Teriyaki Beef: The One That Made Me Question My Life Choices
See this Teriyaki Beef
When people first started ordering am from me
I thought am just like suya
You know
Meat
Fire
Pepper
Done
But omo
I was so wrong
Teriyaki beef na different animal entirely
The first time I tried to make am for a client
The beef came out tough
Like chewing on shoe leather
The sauce was either too salty or too sweet
Nothing balance
And the color
Biko
The color
My beef looked like something wey dem dig out from ash
I was so ashamed
I almost refunded the client their money
But my pride wouldn’t let me
So I kept trying
And failing
And trying again
Until I finally figured am out
Now I can make this Teriyaki beef with my eyes closed
For weddings
For birthdays
For those rich people wey want to feel like dem dey eat for fancy restaurant
And let me tell you
When you get am right
This dish na money
How I First Heard About This Thing
It was 2018
Some woman called me for her husband’s birthday party
She said she wanted something different
Not the usual jollof and chicken
She said “Chef Oge, can you make Teriyaki Beef”
I said yes
Even though I had no idea what am was
I went home
Opened my phone
Started watching videos
The videos made am look so easy
Just slice meat
Mix sauce
Cook
Done
Simple
So the next day
I went to the market
Bought the beef
Bought soy sauce
Bought sugar
And started cooking
That day
I learned that nothing is ever as easy as am looks on YouTube
The beef was tough
The sauce was watery
The whole thing was a disaster
I called the client
I told her I needed more time
She said okay
So I spent the next three days practicing
And by the time the party came
I had something decent
Not perfect
But decent enough
The client was happy
The husband was happy
And I got paid
But I knew I could do better
So I kept practicing
And now
Years later
I can make this thing in my sleep
The Beef Wey Dey Stress Me
Let me tell you about the beef
This na where most people get am wrong
The first time
I used the beef wey I normally use for stew
That tough meat wey you need to cook for hours
The one with all the sinew and tendon
You know the one
Big mistake
That beef is for stew
Not for teriyaki
Teriyaki needs tender meat
Meat wey can cook fast and still be soft
So now
I use sirloin
Or ribeye
Or even tenderloin if the client is paying well
The key na to look for meat with some fat
Not too much
But enough to keep the meat moist
That fat is what gives the beef flavor
Without am
The beef will be dry
And dry beef
Biko
Na waste of money
Another thing
You have to slice the beef properly
Against the grain
If you slice with the grain
The beef will be chewy
Even if you use the best cut
I learned this the hard way
My first batch
I sliced with the grain
And the meat was so chewy
My jaw was tired after just one piece
So now
I always look at the meat
See the lines
The direction of the grain
And I slice across those lines
Perpendicular
Not parallel
The Sauce Wey Nearly Finish Me
The sauce na the soul of this dish
If your sauce no balance
Your whole dish na waste
Traditional teriyaki sauce has four ingredients
Soy sauce
Mirin
Sake
Sugar
But finding mirin and sake for Nigeria
Omo
Not easy
So I had to figure out substitutes
For mirin
I use white wine with a little sugar
Or even just sugar and vinegar
For sake
I use dry white wine
Or a little bit of dry sherry if I can find am
But honestly
If you can’t find any of these
You can just use more sugar and a little vinegar
Am not exactly the same
But am close enough
The ratio is what matters
Too much soy sauce and your sauce too salty
Too much sugar and your sauce too sweet
Too much mirin and your sauce too thick and sticky
You need balance
Here’s what I use
Half cup soy sauce
Quarter cup mirin substitute
Quarter cup sake substitute
Two to three tablespoons brown sugar
Plus garlic
And ginger
The garlic and ginger are not traditional
But they add something
They make the sauce more interesting
For my first batch
I used white sugar instead of brown
The sauce came out too sweet
And the color was wrong
Brown sugar gives that deep rich color
And adds a little caramel flavor
So now
Brown sugar always
The Marinade Wey Dey Test My Patience
This na where patience comes in
You cannot rush the marinade
The first time I made this
I was in a hurry
I marinated the beef for only thirty minutes
And the beef had no flavor
The sauce was on the outside
But the inside of the meat was bland
Bland beef
Biko
Na waste
So now
I marinate for at least two hours
Overnight is better
The longer the beef sits in the marinade
The more flavor am absorbs
But there’s a catch
If you marinate for too long
The acid in the marinade can break down the meat too much
And the beef will become mushy
Mushy beef
Also waste
So I marinate for about four to six hours
That’s the sweet spot
I put the sliced beef in a bowl
Pour the marinade over am
Cover am
And put am in the fridge
I turn the beef a few times
Make sure all the pieces are coated
When I take am out
The beef should be dark
Glossy
Already smelling like teriyaki
The Cooking Wey Dey Give Me High Blood Pressure
Now this is where things get serious
You have two options for cooking teriyaki beef
Grilling or pan-frying
I prefer pan-frying for my events
Because I can control the heat better
And I can make the sauce right there in the pan
First thing
Take the beef out of the marinade
But don’t throw away the marinade
You’re going to use am to make the sauce
Pat the beef dry with paper towel
This is important
If the beef is wet
Am won’t brown properly
Am will steam instead of sear
And steamed beef
Biko
Na waste
Heat your pan on high heat
Add a little oil
Not too much
Just enough to coat the bottom of the pan
When the oil is hot
Add the beef in a single layer
Don’t overcrowd the pan
If you put too much beef at once
The temperature will drop
And the beef will cook in its own juice instead of searing
You want that nice brown crust on the outside
That crust is where the flavor is
Cook the beef for about two to three minutes on each side
For medium rare
A little longer if you want am well done
But I prefer medium
The beef should be slightly pink in the middle
When the beef is cooked
Take am out of the pan
And set am aside
Now comes the sauce part
Pour the reserved marinade into the pan
Add a little more soy sauce if you want
And some cornstarch mixed with water to thicken am
Bring am to a boil
Scrape the bottom of the pan to get all those brown bits
That’s where the flavor is
Let the sauce reduce and thicken
This takes about three to four minutes
When the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon
Add the beef back to the pan
Toss am in the sauce
Make sure every piece is coated
The beef should be shiny and glossy
That’s the teriyaki look
The Vegetables Wey Dey Make Am Beautiful
You need vegetables with this dish
The beef alone is too heavy
Too rich
You need something fresh and crunchy to balance am
I usually serve with steamed broccoli
And carrots
And bell peppers
The colors look beautiful on the plate
And the vegetables add texture
For the broccoli
I steam am until am bright green
Still crunchy
Not soft and mushy
For the carrots
I slice am thinly
Or I cut am into matchsticks
For the bell peppers
I slice am into strips
I sometimes stir-fry the vegetables quickly in the same pan after cooking the beef
Just for a minute or two
So they pick up some of the sauce flavor
But I don’t overcook them
I want them to still have that crunch
The Rice Wey Dey Complete Everything
You cannot serve teriyaki beef without rice
White rice is the traditional choice
But for my events
I sometimes use fried rice
Or even cauliflower rice for the health-conscious people
For white rice
I use jasmine or basmati
Am fragrant
Am fluffy
And am the perfect base for the saucy beef
I cook the rice with a little salt
And sometimes I add a bay leaf or a piece of ginger for extra flavor
When the rice is done
I fluff am with a fork
And serve am on the side
Or I put the beef on top of the rice
With the vegetables on the side
The sauce soaks into the rice
And every bite is delicious
The Garnish Wey Dey Make Am Fancy
You need garnish for this dish
Am not just for looks
The garnish adds freshness and color
I use sesame seeds
And chopped green onions
And sometimes a sprinkle of chili flakes for those who like heat
The sesame seeds add crunch
And a nutty flavor
The green onions add freshness
And a little bite
The chili flakes add heat
But only a little
I toast the sesame seeds before sprinkling them
Toast them in a dry pan for a minute or two
Until they start to pop and smell nutty
Then I sprinkle them over the beef
The Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To
Let me tell you about my mistakes
All of them
So you can avoid them
First mistake
Not slicing the beef properly
I sliced with the grain
And the beef was tough and chewy
Now I always slice against the grain
Second mistake
Overcooking the beef
I thought the beef needed to be well done
But teriyaki beef is best medium
Slightly pink in the middle
Now I cook am for two to three minutes per side
No more
Third mistake
Not drying the beef before cooking
The beef was wet
And am steamed instead of searing
No browning
No flavor
Now I always pat the beef dry with paper towel
Fourth mistake
Not reserving enough sauce
I used all the marinade for the beef
And had nothing left for the sauce
Now I always set aside some marinade before adding the beef
Fifth mistake
Overcrowding the pan
The beef was crowded
And am steamed instead of searing
Now I cook in batches
One layer at a time
Sixth mistake
Not thickening the sauce properly
The sauce was thin and watery
And wouldn’t coat the beef
Now I use cornstarch slurry
And let the sauce reduce until thick
Seventh mistake
Slicing the beef too thin
The beef cooked too fast
And became dry and tough
Now I slice am about quarter inch thick
Not too thin
Not too thick
Eighth mistake
Using regular soy sauce
The sauce was too salty
And the color was off
Now I use dark soy sauce
The flavor is richer
And the color is deeper
The Time Wey You Need
This dish takes time
From start to finish
About two hours
But most of that time is marinating
The actual cooking takes about fifteen minutes
So plan ahead
Start marinating the beef in the morning
And cook am in the evening
If you’re in a hurry
Marinate for at least thirty minutes
But the flavor won’t be as good
The marinade needs time to penetrate the meat
The People Wey This Can Feed
This recipe serves about four to six people
Depending on how hungry dem be
For events
I make double or triple the recipe
Because people always want more
The beef is the star
So make sure you have enough
The Questions Wey People Always Ask Me
Can I use chicken instead of beef
Yes
But the cooking time is different
Chicken cooks faster
And you need to make sure am fully cooked
Also the marinade works the same way
Can I freeze the leftover sauce
Yes
The sauce freezes well
Just put am in a container
And freeze am for up to three months
Thaw am in the fridge before using
Can I use this marinade for other meats
Yes
I’ve used am for pork
And shrimp
And even tofu
The marinade works for everything
What if I don’t have mirin or sake
Use white wine with a little sugar
Or use apple juice
Or use a little vinegar and sugar
The flavor won’t be exactly the same
But am close
How do I store leftovers
Put the beef and sauce in a container
Store am in the fridge for up to three days
Reheat am in a pan
Not the microwave
The microwave makes the beef tough
Can I grill the beef instead of pan-frying
Yes
Grilling adds a smoky flavor
Just cook am over medium-high heat
About three to four minutes per side
Baste am with the sauce while grilling
How do I make the sauce thicker
Use cornstarch slurry
Mix one tablespoon cornstarch with two tablespoons water
Add am to the sauce
And stir until thick
What if I don’t have brown sugar
Use white sugar with a little molasses
Or use honey
The flavor will be different
But am still work
The Secrets Wey Nobody Told Me
Let me tell you some secrets
Things I discovered by accident
Or things other chefs told me
First secret
Use dark soy sauce
Not regular soy sauce
Dark soy sauce has richer flavor and darker color
Am makes the sauce look more beautiful
Second secret
Add a little honey
Honey adds sweetness and shine
And am helps the sauce stick to the beef
Third secret
Don’t skip the garlic and ginger
They add depth
They make the sauce more interesting
Fourth secret
Let the beef rest after cooking
Just like you rest chicken or turkey
The juices need to settle
If you cut am immediately
All the juices will run out
And the beef will be dry
Fifth secret
Make extra sauce
People always want more sauce
Especially to put on their rice
I always make double the sauce
So there’s plenty to go around
Sixth secret
Serve the beef immediately
The sauce will start to thicken as it cools
And the beef will start to dry out
Teriyaki beef is best hot and fresh
Seventh secret
Don’t be afraid of the heat
The pan needs to be really hot
That’s how you get the sear
That’s how you get the flavor
Eighth secret
Taste as you go
Don’t just follow the recipe blindly
Taste the sauce
Adjust the seasoning
Make am your own
The Truth About This Dish
Teriyaki beef is not complicated
But am not easy either
Am one of those dishes that looks simple
But requires attention to detail
You need to slice the beef properly
Marinate am for the right amount of time
Cook am at the right temperature
And make the sauce with the right balance
If you rush
The beef will be tough
The sauce will be thin
And the dish will be disappointing
But if you take your time
And follow the steps
The result is beautiful
Tender beef with shiny
Glossy sauce
Served with rice and vegetables
A dish that looks and tastes like am from a restaurant
My Final Word
This dish na show stopper
When I serve am for events
People always go crazy for am
They take pictures
They ask for the recipe
They want to know where I learned to cook am
And I just smile
And tell them am simple
Just follow the steps
Don’t rush
And pay attention to the details
If you can do that
Your teriyaki beef will be sweet
Better than the ones dem dey sell for restaurant
So try am
Mess am up
Try again
And when you finally get am right
Serve am to your family
Or your friends
And watch their faces
That feeling
Na the reason I keep cooking
One more thing
If you’re making this for a party
Make extra
People always want more
And when they finish am
They will be asking you when you’re making am again
Alright
I’ve said enough
Go and make your teriyaki beef
And if you mess up
That’s okay
I messed up too
We all mess up
Just try again
Practice makes perfect
And soon
You’ll be making teriyaki beef like a pro
