Indonesian Beef Satay Skewers

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Tender pieces of marinated beef grilled on skewers, this Beef Satay is easy to make and perfect served with a creamy, tangy peanut sauce.

This recipe was originally published in May 2017. It has been updated for content and photos. To see the old (terrible) photo, scroll down below the recipe card at the bottom!

Tangy tamarind, umami packed fish sauce and soy sauce, citrusy lemongrass and spices is what gives this Beef Satay recipe it's incredible flavor. Savory and tangy, with just a touch of sweet, these beef skewers are just plain incredible.

Using a slightly fibrous cut of beef (see below for some recommendations), the marinade breaks down the fibers and makes for ultra tender, juicy pieces of flavorful beef. Dip it in a SUPER easy to make homemade peanut sauce, and this meal will leave a smile on your face that lasts for days.

This has been one of our favorite meals in a while. Not that we haven't enjoyed others, but this is the kind of meal that leaves you eyeing the plate of skewers to make sure no one else gets to them before you. Kind of the same way we felt about this Beef Rendang.

What is Beef Satay? 

Beef satay is a popular dish throughout Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia, most popularly served by street vendors. It is bite sized pieces of beef (or chicken, pork, tofu, etc.) marinated in spices and seasoning, skewered then grilled. You may also like these Thai Shrimp Skewers.

Traditional satay recipes are served with a fresh peanut sauce for dipping. It's perfect as an appetizer, but also great served as a main dish.

This Bak Kut Teh (Pork Ribs Soup) and Singapore Laksa are a couple more popular street foods served in Southeast Asia. This Nasi Lemak is also a very popular street food in Malaysia. 

Ingredients

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I recommend using a fibrous beef cut such as flank steak or skirt steak. Tri-tip or high quality sirloin will also work well. The marinade will help break down the fibers in the beef, making it incredible tender.

If you're interested in purchasing fresh, high quality beef, Snake River Farms has you covered. This American Wagyu Bavette is the perfect cut for this beef satay. You can also try this Black Grade Flank Steak.

Other ingredients such as fish sauce, lemongrass, soy sauce and tamarind are used in the marinade as well as the peanut sauce.

Peanut Sauce Ingredients:

I prefer to use Red Boat 40 fish sauce as I believe it has the best flavor, hands down. It's made with black anchovies and salt, with no added preservatives.

Tamarind is another important ingredient in this recipe that will likely be difficult to find at your local grocery store. Tamarind is a seed pod that contains a tart, sweet and sour pulp. It is used to flavor many Southeast Asian dishes like these Pad Thai Egg Rolls. You can find it at some Asian markets, or buy it online HERE.

The full list of ingredients is found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Step By Step Instructions

Slice the beef into 1 inch cubes and set aside. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. You may need to use the back of a spoon to break up the tamarind pulp. You can also use a blender if you'd like the marinade to be more uniform.

**It is more traditional to cut the beef in strips, but I find it easier to use pieces. Feel free to cut it in 1" strips instead of pieces if desired.

Add the beef and mix to fully coat it. Refrigerate for 24 hours (or overnight).

Remove the beef from the fridge and put on bamboo skewers. **to prevent the bamboo skewers from burning, soak them in water for 20 minutes before skewering the beef.

You can also use metal skewers - just note they will be hot when you remove them from the grill.

Heat the grill to about 400F. Add the skewers and grill for about 10-15 minutes (depending how large you cut the pieces), flipping every couple minutes to ensure even cooking. Remove and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with basmati rice and spicy peanut dipping sauce.

How to Make Peanut Dipping Sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add more water if the sauce is too thick.

This peanut sauce would also be incredible on these Chicken Summer Rolls or these Thai Baked Chicken Wings. Also check out these different ways to use peanut sauce.

Expert Tips

1. It is more traditional to cut the beef in strips, but I find it easier to use pieces. Feel free to cut it in 1" strips instead of pieces if desired.
2. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes before using the. This helps to prevent the ends from burning. You can also use metal skewers.
3. Substitute the beef with pork, chicken, tofu or shrimp if desired. Try these Thai Shrimp Skewers.
4. You can serve with basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, or any other rice you prefer.
5. Add additional chilies to the peanut sauce for added spice.
6. If the peanut sauce is too thick, add additional water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Did you make this recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know what you think!

Check out these old photos!

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