Steak Fried Rice w/ Homemade Yum Yum Sauce

Prep:

Dice the steak into one inch cubes and season generously with salt and garlic powder. Make the yum yum sauce by combining the mayo, ketchup, melted butter, rice vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, sugar and white pepper in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate while you cook.

Steak:

Heat a medium high pan and sear the steak bites on each side until you get a nice crust all around. You want good color on every piece. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Fried Rice:

In the same pan go in with the diced carrots and the whites of the green onions. Cook until fragrant. Add in the chopped garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the eggs directly into the pan and scramble them up.

Add in the dry day old rice and combine well with the vegetables and eggs. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper and MSG. Go in with the soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir everything together well.

Add the steak back in along with the fresh bean sprouts and let everything cook together for about one minute. Finish with the greens of the green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Plate the rice and top with more steak on top and a generous amount of that homemade yum yum sauce.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

-Day old dry rice is non negotiable for fried rice. Fresh rice has too much moisture and will steam and clump instead of fry. If you do not have day old rice spread freshly cooked rice on a baking sheet and let it cool completely in the fridge uncovered for at least a few hours before using.

-MSG is the ingredient that takes this dish from good to great. It enhances the overall savory flavor in a way that nothing else can replicate. If you are hesitant about using it just know that it is safe and it is the reason restaurant fried rice tastes the way it does.

-Separate the whites and greens of the green onion before you start cooking. The whites go in early with the carrots to build flavor and the greens go in at the very end as a fresh finish. This gives you the most out of both parts.

-Keep the heat at medium high throughout the cooking process. Fried rice needs heat to develop that slightly toasted flavor and texture. Too low and it will steam, too high and things will burn before they have time to combine properly.

-Make the yum yum sauce ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge while you cook. The cold sauce contrasts with the hot rice and steak and every bite with that sauce on top is absolutely incredible.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS:

-This dish is a full meal on its own but steamed or stir fried broccoli on the side rounds it out and gives you a complete hibachi style plate at home.

-A simple miso soup on the side is a great pairing and really leans into that full Japanese steakhouse experience.

-Gyoza or potstickers on the side turn this into a full spread that is just as good as dining out.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What cut of steak works best for this recipe?

Chuck eye is my go to for this recipe because it has great fat marbling and great flavor at a more affordable price than ribeye. Ribeye works beautifully too if you want to go all out. The key is cutting the steak into one inch cubes and getting a proper sear on every side for that flavorful crust.

Can I skip the MSG?

You can skip it and the dish will still taste great but MSG is genuinely what gives fried rice that deep savory restaurant quality flavor. It is available at most Asian grocery stores and many regular grocery stores. If you want the closest result to what you would get at a hibachi restaurant keep it in.

Can I use freshly cooked rice?

Fresh rice has too much moisture and will not fry properly. If you need to use fresh rice spread it out on a baking sheet after cooking and refrigerate it uncovered for a few hours to dry it out before using. Day old rice from the night before is always the easiest and best option.

Can I substitute the oyster sauce?

Hoisin sauce is the closest substitute and works well. The flavor will be slightly different but it still gives you that rich savory depth. You can also just increase the soy sauce slightly if you do not have either, though the oyster sauce really does add something special to the dish.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store leftover fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium high heat with a tiny splash of soy sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil to bring it back to life. The microwave works in a pinch but the skillet gives you a much better result. Store the yum yum sauce separately in the fridge for up to 5 days.