Togarashi Beef Skewers with Sriracha Lime Mayo

A bit spicy, a bit sweet, and a whole lot of delicious, you are going to love these beef skewers.  Why?  Because they have delicious Asian flare, and miraculously do not blow a low sodium diet.

So this is one of those recipes that came about in a really round about way.  For the longest time I have wanted to make a low sodium sriracha lime mayonnaise, and I knew I was going to make some kind of beef skewers to dip into the mayo.  In my imagination the beef was totally secondary and the mayo was going to be the star of the show.  The reality turned out to be the opposite – the beef is definitely the star here with the mayo playing a supporting role.

I didn’t really know what I was going to do with the beef until I was in the grocery store.  I knew that I wanted some sugars so that they’d caramelize a bit on the grill.  I knew I wanted some heat, and something tangy (lime juice? rice vinegar?).   Then I came across a locally made togarashi spice in my grocery store.  I had never used togarashi (aka Japanese 7-spice), but after reading the ingredients I knew it would be perfect for the flavor I was after.

Side note – I used Silk Road Togarashi and it was amazing.  You can find other brands in your grocery store or online at places like Spices, Inc. (be sure to double check for sodium content).

The beef is super simple – just slice it thin and marinate it.  Then thread it on skewers and grill.

And don’t be scared of making your own mayonnaise.  It is really simple, I promise.  You start with some egg yolk and vinegar and begin whisking in oil just a little bit at a time until the mayo reaches the right consistency.  (I added some pictures at the end of this post to show you how the mayo should look as it gets thicker and thicker.)  You can whisk by hand, but I wouldn’t advise it unless you have amazing upper body strength and endurance.  You can also use a blender or an immersion blender if the liquid will cover the blades.  If not, you will need to use something else.  I use a whisk attachment on my immersion blender, but you can also use a simple hand mixer.

Togarashi Beef Skewers with Sriracha Lime Mayo

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SODIUM COUNT: 65 mg per serving (6 servings)

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

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For the Skewers:

• Zest from ½ lime ((you’ll use the rest of the zest in the mayo, so just zest the whole thing))
• Juice from ½ lime ((you’ll use the other half of the lime juice in the mayo))
• ½ cup cola
• 1 ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp togarashi ((AKA Japanese 7 spice))
• 1 ½ tsp brown sugar
• 1 pound top sirloin ((sliced into thin strips, about 1/4″))

For the Mayo:

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• Juice from ½ lime
• Zest from ½ lime
• 2 tsp sriracha

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Instructions

For the Beef:

1. I use 6 metal skewers for this recipe. If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water according to the package directions before you make the marinade.
2. Whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, cola, sesame oil, garlic powder, togarashi, and brown sugar.
3. Place the mixture into a quart-sized ziploc bag with the beef. Let the meat marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. (Make the mayo while you wait.)
4. Preheat the grill on medium high heat. While the grill is warming, thread the beef evenly across 6 skewers.
5. Place the skewers on the grill, rotating them periodically so that they cook evenly, approximately 4 minutes per side.

For the Mayo*:

1. In a medium bowl whisk** together the egg yolk with the rice vinegar. Slowly whisk in the oil, about 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture begins to thicken. At this stage you can slowly pour the oil in (while whisking) until it reaches a more firm texture (like mayonnaise).
2. Whisk in the garlic powder, lime juice, lime zest, and sriracha. Serve with the skewers (nutritional information is for 2 Tablespoons mayo per skewer).

Notes

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION – One of six skewers plus 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Sodium: 65.5 mg, Calories: 326.8, Total Fat: 24.3 g, Saturated Fat: 11.0 g, Cholesterol: 61.3 mg, Carbohydrates: 3.2 g, Fiber: 0.0 g, Sugar: 3.1 g, Protein: 23.3 g.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION – One of six skewers without mayonnaise
Sodium: 51.4 mg, Calories: 159.3, Total Fat: 5.6 g, Saturated Fat: 1.8 g, Cholesterol: 43.9 mg, Carbohydrates: 3.0 g, Fiber: 0.0 g, Sugar: 3.0 g, Protein: 23.1 g.

*This makes about twice as much mayonnaise as you will need for the skewers. Use the excess on sandwiches or try dipping grilled chicken or other meats in in. It will last for about 5 days in the fridge.

**You can whisk by hand, but I wouldn’t advise it unless you have amazing upper body strength and endurance. You can also use a blender or an immersion blender if the liquid will cover the blades. If not, you will need to use something else. I use a whisk attachment on my immersion blender, but you can also use a simple hand mixer.

Mayonnaise Process:

Here’s the start of the mayo, with the egg yolk + vinegar + a bit of oil.

Here’s step two, a little more oil…

And a little more…

The color will get just a bit lighter as you whisk in more and more oil.

Almost there…

And finally, the finished product!