Beef satay is a popular Southeast Asian dish but my Easy Air fryer Beef Satay with Nut-Free Dipping Sauce is a simplified version that you can air fry or grill or broil. Regardless of the cooking method, everyone will ask for seconds so make double batches!
Beef satay is an East Asian recipe that most people serve with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. But for those of you on the Paleo diet or has peanut allergies, it may be prohibitive. So I created this simple Paleo recipe without the peanut sauce but instead, with Sriracha Aioli made with homemade Mayonnaise.
Intro
Satay, grilled meat on skewers, is a popular dish from Southeast-Asia. It is thought to be from Java, Indonesia, and variations of the dish spread to the surrounding countries including Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Satay can be made with chicken, goat, pork, beef, or even tofu and served with satay sauce made with soy and peanut sauce.
The original satay recipe uses turmeric and lemongrass, but for this version, I simplified the recipe without sacrificing flavors, so you can use the spices you already have in the cupboard and the fridge.
Pro Tips
This recipe uses flank or skirt steak since it is a leaner cut. Tenderize the meat and marinate for at least an hour at room temperature or 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
If you prefer other types of meat, you can use any of the following:
Chicken: tenderize tenderloin portion of the chicken breasts into ½" thick pieces in between parchment paper. Marinate at least for an hour and put them on skewers before cooking.
Shrimp: shrimp satay is one of our favorites. It cooks very quickly, and we love the flavors. You can either use shelled or shrimp with shells on.
Pork: similar to chicken, use the tenderloin pork for a lean cut and tenderize the meat before marinating it for at least 4 hours or overnight for a richer flavor.
FAQ
What kinds of skewers do you recommend?
The original skewers that were used for satay were either coconut fronds or bamboo soaked in water so they don't burn or splinter. You can also use metal skewers since metal skewers are reusable and you don't need to soak them. I like flat metal skewers, instead of round types so the food stay on and don't rotate while cooking.
If you don't have skewers, you can place the meat pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer and then, move them around after 4 -5 minutes so they are cooked evenly. If you are grilling, you can drape the meat across the grates so they don't fall in between or use a grill basket. And for broiling,
Satay is originally for meats like beef, pork or chicken. But if you prefer vegetables, you can certainly use hardy vegetables you can put on skewers. My favorite vegetables to air fry or grill are zucchinis, broccolis, peppers, and mushrooms
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Recipe
Recipe
Easy Air Fryer Beef Satay with Sriracha Aioli
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak cut across the grain in 3" by 6" pieces
- 1½ c coconut aminos or Tamari
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon black-strap molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon grated onion
Sriracha Aioli
- ½ c homemade mayo
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Instructions
- Cut the flank steak across the grain in 1⁄4-inch thick and 3- by 6-inch pieces.
- With a meat tenderizer, flatten out the meat on a cutting board.
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut aminos, fish sauce, molasses, coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground black pepper, grated ginger, garlic, and onion.
- Add the meat and mix the seasonings into the meat.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to an hour.
For Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F.
- Put the meat pieces onto skewers.
- Place the skewers in the basket in a single layer and set the timer for 9 minutes.
- Cook the meat in batches until all of them are cooked or the color turns opaque.
- Serve immediately with Sriracha Aioli.
BBQ Grill
- Turn on the grill and preheat to 400 deg.
- Meanwhile, put the meat pieces onto the skewers. Place the beef satay skewers on a single layer on the grill, and brush the sauce on top.
- Grill for 2 minutes and then, turn over and brush with remaining sauce. Grill for one minute.
- Transfer the beef satay skewers onto a serving platter and serve immediately with Sriracha Aioli.
Broiler
- Turn on the broiler.
- Meanwhile, put the meat pieces onto skewers while the broiler is preheating.
- Place the skewers on the rack of a broiler pan.
- Brush the sauce on the meat, and place the rack under the broiler on the top rack of the oven. Broil for 1-2 minutes while watching carefully to make sure the meat doesn't burn.
- Turn the meat over and broil for another 1 minute. Turn over the meat one last time for 1 minute.
- Transfer the beef satay to a serving platter and serve immediately with Sriracha Aioli.
Notes
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