Food Ingredients Meat + Poultry Beef Beef Poke 4.3 (3) 3 Reviews A unique take on traditional Hawaiian poke, succulent beef pieces, fresh tomatoes, and sweet onion slices are tossed in glossy soy sauce mixture sweetened with brown sugar. By Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia is a recipe developer and tester for Dotdash Meredith with a focus on baking and pastry as well as a passion for all things food-related. She has developed over 1,200 recipes, which have appeared both in magazines, online, and in cookbooks alike. She is a former Baking and Pastry Editor with experience in food styling, video production, and crafting culinary curriculum for more than a dozen culinary and lifestyle brands. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 3, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Yield: 4 servings Jump to recipe In Hawaiian, poke means “to cut crosswise,” referring to the small pieces of raw fish that usually go into the popular Hawaiian dish. Steve Balantac, sous chef at Hula Grill Waikiki, puts a heartier spin on the classic poke, combining seared chunks of prime rib, sweet Maui onions, and crushed kukui nuts (candlenuts) with a savory-sweet sauce. “We wanted meat lovers to experience what fish lovers enjoy so much about poke,” explains Paul Rivera, Balantac’s executive chef. Here's the Difference Between Hawai'i's Local Food and Hawaiian Food, Plus How Spam Fits Into All of It Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen The F&W Test Kitchen’s adaptation of the dish pays homage to the raw roots of poke, quickly searing beef tenderloin steaks for a browned exterior while keeping the interior extra rare. The lightly seared succulent beef is combined with sweet onion and tomatoes (which lend a fresh sweetness) and with crunchy bites of fried garlic and macadamia nuts, and each spoonful is tossed in a glossy soy sauce dressing. It’s a satisfying meal that takes just 30 minutes of active cooking — the answer to the call of hunger after a bit too much sun. Serve this steak poke bowl on its own or with sushi rice, prawn crackers, or lettuce wraps. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 1/4 pound (1-inch-thick) beef tenderloin steaks (3 to 4 steaks, see Note) 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon canola oil 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons mirin 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise 2/3 cup sliced sweet onion 1/3 cup sliced scallions, plus more for garnish 3 tablespoons roughly chopped salted roasted macadamia nuts, plus more for garnish 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Fried garlic, for garnish (such as Maesri) Lime wedges, for serving Directions Place steaks on a plate, and season evenly with salt. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature 1 hour. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over high until shimmering. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Add steaks to skillet; cook 2 minutes per side. Turn and sear edges of steaks until browned, about 1 minute. Remove steaks from skillet, and transfer to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Wipe skillet clean. Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon garlic in skillet; bring to a simmer over medium, whisking and scraping bottom of skillet. Simmer, whisking constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens to a loose, syrup-like consistency, 15 to 30 seconds. Cut steaks into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir together steak, tomatoes, sweet onion, scallions, macadamia nuts, lime juice, soy sauce mixture, and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic in a medium bowl until combined. Garnish with fried garlic and additional scallions and macadamia nuts. Serve with lime wedges. Note Blue steak, or extra-rare steak, has an almost entirely red center with a completely seared top, bottom, and sides. Purchase high-quality tenderloin steaks with no large patches of gristle or fat for peak tenderness. Suggested pairing Vivid but not-too-tannic red: Avennia Lydian GSM Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, August 2023 Rate It Print