Cooking for One

Steak Dinner for One With Fish Sauce & Lime Butter

by:
May 13, 2021
4
13 Ratings
Steak Dinner for One With Fish Sauce & Lime Butter
Photo by Ty Mecham
  • Cook time 5 minutes
  • Serves 1
Author Notes

This recipe is a weeknight workhouse of a supper, something I like to cook for myself when I have time for nothing else. The real star here is the lime and fish sauce butter, which is, in my humble opinion, the best steak sauce in the world. Sweet, salty, and life-affirming, it's at once funky caramel and umami personified. One word of advice: Turn on your range hood vent. —Eric Kim

Test Kitchen Notes

Featured in: A 5-Minute Steak Dinner for Those Nights When You Just Can't. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Steak Dinner for One With Fish Sauce & Lime Butter
Ingredients
  • 1 thin-cut boneless strip steak or rib eye, 1/2-inch thick (about 7 to 8 ounces)
  • 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or other oil with a high smoke point)
  • 1 small handful green beans
  • 1 lime (1/2 juiced, 1/2 wedged for serving)
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter
Directions
  1. Pat steak dry with paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet until smoking slightly, then add oil followed by the steak. Pressing down with tongs, cook for 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second side, or until medium-rare.
  2. Plate the steak, then throw in green beans and toss in the fat, cooking for about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Plate the beans alongside the resting steak.
  3. Take the pan off the heat, then add lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and butter. Stir until the butter is incorporated. Pour the sauce all over the steak and beans and serve with the remaining lime wedges. Enjoy with a glass of red wine.
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  • bryan wark
    bryan wark
  • J
    J
  • Sophie Corwin
    Sophie Corwin
  • FrugalCat
    FrugalCat
  • Eric Kim
    Eric Kim
Eric Kim
Eric Kim was the Table for One columnist at Food52. He is currently working on his first cookbook, KOREAN AMERICAN, to be published by Clarkson Potter in 2022. His favorite writers are William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, and Ernest Hemingway, but his hero is Nigella Lawson. You can find his bylines at The New York Times, where he works now as a writer. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @ericjoonho.

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12 Reviews

bryan W.
bryan W. July 4, 2023
I was so down to make this, single dad. Had the butcher cut a 1/2" prime rib eye. You say remove the pan from the heat to make the sauce. The pan needs to cool down a lot or the sauce will break & be a sour mess like mine was. I'll give it another go but seriously, be better.
 
Chisel93
Chisel93 March 13, 2022
This was fantastic....the salty sweet sauce was incredible. Make it now!
 
sydney
sydney January 11, 2021
this is the recipe that made me fall in love with Eric K. this is also the recipe that made me permanently disconnect my smoke alarm in my apartment (don't tell my mom). 10/10
 
J
J July 5, 2020
This is delicious, and the steaks and beans cook easily as described using a cast iron pan. I meant to eat only half the steak, and save the rest for a salad later, but ending up having the whole thing, dipping the bites into the sauce- so good...
 
J
J July 5, 2020
This is delicious, and the steaks and beans cook easily as described using a cast iron pan. I meant to eat only half the steak, and save the rest for a salad later, but ending up having the whole thing, dipping the bites into the sauce- so good...
 
kathleen
kathleen November 10, 2018
I tried this tonight and it was excellent. Fat, acid, salty, and sweet. It hit in all the right notes. Yumm! And simple, I had all these ingredients already. Definitely keeping this in the rotation. Thanks Eric!
 
Eric K.
Eric K. November 11, 2018
Yay!
 
Sophie C.
Sophie C. November 2, 2018
Words can't describe how good this recipe is.

The day after I tasted it in the office, I begged Eric to send the recipe to me before it went live on the site so I could make it for my friends that night, who then all went home and made it for their boyfriends the night after.
 
Eric K.
Eric K. November 2, 2018
Aw! Thank you, Sophie.
 
FrugalCat
FrugalCat October 27, 2018
Now I am afraid to make it as I have no range hood vent. Perhaps I can do this on a grill outside?
 
Eric K.
Eric K. October 29, 2018
Sure, this would be delicious on the grill (and you could make the sauce in a separate pan). But don't fear an indoor pan-seared steak! A couple things: If you're using an oil with a high smoke point (i.e. not extra-virgin olive oil) and your steak is thin like I call for here (1/2-inch), then the risk of smoking up your kitchen is pretty low. Part of the beauty of a 5-minute steak—it's dirty but quick!
 
Laine
Laine August 14, 2020
Tried it last night, cooking my steak on the grill. This was wonderful. I loved the flavors. Unique and delicious!