Tokyo Steak Sandwich

The Japanese Steak Sandwich is a masterpiece when sliced in half.

No ratings yet

You don't need to travel to Japan to make the famous Tokyo Steak Sandwich. For this recipe we sear thin, fatty steak hard and fast, then tucks it into milk bread with a tangy-sweet tonkatsu-style sauce and a swipe of hot mustard and butter.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Servings: people

Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

Steak & Bread

12 oz Flap Steak sliced into large pieces about 2” thick
4 slices Japanese Milk Bread or Texas Toast
1 tbsp Neutral Oil
Cowboy Campfire to taste
Seaweed Flakes for garnish

Tonkatsu-Style Sauce

3 tbsp Ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Honey
½ tsp Hot Mustard
1 tsp Butter

Instructions

Pat the steaks completely dry and season both sides generously with my Cowboy Campfire rub right before cooking.
Whisk together the ingredients for the tonkatsu-style sauce. Set aside.
Preheat your fire to high for direct cooking (about 400F)
Heat the neutral oil in a heavy skillet or cast iron pan over high heat until just smoking.
Sear the steaks for 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare. Pull off and rest the steaks on for 5 minutes.
Lightly toast the bread slices until just golden brown.
Spread butter and hot mustard on one side of each bread slice.
Layer the sliced steak onto one piece of bread, brushing generously with the tonkatsu-style sauce over top.
Top with the remaining bread slices, butter-side down, and press gently to set the sandwich.
Wrap in plastic or paper and slice each sandwich in half.
Finish with aonori and kosher salt. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Pro Tip: All About Japanese Hot Mustard

Japanese hot mustard is called karashi. There's no vinegar in it, so the heat hits sharp and fast, then disappears. Think English mustard, not Dijon. You can buy it as a tube paste, in a jar, canister, or as powder. S&B is the standard brand for both. Check the international aisle, an Asian market, or order it online. Making it from powder takes five minutes. Mix the powder with an equal amount of warm water, not boiling. Then cover it and rest it for 10 minutes so the heat develops. However, that pungency fades after about half an hour. So mix it right before you build. No karashi? Colman's English mustard powder is a solid stand-in.

Nutrition