Gochujang Honey Beef Skewers with Sesame and Lime
Gochujang, honey and soy give these beef skewers a glossy, savoury glaze with steady chilli warmth. Sesame and lime sharpen the finish, making them especially good for a barbecue spread with rice, crunchy cucumber salad or charred greens.
Ingredients
- 700 g beef sirloin or rump steak cut into 3cm cubes
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 8 metal skewers or 4 large skewers
For the marinade
- 3 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp gochugaru or mild chilli flakes
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
To finish
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 spring onions finely sliced
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 small handful coriander roughly chopped, optional
Instructions
Make the gochujang honey marinade
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, lime juice, brown sugar, gochugaru and black pepper until smooth and glossy.
Coat the beef
- Add the beef cubes to the bowl and turn them thoroughly so every piece is covered. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours. If you’re short on time, 30 minutes still gives a good result, but the flavour won’t sink in quite as fully.
Prepare the barbecue
- Set your BBQ for two-zone cooking, one side hot and direct, the other side a little gentler. Clean the grates and oil them lightly. Take the beef from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking so it loses a bit of that fridge chill.
Thread the skewers
- Thread the beef onto skewers, leaving tiny gaps between pieces rather than packing them tightly. That small space helps the heat move around the meat and gives better caramelisation.
Grill the skewers
- Place the skewers over the hot side of the barbecue and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Turn regularly so the glaze catches and darkens without scorching. Move them to the cooler zone if the edges start colouring too fast.
Baste for extra shine
- During the last couple of minutes, brush over any remaining marinade that has not touched raw beef, or use a small reserved portion made separately. Let it bubble briefly on the meat so it turns sticky and glossy.
Rest and finish
- Transfer the skewers to a tray and rest for 4 to 5 minutes. Scatter over toasted sesame seeds, spring onions and coriander, then squeeze over a little fresh lime just before serving.
Notes
Gochujang varies more than people realise. Some tubs are deeply savoury and almost malty, others are sweeter and sharper. I always taste a little before mixing the marinade, then adjust the honey or lime accordingly. If your gochujang is on the sweeter side, pull the honey back by half a tablespoon. If it’s fierce, a touch more honey softens it nicely without flattening the flavour.
For the beef, I reach for sirloin when I want a slightly softer bite and rump when I want more chew and a stronger beef flavour. Both work well as long as the cubes are evenly cut. Try not to go too lean, because a little marbling helps the meat stay succulent over direct heat. Fresh lime matters here too. Bottled juice can taste flat and misses that bright, sharp lift that wakes up the glaze.
Nutrition
Calories: 426kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 34gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 812mgPotassium: 612mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 410IUCalcium: 38mgIron: 3.9mg
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