We love a good pan-seared steak. But since the usual fixings—like baked potatoes—are out for keto, we decided to give our steak dinner a fresh spin. We wanted a light, low-carb side we could serve
alongside the rich meat and butter sauce. Smashed cucumbers, or pai huang gua, came to mind. This Sichuan dish is typically served with rich, spicy food and though our steak isn’t spicy, it is hearty—we thought cucumbers would make a crunchy, refreshing accompaniment. Given the origins of the cucumber dish, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and pepper flakes seemed like the perfect dressing ingredients.
First, we smashed our cucumber pieces in a zipper-lock bag to expel extra water and create craggy ends that would hold on to the dressing. Then we cooked the strip steak, making sure to pat it dry first so that its exterior would brown properly. We also made sure the skillet was really hot: Cooking steak in a pan that isn’t properly preheated leads to meat that is overcooked before it can develop a good crust. While the cooked steak rested, we prepared the cucumber dressing and stirred a little soy sauce into the melted butter for the steak, to echo the Asian flavors of the salad. We prefer this steak cooked to medium-rare, but if you prefer it more or less done, see our guidelines on this page.
Jump to RecipeInstructions :
- Combine cucumber and ½ teaspoon salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, seal bag, and turn to distribute salt. Using rolling pin or small skillet, gently smash cucumber pieces in bag; set aside.
- Pat steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat coconut oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown steak on first side, about 4 minutes. Flip steak and continue to cook until meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer steak to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing salad.
- Drain cucumber. Whisk 1 teaspoon soy sauce, vinegar, sesame seeds, garlic, and pepper flakes together in large bowl. Add cucumber and basil and toss to combine. Combine melted butter and remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce in separate bowl. Slice steak ½ inch thick and drizzle with soy sauce–butter mixture. Serve with cucumber salad.
Pan-Seared Strip Steak With Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- ½ English cucumber 8 ounces, quartered lengthwise and cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 12-ounce strip steak, 1½ inches thick, trimmed
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce divided
- 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
Instructions
- Combine cucumber and ½ teaspoon salt in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, seal bag, and turn to distribute salt. Using rolling pin or small skillet, gently smash cucumber pieces in bag; set aside.
- Pat steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat coconut oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown steak on first side, about 4 minutes. Flip steak and continue to cook until meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer steak to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing salad.
- Drain cucumber. Whisk 1 teaspoon soy sauce, vinegar, sesame seeds, garlic, and pepper flakes together in large bowl. Add cucumber and basil and toss to combine. Combine melted butter and remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce in separate bowl. Slice steak ½ inch thick and drizzle with soy sauce–butter mixture. Serve with cucumber salad.