Admittedly, I am not the world’s greatest gardener. So, when something manages not only to survive, but thrive — and year after year — I am practically giddy.
Yup, that’s how I feel about my home-grown shiso.
When spring comes, I’m always thrilled when its green leaves start popping up anew despite me doing nothing to it all winter long.
Also known as perilla, it never ceases to charm me with its refreshing whoosh of minty-citrusy flavor that I love so much that I sometimes just plop an entire leaf into my mouth from the garden.
Still, I managed to restrain myself to gather enough leaves to make this delicious “Skirt Steak with Shiso-Shallot Butter.” It’s a recipe by Chef Tyler Florence that appeared in the July 2025 issue of Food & Wine magazine.
It’s a perfect dish to grill during these last days of summer or early ones of fall.
Skirt steak gets a powerhouse of flavor from a marinade of soy sauce, light brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sliced green onions. There’s a little bit of heat from the added gochujang, sliced Fresno chile, and crushed red pepper flakes. Reserve a little of the marinade; use the rest to marinate the steak.
The shiso comes into play in a compound butter that’s also flavored with sauteed shallots, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
When ready to eat, grill the skirt steak, all of about 3 minutes per side. Slice, transfer to a platter, and finish with the reserved marinade and a pat of the shiso-shallot butter.
The beef is juicy and super tender, with just enough chew to it. It is tangy, spicy, very savory, and full of umami. It will remind you of Korean barbecue with its hint of sweetness.
The butter adds a richness that rounds everything out. The shiso is not necessarily prominent but adds that barely detectable note of mint. If you’re like me and love shiso, then add a few more leaves as a garnish for a bigger boost — a tip I added to the recipe below.
You will definitely want to serve this with rice to soak up all that delicious sauce.
The recipe states that 2 pounds of skirt steak serves 8. I think it’s more like 6, so I also added that.
Honestly, the marinade is so explosive in flavor that you could forgo making the compound butter, and just julienne some shiso leaves to shower over the top for a more streamlined dish.
With beef prices being what they are these days, feel free to make only half of the recipe, as I did. Although, frankly, this is so darn tasty that you might just want to dig deeper into the pocketbook to make the entire amount.
Skirt Steak with Shiso-Shallot Butter
(Serves 6 to 8)
For shiso-shallot butter:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 shallots, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
14 fresh shiso (perilla) leaves or basil leaves, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
For the skirt steak:
3 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 red Fresno chile, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons gochujang
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds skirt steak (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick), halved crosswise if whole
Neutral oil, for greasing
Shiso-Shallot Butter
Cooked rice and kimchi, for serving (optional)
Additional shiso leaves, for garnishing (optional)
Make the shiso-shallot butter: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Add soy sauce and rice vinegar, and cook, stirring often, until liquid is mostly evaporated and mixture has a jamlike consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer shallot mixture to a medium bowl, and chill in refrigerator, about 20 minutes.
Add softened butter, pepper, and salt to shallot mixture; stir well with a rubber spatula until fully combined. Stir in shiso or basil leaves until fully combined. Transfer butter to a sheet of plastic wrap, and roll into a small log about 2 inches in diameter. Chill until firm enough to slice, at least 1 hour.
Make the skirt steak: Whisk together scallions, soy sauce, brown sugar, Fresno chile, gochujang, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, lemon zest and juice, ginger, and black pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Transfer 1/3 cup marinade to a small bowl; set aside. Pour remaining 1 cup marinade into a large ziplock plastic bag, and add skirt steak. Seal bag, and massage marinade into meat. Chill for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Grease grill grates with neutral oil. Remove steak from marinade; discard excess marinade. Place steak on oiled grates; grill, uncovered, turning once, until charred and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of steak registers 130°F (medium-rare), 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from grill. Top with a pat of shiso-shallot butter; let rest for about 5 minutes, allowing the butter to melt. Slice steak against the grain, and drizzle with reserved marinade. Top with additional shiso-shallot butter as desired, and garnish with scallions. Serve steak over rice with kimchi, if desired.
Adapted from a Tyler Florence recipe from the July 2025 issue of Food & Wine
Another Tyler Florence Recipes to Enjoy: Gallina de Madre (Mother Hen Toast)