I think of this as one of my favorite easy week night meals. It takes less than 10 minutes to throw the marinade ingredients together, pour it over the steak the night before and let it do its thing in the fridge.
The theory behind velveting is that the egg white, cornstarch, and rice wine mixture coats the surface of the meat, locking in moisture and giving it a tender, velvety texture. Top sirloin is lean and doesn't have a lot of fat, but these steaks--thanks to the velveting--come out unbelievably juicy! Serve with rice or pasta to soak up the juices.
About Gochujang
Gochujang or red chili paste is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu, glutinous rice, meju powder, yeotgireum, and salt. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice, cultured with saccharifying enzymes during the fermentation process. It's like sriracha but has a deeper flavor profile with less vinegar and more sweetness. Gochujang is also less spicy than sriracha, so if you like sweet-spicy combinations then gochujang will be the perfect addition to your kitchen pantry. Gochujang is usually mixed with other ingredients to balance its intensity. You can thin it out with vinegar or oil to use as a sauce, or stir it into marinades, stews, stir-fries, salad dressings, and more.
About cooking steak
Nothing compares to grilling steak. If that is your means of choice, then you don’t need to read any further. Unfortunately, grilling is not always possible or easy for me and it is quicker to cook it in the kitchen.
That leaves broiling, roasting and stove-top. I rarely broil steaks because I can’t control them well under the heat. With steaks this thin, it is preferable to cook them stove-top, which is closer to grilling, without the addition of the coals. If you have a cast iron grill pan or skillet, this is the time to use it. Heat oil until very hot before adding the steak.
I usually double the butter recipe and keep half in the freezer for another meal. The result is a dynamic steak, bursting with flavor coated in melted Korean-flavored butter.
There are 2 different brands of Gochujang chili paste in this picture. The one on the left is obviously Mother-In-Law’s; the one on the far right is written in Korean. I forgot I had one when I purchased the second one. (Sound familiar?) They both take up much needed space in my fridge. They both have similiar spice levels. Read above for more info on them.
These thin steaks measure just a little over 1/4” thick. Marinating in a mixture of cornstarch, egg white and rice wine is called velveting.
Velvet Steak with Korean Chili Butter
Velvet Marinade:
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons rice wine (sake)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Steaks:
2 (8 ounce) top sirloin steaks
kosher salt to taste
Korean Chili Butter:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons Korean chili paste (gochujang), or to taste
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped green onions, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1.Whisk egg whites, cornstarch, rice wine, and soy sauce for marinade together in a bowl until very smooth and foamy.
2.Trim silver skin from sirloin steaks. Place steaks between 2 pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board and pound to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Transfer steaks to a rimmed plate and lightly sprinkle both sides with kosher salt.
3.Pour marinade over top and flip a few times to make sure steaks are well coated on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap, or transfer steaks and marinade to a zip-top bag, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours, flipping once or twice while marinating.
4.Mix butter, chili paste, salt, and green onions for chili butter together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust if needed. Set aside at either room temperature or in the refrigerator until needed.
5.Remove steaks from the refrigerator and toss a few more times in the marinade.
6. Cook over hot coals or heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and pan-fry until meat springs back to the touch and is medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 130 degrees F (54 degrees C).
7. Remove from heat and place steaks on warm plates. Let rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Top with chili butter and green onions.
Recipe adapted from John Mitzewich in Allrecipes.com
