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This Japanese inspired Beef Tataki dish is by far the best thing I’ve ever made!  The tenderness of the meat packed with amazing Japanese inspired flavors in the homemade ponzu sauce made this the ultimate feast. The tri tip was perfectly cooked to a medium rare and seasoned with Dad’s All Purpose rub. If you are not familiar with this cut of meat, it is found at the bottom sirloin area of a cow. It’s appearance is similar to that of a ribeye with the beautiful marbling, and if grilled properly, this cut is the most tender and flavorsome of all steaks.  Beef tataki is the perfect appetizer or meal.  Simple steps, simple ingredients.  Let me show you how to make this amazing dish.

Step 1: Prep the Tri Tip steak.

This cut of beef is very flavorful.  A simple coat of seasoning is all you need to enhance and improve this steak. For this recipe I used Dad’s All Purpose rub which is the perfect combo of salt, pepper and paprika spices.  

Start by removing any fat and silver skin off the meat.  You want the meat to be lean. Coat the tri tip with a little bit of olive oil as the binder and season with the all purpose rub. Set aside and allow the meat to absorb the spices.

Dad’s Seasonings

Must have grillin seasonings!

Step 2: Make homemade ponzu sauce.

I have never had beef tataki and boy was I missing out!  This ponzu sauce made this the most amazing beef dish I’ve ever had.  Let’s just say, there weren’t any leftovers. 

In a bowl, add rice vinegar, soy sauce, freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice and minced garlic and ginger.  Mix the ingredients together and set aside.

Step 3: How to grill the perfect tri tip steak.

Start off by heating up the grill to 500 degrees and sear the steak 2 minutes per side until you have a nice crust all around. Next move the beef tri tip to the indirect side and cook until the internal temp reaches 120 degrees. This will result in a nice medium rare finish.  If you prefer your steak cooked more, keep it on the grill until the internal temp reads 130 degrees for a medium finish.

Beef Tri Tip

Finally, set aside the grilled trip tip steak to rest for 10 minutes. It’s very important to rest any protein after a cook.  This process helps redistribute all those wonderful juices that will create a beautifully tender slice of meat.

Tri Tip Grilling Tip

  • Grill  the steak to 120 degrees internal temperature for the perfect medium rare finish.
  • Rest for 10 minutes to ensure a juicy cut of meat.

Step 4: Prepare the Beef Tataki dish.

Now that the steak has rested, slice it into thin layers.  Keep in mind a tri tip has grain going in 2 different directions depending on the section.  Always cut against the grain to ensure a tender piece.

Strain the ponzu sauce into a clean dish to remove any of the ginger and garlic pieces.

Place the sliced beef tri tip on a platter and gently pour the strained ponzu sauce around the beef.  Add some sesame oil around, sprinkle with finely chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds.  Finely add some chili crisp on top of each slice and enjoy this Japanese inspired beef tataki dish.  You will not regret this one!

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Frequently Asked Questions:

What cut of steak should I use?

Type of steak depends on what you are trying to grill up. For hot and fast look for cuts with good marbling like a ribeye or NY strip. If you are cooking a roast or stew, look for cuts that are cheaper and meatier like a chuck roast.

At what temperature should I remove the steak?

The internal temperature all depends on how you want or prefer your steak cooked. For a medium rare, remove it at between 120-125 degrees. If you are going for a medium cooked steak, anywhere between 135-140 degrees. Anything over will be well done. Remember to always rest the meat for 10 minutes before slicing.

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Printer friendly recipe below:

5 from 2 votes

Beef Tataki

The tenderness of the meat packed with amazing Japanese inspired flavors in the sauces makes this Beef Tataki the ultimate feast.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 People

Ingredients 

Beef Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Beef Tri Tip
  • 3 tbsp Dad's All Purpose rub
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil

Ponzu Sauce Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 2 Limes
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 tbsp Minced ginger
  • 2 cloves Minced garlic

Additional Toppings

  • 3 stems Chopped green onions
  • 1 tbsp Sesame oil
  • 1/2 tbsp Chili crisp
  • 1/2 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions 

  • Start with removing any fat and silver skin off the meat. Coat the tri tip with a little bit of olive oil as the binder and season with Dad's all purpose rub. Set aside and allow the meat to absorb the spices.
  • In a bowl, add rice vinegar, soy sauce, freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice and minced ginger and garlic.  Mix the ingredients together and set aside.
  • Preheat the grill to 500 degrees and sear the steak 2 minutes per side until you have a nice crust all around.
  • Next move the tri tip to the indirect side and cook until the internal temp reaches 120 degrees for a medium rare finish.
  • Set aside the grilled trip tip steak to rest for 10 minutes.
  • To garnish the dish, start by slicing thin layers of the steak.  Next, strain the ponzu sauce into a clean dish to remove any of the ginger pieces. Place the sliced beef tri tip on a platter and gently pour the strained ponzu sauce around the beef.  Add the sesame oil around, sprinkle with finely chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1724kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 143g | Fat: 120g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 54g | Cholesterol: 544mg | Sodium: 1362mg | Potassium: 2264mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 11mg
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About Maciek

I make easy meals that anyone can replicate at home. I’m not a professionally trained chef, just your average guy that likes to fire up the grill. So follow along and see what’s cooking today!

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5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My wife and I love this recipe. The ponzu sauce really sets this off. We’ve made this dozens of times now.

  2. Cooked 2 tri-tips and our 5 kids loved it!! Recipe is really simple and easy just like all of your other ones. BOMB‼️‼️

  3. First of all, I am not a griller. After you have seared the Tri-Tip and moved it to indirect heat do you put the close lid on the grill or keep it off?