I have a new found love of cooking outside. Out kitchen feels small these days and even though my outdoor kitchen consists of a grill and a little bistro table, it feels so freeing to be out in the open air chopping with Olive sitting at my feet waiting for me to drop a piece of skirt steak. If only we had an outdoor brick oven, then I could bake out there too!

Even though we bought Olive a perfectly comfy outdoor bed she still chooses to either lay in the dirt or on the walk-off mat at the bottom of our porch. That silly girl. But when I start cooking on the grill she runs up right to me! Especially when I make this Vietnamese-inspired Grilled Skirt Steak and Glass Noodle Salad!

The simple beauty of grilled skirt steak

We got the most amazing delivery of skirt steaks a few weeks ago and I’ve been loving cooking them on the grill. We honestly don’t eat beef often, so it always feels like a treat when we do. Skirt steak has amazing flavor from all that marbling but can be a little chewy if you’re not careful.

My go-to marinade is inspired by my mom’s steaks: oyster sauce, some brown sugar, and a touch of fish sauce. So much flavor there! If you’re in a rush you can let it marinade for just 30 minutes and still work a lot of flavor in there, but if you have some extra time I recommend letting everything marinade for a few hours.

If you don’t have a grill, no worries! You can sear the steak on medium-high heat (preferably in a cast-iron) on both sides until you get a nice char, 3 to 4 minutes on either side. Otherwise, warm up the grill, wait for the grates to warm up (takes at least 30 minutes) and get those beautiful grill marks. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing!

A delicious tangle of glass noodles

I make a version of this glass noodle salad almost weekly. Sometimes it’s topped with steak or shrimp, and other times nothing at all because it’s so good on it’s own. It’s heavily inspired by Vietnamese vermicelli bowls. It consists of noodles (either rice noodle or in this case, glass noodles), crisp vegetables, and a tangy fish sauce vinaigrette calls Nước chấm. Glass noodles are also sometimes called Bean Thread Noodles, Cellophane Noodles, or Mung Bean Noodles. They are made from mung bean starch so they are gluten free!

Instead of making traditional Nước chấm, I tossed the shallots, tomatoes, and cucumbers with rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and lemon juice, and let the whole party hang out to naturally make a dressing on its own. The moisture is drawn out from the tomatoes and cucumbers and the acid slightly pickles the shallots. Right before serving, I toss in some glass noodles that have been soaking in hot water (the real instant noodle! It only takes a few minutes). Shower the bowl with cilantro and crispy fried shallots and then scarf it all down! It’s SO GOOD and so easy to make. Actually, I should probably start making another batch now…

Oyster Sauce Steak and Glass Noodle Salad

serves 2 to 4

1 8oz skirt steak
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 red onion or one large shallot, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomato, halved
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 bundles glass/bean thread noodles
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup crispy shallots, store bought from the asian market or homemade

1. Marinate the steak: In a shallow dish, combine the steak, salt, pepper, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Toss the steak in the marinade a few times so it’s well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the fridge overnight. Take the steak out to bring up to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.

2. Prep veggies: In a medium mixing bowl, toss to combine onion, cucumber, tomatoes, rice vinegar, lemon juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Cover and let everything sit for 15 minutes for a quick pickle effect.

3. Cook noodles: Boil 4 cups of water. Place noodles in a heat proof bowl and pour the hot water over the noodles. Soak the glass noodles in hot water until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the water and cut the noodles a few times with kitchen shear.

4. Sear the steak: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once hot add the steak and sear until browned and caramelized around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until browned and caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Alternatively, grill the steak to desired doneness. Transfer the steak to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice into thin strips with a sharp knife.

5. Transfer the noodles to a large serving bowl. Add veggies (including the liquid) and cilantro and toss so that everything is combined. Top the noodles with crispy fried shallots and steak and serve!