found exactly the same pastes that you recommend! We bought up big! We lived and worked in Asia for years and it’s a frustrating effort to find the just right recipies/ingredients in Oz. You’ve nailed them! Thank you so much! 🙂

August 7, 2023 at 4:35 pm

Hi Nagi, how many would this serve as a main meal?

May 22, 2023 at 1:05 am

I am.planning on beef satay for a dinner party next week, but one of my guests is allergic to peanuts. Do you think I could use Chinese sesame paste or a cashew butter for the peanut sauce instead of peanut butter?

February 12, 2023 at 4:01 pm

February 4, 2023 at 11:51 am

November 8, 2022 at 8:58 pm

October 6, 2022 at 2:05 pm

Amazing! Loved this and wish I had made sooner. Can I freeze the left over sauce?

September 17, 2022 at 3:21 pm

September 16, 2022 at 2:58 am

July 2, 2022 at 6:14 am

May 30, 2022 at 1:59 pm

Hi Nagi. Great looking recipes. However, what do Ypres do or substitute all the sugar and the salt contents of these beautiful dishes? An up suggestions

May 10, 2022 at 6:28 pm

Great recipe, so authentic and tasty Quick question, would you be able to freeze the leftover peanut sauce?

May 2, 2022 at 11:28 pm

May 4, 2022 at 4:02 pm

No problem Ted! I am glad you liked it! N x

May 1, 2022 at 3:09 pm

May 2, 2022 at 5:49 pm

I’m glad that worked out for you Shampayne! N x

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Grilled Beef Satay Recipe

I really hate that I still have food hang-ups. Don't get me wrong, the Josh from five years ago would marvel at what the Josh of today includes in his diet, but I still have such a long way to go to be the eater I aspire to. One of those absolutely silly things I've never been able to get over is peanut sauce . I love peanut butter, I love meat, but for some reason if the two were put together, it's not going in my mouth. It came time to crush this aversion into oblivion, and these beef satay skewers did just the trick.

What I liked about this recipe was that so many ingredients I couldn't live without were mixed into the peanut butter, and likewise, the sauce had an Asian flavor that I love. Also, the meat and sauce are served separately, which let me be in control of how much (or little) I wanted my skewers soaked in peanut butter. I could enjoy my meat even if I wasn't digging the sauce.

At first taste, I was a little apprehensive, as you would expect when eating something that your brain is telling you that you don't like. But by the end of the dish I was slathering that peanut sauce all over my beef . Not only was it delicious, but I couldn't imagine one without the other— the flavors worked so well as a whole . A triumph in taste and over my own psyche, this beef satay carried a heavy load and it performed outstandingly.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated .

Recipe Details

Ingredients

For the Peanut Sauce:

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup hot water

2 tablespoons lime juice from 1 to 2 limes

2 tablespoons sriracha

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh  cilantro leaves

1 medium garlic clove , minced

2 scallions , white and green parts, sliced thin

For the Satay:

1 large whole flank steak (about 2 pounds )

1/8 cup fish sauce

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

2 medium garlic cloves , minced

4 scallions , white and green parts, sliced thin

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Whisk peanut butter and hot water together in medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients for the peanut sauce; transfer to serving bowl and set aside.

Freeze flank steak for 30 minutes until firmed up. While the steak is is in the freezer, combine the fish sauce, oil, chili sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, garlic, and scallions in a small bowl. Remove from the freezer and slice the steak across grain on a bias into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Place the steak in a Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade, seal and toss to evenly distribute; open and reseal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Weave meat onto individual skewers and lay flat in shallow container.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over the charcoal grate. Alternatively, set all the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place the skewers on the grill and cook until the meat is cooked through and is lightly charred around edges, about 7 minutes, flipping them over halfway through grilling. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with the peanut sauce.

• Grilled Beef
• Flank Steaks
• Peanut Butter

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How to Make Beef Satay

This beef satay recipe is the main course-size version of a fabulous Thai appetizer: strips of beef marinated in Asian spices, skewered, and grilled for a truly amazing combination of flavors. With grilling season still in full swing, you can never have enough new and exciting ways to enjoy beef. Serve with my peanut dipping sauce .

Ingredients

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup fish sauce

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 2-inch piece of fresh lemon grass (white part only)

2 pounds beef top sirloin, trimmed

4 12-inch long metal skewers

Whisk together brown sugar, fish sauce, garlic, onion, oil, soy sauce, coriander, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl until smooth.

Bruise lemongrass by hitting it lightly several times with the back of a large chef's knife; mince lemongrass and add to marinade.

Cut beef sirloin into strips about 2 1/2-inches long and 1/8 inch-thick. Stir beef into marinade until beef is completely coated, about 1 minute. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grate.

Remove beef from marinade and shake off excess marinade. Thread 1/4 of the meat onto each metal skewer. Discard remaining marinade.

Arrange skewers on the preheated grill; cook until meat stops sticking to the grill, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip skewers and continue cooking until meat is well browned and shows grill marks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Flip skewers once more; cook until meat is still slightly pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer skewers to a platter; let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Powered by the ESHA Research Database © 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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By James Oseland

Sate Sapi <r> Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from James Oseland's book Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It was originally accompanied by Lemongrass-Shallot Sambal and was part of an article by Oseland on Indonesian cuisine.

There are few more dependable sounds in Indonesia than the rhythmic rat-a-tat-tat-tat of satay vendors who roam the streets and alleys of every town and village announcing their presence with a wooden stick rapped against their portable grills. When a customer approaches, the satay men set up their makeshift kitchens—a tiny grill, a basket containing the already skewered meat, a fan to breathe life into the fire—on the spot, grilling skewers of meat to order. The smoky-sweet aroma is irresistible, and, soon neighbors can't help but gather to order some for themselves.

This recipe is from Jimi, a West Javanese street vendor with a languid smile. Over the course of three hot nights back in the 1980s, on an extended stay in Bogor, West Java, I watched him grill petite skewers of this delicious satay as he made his rounds. Eventually I worked up the courage to ask him for his recipe, which he gladly shared. Ginger, coriander, and palm sugar (dark brown sugar can be substituted) are the keynote tastes. The tamarind in the marinade acts as a powerful tenderizer, making even very chewy meat tender, so it's important to use a somewhat toothsome piece of beef, such as flank steak or skirt steak. If you start with tender meat, the marinade is likely to make it mushy.

For a skewerless satay, try using this marinade for a whole piece of flank steak, then broil the meat as you would for London broil.</r>

Ingredients

Makes about 20 skewers

For the marinade:

For the satay:, preparation.

1. To make the marinade, place the tamarind pulp in a small nonreactive bowl and mix it with 3 tablespoons of very warm water. Let the tamarind pulp rest until it softens, 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze and massage the softened tamarind pulp through your fingers, loosening the fruit's soft auburn-colored pulp from the shiny black seeds, brittle brown skin shards, and sinewy bits of string. With your fingers, remove all the solid pieces from the liquid and discard them; all that will remain is a thick caramel-colored extract. Set the tamarind extract aside.

2. Place the coriander seeds in a small food processor. Pulse until the coriander is well ground and dusty, about 2 minutes. (Don't remove the coriander from the food processor at this point — you're going to grind it again along with the other flavoring-paste ingredients.)

3. Add the tamarind extract, shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, palm sugar, oil, and salt to the food processor. Pulse until you have a smooth paste the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes. (If the paste does not purée properly and repeatedly creeps up the side of the food processor instead of grinding, add up to 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, periodically turning the processor off and, with a spoon, scraping the unground portions down toward the blade as you go.) Transfer the blended marinade into a nonreactive bowl large enough to hold the beef.

4. Slice the beef into long, 1/4-inch-thick strips against (not with) the grain of the meat, as you would if carving a cooked piece of London broil. The pieces should be no wider than 1 inch.

5. Add the sliced beef to the bowl and combine it well with the marinade, making sure that every piece is coated. Allow the beef to marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

6. Thread the beef strips onto the presoaked bamboo skewers, weaving the point of each skewer through the center of the beef every 1/4 inch to make sure it holds tight and remains secure while it cooks. Use 1 to 4 pieces of beef per skewer, depending on how long the pieces are, making sure that the beef extends from the tip to the middle of the skewer. Leave plenty of room so you can grab the skewer at the bottom — the meat should not extend from one end to the other.

7A. To cook the beef on a grill, first prepare a medium-hot wood charcoal fire and oil the grill rack liberally. When the fire is hot (this may take up to 20 minutes), place each skewer on the grill, making sure that the beef, not the skewer, is directly over the heat. Grill the beef until it is cooked through and has begun to pick up a few crispy brown-black spots, about 2 to 5 minutes (depending on how hot the fire is). Turn the skewers over carefully and continue grilling until the other side is browned, another 2 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook the meat — it will dry out if you do. Test a piece by touching it with your finger. The beef should be firm, not squishy. Another way to test it is by cutting into the thickest point: It should be very faintly pink, neither blood-red nor gray.

7B. To broil the beef in the oven, preheat the broiler for at least 5 minutes and position the rack so that the satay skewers will be 3 inches from the heat source. Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place each skewer on the pan, arranging them so that the meat is in the center of the pan and the skewers slightly hang over the outside, and slide the pan into the broiler. Broil until the meat begins to turn golden brown and develops a few char spots, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn each piece over to brown the other side, an additional 5 to 6 minutes of broiling. Test a piece by touching it with your finger. The beef should be firm, not squishy. Another way to test it is by cutting into the thickest point: It should be very faintly pink, neither blood-red nor gray. If the surface doesn't char (your broiler or the distance from the flame may not allow it to), don't worry — as long as the meat is cooked through, the satay will taste wonderful. Do not overcook the meat; it will be unpleasantly dry.

8. Transfer to a serving dish and let the skewers rest for about 1 minute, until they are cool enough to handle. Serve immediately.

• Tamarind pulp is the pleasingly sour flesh of the tamarind fruit. It is sold in firm, one-pound rectangular blocks at Southeast Asian and Indian specialty markets. If you can't find it, it can be omitted from the recipe. • Turmeric, a member of the ginger family, is a rhizome (underground stem) native to the Malay Archipelago and often used in the region's flavoring pastes. Added to curries and stews, it imparts an appetizing golden color and musky, peppery flavor. Each rhizome is a roughly one-and-a-half- to three-inch-long, fingerlike nub with thin, golden-tan skin that closely resembles that of mature ginger and brown, narrow concentric rings running down its length. Fresh turmeric must be peeled before it is used. The flesh inside is a vivid carrot orange and has a sharp, pleasantly acrid smell. For easier handling, it is coarsely chopped or thinly sliced before being ground into flavoring pastes. Look for fresh turmeric at Southeast Asian and Indian specialty markets; it's also available frozen at many Southeast Asian markets. Dried, ground turmeric won't have as much depth of flavor, but may be substituted.

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Reviews (5)

Overall really liked this recipe, and so did the few guests at our socially distanced garden party. Lived in SE Asia for 5 years and the result was a reasonale imitation of the range you'll find there on the street and in restaurants. With our full-sized food processor we couldn't quite get the consistency quite right, but it still stuck to and flavored the beef quite well. Added a few chillies to give meat a slight kick and of course served it with peanut sauce (indonesian style). Strictly followed the quantities of the recipe and could have marinated another 100-200g of beef. Enjoy

This was a delicious summer dinner! I also added 2 T. of coconut aminos (soy sauce) and a dash of olive oil. It was a quick preparation with tamarind paste I had on hand and 1 t. of powdered turmeric instead of fresh. We served it with rice, a curry almond sauce, zucchini and fresh peaches. Divine!

Durango, CO

lovely aroma and very tender beef. Will certainly make it again!

The theory of making the satay works well, but the marinade just didn't taste good. The only substitution I made was to use dry turmeric (newly bought so as fresh as possible). The taste was blah, we won't be making this again.

Nice nice flavor. Using jarred tamarind concentrate worked very well. One suggestion: stroke most of the marinade off the slices of beef as you skewer them. I left too much on, and the meat was too wet to get any grill charring. But tasty!

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Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce

• Level: Intermediate
• Total: 2 hr 8 min
• Prep: 30 min
• Inactive: 1 hr 30 min
• Cook: 8 min
• Yield: about 20 skewers

Ingredients

Deselect All

1 cup peanut oil

3 stalks lemongrass, crushed

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried chile peppers

2 1/2 tablespoons Thai curry powder

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (can be purchased at most grocery stores)

3 pounds beef top round or flank, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips

Peanut Sauce, recipe follows

Peanut Sauce:

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

6 slices chile pepper, minced

1 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass

12 ounces water

Special equipment:

• Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow pan or bowl. Add beef and marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1 to 3 hours. Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Skewer the meat and then grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until the desired degree of doneness. Serve with peanut sauce.
• Heat peanut oil in a saute pan over low heat. Add garlic and "sweat" (cook until it softens and releases moisture but does not color) over low heat until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Add the chile peppers and continue to cook for another minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Adjust the consistency with additional water, if necessary.

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This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional. It has not been tested for home use.

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Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients  

• 1 pound boneless beef short ribs(or boneless chuck steak)
• 0.25 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 0.333333 cup light soy sauce
• 0.5 lime(juice of half a lime)
• 1 tablespoon ginger(finely minced)
• 2 cloves garlic(minced)
• 0.25 cup onion(finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 lime(juice of 1 lime)
• 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic(minced)
• 1 cup cabbage(shredded finely)
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime(cut into wedges)
• 0.25 cup peanuts(roasted and chopped)
• 1 jalepeno(thinly sliced)

Instructions 

• Cut the beef into strips about an inch wide, two inches long and ¼ inch thick. Place in a bowl.
• Mix marinade ingredients together.
• Pour marinade over the beef and mix well. Cover the bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge. While meat is marinating, soak 12 to 18 bamboo skewers in water to prevent them from burning on the grill.
• Make the peanut sauce by blending all the sauce ingredients together until thickened and set aside.
• Take the beef out of the fridge and thread three to four pieces with a bamboo skewer. Repeat for the rest of the beef.
• Grill the beef over high heat for two to three minutes per side in batches until all the beef is cooked off
• While grilling, baste meat with leftover marinade
• Serve the beef satay on a bed of shredded cabbage with a side of lime wedges and peanut sauce. Garnish with cilantro, sliced jalapenos and chopped peanuts.

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Have Butter Will Travel

• Low Carb Recipes

Published: Oct 21, 2022 by Erika Burt & Danielle Coonerty

Beef Satay Recipe

This beef satay recipe is the perfect quick and tasty weeknight dinner. It is an easy meal that is packed full of flavour. Your family will love this meal and you are going to want to add it to the weekly repertoire. This beef satay curry stores well in the fridge or freezer so is a great make ahead or meal prep option. Marinating the beef beforehand really enhances the flavour of the satay and means that even with a quick cook time you still end up with a delicious meal.

Simple weeknight beef recipes

We love using simple beef recipes for easy midweek meals. Minced beef or stir-fry strips are quick to cook, so perfect when you want dinner on the table quickly. Beef is also very versatile and can be used in a range of dishes and cuisines. We love to use beef to make burgers, meatballs, stir fry, curries, chilli and salads.

Here are some of our favourite beef dinner recipes;

What curry powder can I use to make satay?

We love to use Baba’s Meat Curry Powder in our beef satay recipe, as we love the flavour. We can purchase it at our local Asian supermarket, and you can also buy it online here . Baba’s is a Malaysian curry powder and does have a different flavour profile than traditional curry powder.

If you don’t have Baba’s meat curry powder available you can use any curry powder you have available. The flavour profile will be slightly different, but the beef satay recipe will still be delicious! We also like the Ayam brand curry powder , which tends to be more readily available.

Freezer-Friendly Meals in October

This month (October 2022), we are talking all new recipes featuring freezer-friendly meals! We will be sharing our favourite recipes, tips & tricks, ingredients and kitchen equipment on our  Facebook  page across October to help you create delicious, easy freezer-friendly meals at home.

We also send out monthly exclusive recipes for our email subscribers, make sure you sign up to our email newsletter below so you don’t miss out on the exclusive recipes.

Steps for making satay beef recipe

General tips for freezing meals

• Don’t put hot food in the freezer. Let your leftovers or meal prep meals cool down completely before popping in the freezer.
• If using ziplock or silicon bags lay them flat initially to freeze. Then once they are frozen you can stack them upright or in a pile to maximise space in your freezer.
• Don’t refreeze food. If you defrost meat you need to cook & eat it, do not pop defrosted food back in the freezer.
• Label it! It can be tricky to determine what your meals are once they are frozen, so label your meals and include the date you froze them for future reference.
• Freeze in portions so you only defrost what you need. We usually freeze dishes in 1 or 2 serve potions.

Tips for making satay beef curry

• Leftovers store well in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container. You can then defrost and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop (we prefer to reheat on the stovetop).
• We use Baba’s meat curry powder in this recipe, but any curry powder you have available will work. You can adjust the amount of curry powder to your taste preference.
• We like to use carrots and broccoli as the vegetables in our beef satay curry, but you can use any vegetables you prefer or have on hand. Zucchini, beans, baby spinach, cauliflower or pumpkin would all work well.

Suggestions for satay beef curry

• We like to serve this beef satay curry with cauliflower rice, steamed rice, steamed greens or roti/chapati.
• You can use chicken thigh or chicken breast strips instead of the beef stir-fry strips in this recipe if you prefer. You will just need to ensure the chicken is cooked through.
• Beef stir-fry strips are readily available in most Australian major supermarkets in the beef section, usually packaged in 500g packets.
• We like to steam the vegetables separately while cooking the onions and beef to make the cooking time faster. You can also cook the vegetables in the satay sauce, it just takes a little longer.

Make it low carb

• This dish is naturally low carb, you will just need to serve it with low carb sides. We recommend  cauliflower rice  (as we did in the photos),  cauliflower mash , and any steamed or roasted veggies.

Disclosure: The above post may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small commission from purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Everything we recommend on our website are products we use and love. Thank you for supporting Have Butter will Travel and allowing us to share our low carb experiences with you.

You may need –

• Large frying pan

This beef satay recipe is a great weeknight dinner, as it just takes 20 minutes to cook. The combination of creamy coconut milk and peanut butter with the crunchy veggies and curry flavour will be a winner with everyone in your family. As this beef satay recipe contains lots of veggies it can be a meal on it’s own, but you can also serve it with rice, cauliflower rice, roti or chapati.

If you like this recipe, please give it a 5 star rating.

If you like this recipe you may also like…

• Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl
• Mexican Chicken Salad
• Mexican tuna salad
• Tuna Salad without Mayo
• Panko Chicken
• Cream Cheese Pasta
• Lemon Chicken Marinade
• Mexican chicken marinade
• Smoked Chicken Salad
• Tandoori Chicken Salad

Ingredients

Beef marinade.

• 500 g beef stir-fry strips
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 head broccoli
• 1 large carrot
• 2 tbsp coconut or avocado oil
• 1 large brown onion, sliced
• 1-2 tbsp curry powder
• 400 ml coconut milk (1 can)
• ½ cup stock
• ¼ cup crunchy peanut butter
• coriander leaves to garnish

Instructions

• Combine the beef strips, ginger, garlic and salt and mix well. Place in an airtight container in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
• Prepare the veggies. Peel and thinly slice the carrot and cut the broccoli into small florets. Steam the carrot and broccoli in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• While the veggies are steaming, heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the oil.
• Once the pan is heated add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
• Add the curry powder (to your taste preference) and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring to release the fragrance.
• Turn the heat down and add the stock and coconut milk to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
• Once the sauce is simmering add the marinated beef strips. Simmer for 5-6 minutes while stirring to cook the beef.
• Add the peanut butter and stir to combine.
• Add the steamed veggies into the satay and stir to distribute. Allow to simmer to heat the veggies through.
• Once the veggies are heated through it is ready to serve. We like to garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

See ‘Make it low carb’ tips section for low carb alternatives

Nutrition per serve, more low carb recipes.

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Ingredients

Beef in Chinese recipes is generally cut into very fine slices. Put the beef into the freezer for 30 minutes to make slicing easy. Note

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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