Upgrade Basic Steak With One Tangy Ingredient

For meat lovers, there's something truly unbeatable about a perfectly seared, juicy, tender pink steak seasoned simply with salt and pepper, the feeling of pure satisfaction coming with each bite is just divine. But if you're looking to elevate the flavors and add some more excitement, especially since too many bites of that rich, fatty meat can become a bit overwhelming, kimchi is the answer. This tangy ingredient brings a sort of balance you might not have realized was missing that can make each bite of a basic steak even more enchanting.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish rich in probiotics and remains essential to Korean cuisine. Fermented with ingredients like salt, scallions, garlic, ginger, chili powder, sugar, fish sauce or shrimp paste, and gochujang, kimchi has a vibrant, spicy, and tangy flavor with a hint of funkiness from fermentation. The dish is now appreciated worldwide and is lining grocery store shelves across the U.S. Made with different vegetables, including napa cabbage, radish, and scallions, kimchi can be enjoyed as a side dish, stir-fried, or added to soups and stews.

In Korean cuisine, kimchi has always paired well with meat, especially beef and steak cuts. If you've ever been to a Korean barbecue, you'll notice it's always served with an assortment of unlimited kimchi. Diners savor their sizzling meat, like beef bulgogi or marinated and unmarinated steak cuts, with kimchi, often alternating bites or wrapping them together in lettuce leaves with slices of chili and garlic along with various dipping sauces. Today, we'll show you the many ways to incorporate the flavorful kimchi into your steak for a powerful kick.

The easiest and most straightforward way to enjoy grilled steak with kimchi is simply to serve it alongside a side of kimchi cabbage. This pairing works especially well with fattier cuts like ribeye or New York strip; the tanginess and spiciness of the refreshing kimchi perfectly complement the rich, buttery flavors of these cuts.

You can also make a kimchi sauce to pair with your steak, and there are two styles you can give it a try. You can create a kimchi pan sauce if pan-frying your steak. Save the butter that basted your steak, discard the herbs and garlic, then add a half cup of beef or chicken broth along with one or two tablespoons of kimchi juice and some optional chopped kimchi cabbage. Simmer on low heat until thickened to a glaze-like consistency, then pour over your steak and enjoy! Another option is to make a separate kimchi sauce to accompany your steak. Mix some kimchi juice, finely chopped kimchi cabbage, a drizzle of sesame oil, a little bit of maple syrup to balance out the acidity, and a big spoonful of mayonnaise, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. This finger-licking sauce is excellent for dipping and goes especially well with leaner cuts like flank or filet mignon, adding depth and complexity to each bite.

If you're in the mood for steak stir-fry instead of a large, chunky steak, try incorporating some kimchi as well. Roughly chop some kimchi cabbage and add it to a savory soy-butter steak stir-fry, let the heat release all the aromas, and you're sure to love it!