Vietnamese Grilled Steak Wraps
Submitted by debbyfeeser
Vietnamese grilled steak wraps marinate thin flank steak in lemon and sesame, grill it fast over charcoal, and wrap with fresh mint, cilantro, and lettuce in warm tortillas with a sweet-sour chili drizzle.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsThese are handheld, grill-friendly riffs on bò cuốn, the Vietnamese beef lettuce wraps you might know from a pho restaurant. Flank steak sliced thin across the grain marinates in lemon, sesame oil, and a touch of sugar, then grills in three minutes flat on skewers. The sweet-sour-spicy nuoc cham-style dipping syrup made from rice vinegar, sugar, and crushed red pepper ties the whole wrap together.
Flour tortillas stand in for traditional rice paper, which makes these sturdier and more portable than a classic Vietnamese wrap. Warm them on the grill alongside the beef, pile with lettuce, sliced beef, fresh mint, and cilantro, then drizzle with the syrupy sauce before rolling.
Chef Tips
- Slice the flank steak against the grain. Flank is naturally tough, and cutting along the grain makes it chewy. Across, into thin strips, and it stays tender.
- Reduce the vinegar syrup without stirring. Stirring bumps the sugar crystals off the sides and can seize the syrup. Five minutes of untouched boiling gives you the right glossy consistency.
- Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes before threading the beef. Dry skewers will flame and char on the grill.
- Warm the tortillas just until flexible, not crisp. Thirty seconds per side on the grill is plenty. Crisped tortillas will crack when you roll them.
Variations
- Swap flour tortillas for rice paper wrappers for a more traditional Vietnamese-style wrap.
- Add pickled carrot and daikon slivers for the classic Vietnamese banh mi crunch.
- Use chicken thighs or pork shoulder instead of flank steak for a different protein.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut beef across the grain into thin slices.
Combine lemon peel, juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, sesame oil, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper in medium bowl.
Add beef; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Combine water, vinegar, remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in small saucepan; bring to a boil.
Boil 5 minutes without stirring until syrupy.
Stir in crushed red pepper; set aside.
Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade.
Thread beef onto metal or wooden skewers.
Grill beef over medium-hot briquets about 3 minutes per side until cooked through.
Grill tortillas until hot. Place lettuce, beef, mint and cilantro on tortillas; drizzle with vinegar mixture.
Roll tortillas to enclose filling. Garnish with star fruit, bell pepper and orange peel strips.
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