Description
Crying tiger beef showcases Thailand’s bold culinary spirit with tender grilled meat and zesty nam jim jaew sauce. Spicy, tangy flavors dance across your palate, inviting you to savor an authentic street food experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) ribeye, sirloin, or flank steak
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsps fish sauce (for nam jim jaew)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste (or more lime juice if unavailable)
- 1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp toasted rice powder
- 1 tbsp chili flakes
- 1 small shallot, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp chopped green onions
Instructions
- Marinade Preparation: Whisk marinade ingredients in a non-reactive container, blending salty, sweet, and aromatic elements to create a complex flavor profile.
- Meat Marination: Thoroughly coat beef, ensuring complete coverage and deep flavor penetration, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Temperature Equalization: Remove beef from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking, allowing it to reach room temperature for uniform heat distribution.
- Cooking Surface Preparation: Heat grill or heavy skillet to high temperature, creating optimal conditions for caramelization and searing.
- Meat Searing: Carefully place marinated beef on hot surface, developing a golden-brown crust while maintaining internal tenderness, cooking 3-5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Resting and Cutting: Allow cooked beef to rest 5-7 minutes for juice redistribution, then slice against the grain into thin, elegant strips.
- Serving Presentation: Plate immediately with nam jim jaew sauce, garnishing with fresh herbs to enhance the authentic Thai culinary experience.
Notes
- Optimize Marination Time: Longer marination (2-4 hours) intensifies flavor complexity, allowing seasonings to deeply penetrate the meat’s fiber structure.
- Manage Heat Precision: High heat is crucial for creating a perfect caramelized exterior while maintaining a juicy, tender beef interior; watch temperature carefully to prevent burning.
- Master Meat Cutting Technique: Always slice beef against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness, reducing meat fiber resistance and creating melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Customize Dietary Adaptations: Swap beef with plant-based protein alternatives like portobello mushrooms or tofu for vegetarian version, adjusting marinade and cooking time accordingly for similar flavor profile and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (+ marinating)
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg