Make Asian-style beef brochettes for an easy and delicious appetizer.
These beef brochettes are marinated in a delicious Asian-style sauce made with soy sauce, lemongrass, fish sauce, and more. Then, the beef skewers are grilled (in 5 minutes) and served with a peanut dipping sauce. This is an easy, protein packed appetizer that would be perfect for any casual or fancy get together.
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Whether you call them brochettes, pinchos, skewers, or kabobs, it doesn't matter. All that's important is that they're flavorful and delicious! These are one of my new favorite appetizers partially because they only need 5 minutes to cook, and partially because I can't stop eating them.
This beef brochette recipe is part of our hors d'oeuvres 101 series. If you need some delicious appetizers or hors d'oeuvres for upcoming parties, casual get togethers, or happy hour snacks, be sure to follow along with this series. Some of the recipes in the series include smoked salmon canapés, hummus platter, and no cook appetizer skewers.
What Are Brochettes
Brochettes are small skewers filled with beef, poultry, fish, shellfish, or vegetables. Typically, brochettes are marinated, then cooked (either on the grill or in the oven), and served with a dipping sauce.
When making brochettes, be sure to keep these things in mind:
- Decide whether you'd like to cut the meat or vegetables on the skewers in cubes or in long strips. Whatever you decide, make sure to keep the size consistent.
- Brochettes should be relatively small (toothpick size) when you're serving them as appetizers. I've found 3.5 inch toothpicks work great!
- Be sure to leave a small part of the skewer exposed on the end so people can easily pick them up and eat.
What is the Best Kind of Beef for Brochettes
For this brochette recipe, we're using beef. It's important to get the right type of beef when you're making kabobs, so here's what you need to look for.
When grilling kabobs (brochettes) it's important to select a cut of beef that's tender, something that doesn't have a lot of connective tissue. We need a cut of beef that cooks quickly, which means something like a sirloin steak.
How to Grill Brochettes
The key to getting tasty, well-cooked brochettes is making sure you don't overcook them on the grill. The sirloin steak used in this recipe only needs about 5 minutes to cook. Don't walk away from the grill or they will definitely cook too long.
I always encourage people to double check the internal temperature of the beef with a meat thermometer. Thermometers are cheap and will ensure you don't over or undercook the beef. You're shooting for an internal temperature of 125°F for a nice, rare brochette.
Also, be sure to soak your wooden skewers prior to threading the beef on them. Wooden skewers have a tendency to burn during cooking, and soaking for about an hour will help reduce this.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can't find sirloin steak or need a cheaper option, look for flat iron steak.
Fresh lemongrass is easy to cut. All you need to do is cut off the ends and remove the tough outer edges. Then, finely dice the inside of the lemongrass. Here's a video tutorial if you need some more help.
No. Generally, it is not recommended to marinate sirloin over 4 hours. Because there is acid in the marinate, it can begin to chemically cook the meat and destroy the protein structure. Avoid marinating the sirloin steak longer than 4 hours.
Yes, you can cook the sirloin beef slightly longer. However, I recommend not cooking it over medium rare (135°F).
Yes, the peanut dipping sauce can be made 24-48 hours ahead of time. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
I like serving these brochettes with some Jasmine rice and green beans.
Beef Brochettes
Ingredients
For the Beef Brochettes
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 green onions sliced on the bias, divided
- 2 stalks lemongrass tough outer layers removed, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 lbs beef top sirloin steak excess fat on outside removed, sliced into ½ x 4 inch strips
- ¼ cup unsalted peanuts roughly chopped, for garnish
For the Peanut Dipping Sauce
- ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
Instructions
For the Beef Brochettes
- To a large bowl add brown sugar, canola oil, red chili flakes, garlic, half of the sliced green onions, lemongrass, lime juice, and soy sauce. Mix until well combined. Add in sliced sirloin steak and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Meanwhile, soak 3.5 inch skewers or toothpicks for about 1 hour to help prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Thread marinated sirloin steak on skewers. Heat grill to high (around 425°F). Cook brochettes for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Test doneness by reading the internal temperature of the beef. It should read 125°F for rare doneness.
- Plate brochettes on a large platter. Garnish with remaining green onions and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately alongside peanut dipping sauce.
For the Peanut Dipping Sauce
- To a blender, add chili garlic sauce, ground ginger, lime juice, soy sauce, natural peanut butter, along with 3 tablespoons of water. Blend until everything is well incorporated, scraping down sides as needed. The sauce should easily fall off a spoon when you pick it up. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 additional tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Transfer sauce to a small bowl and serve alongside brochettes.
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