Pear-Ginger Marinated Steaks

Recipes from a year ago:

• Avocado Hummus
• Herb Smoked Prime Rib

This marinade recipe has a distinctively Asian influence, and was incredible with the elk sirloin steaks we had when my parents came to visit for Christmas.  Served with our Pomegranate, Apple, and Walnut Salad from the other day, it was a great meal for the days leading up to our Christmas feast.

Gather Up:

• 3~4 grass-fed or wild game sirloin steaks, about 12 oz each
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or wheat-free tamari)
• 3 scallions, chopped fine
• 1/2 D’Anjou pear, cored and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and grated
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tsp black pepper
• optional 1/2 D’Anjou pear, julienned (for garnish)
• optional 1 tbsp sesame seeds (for garnish)

Combine all of the ingredients (minus the steaks, of course) into a small mixing bowl and whisk to fully incorporate.

Arrange the steaks in a shallow baking dish and pour the marinade over top – keeping as much of the chunks on top the meat as possible.  Gently lift the edge of each steak with a fork so the liquid gets underneath as well.  Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (and up to about 8 hours).

A half hour before cooking, remove the steaks from the refrigerator to allow them to come to room temperature.  Warm the grill to medium-high heat (about 400 degrees).  When the grill is hot, carefully transfer the steaks to the grate, keeping as much of the solids from the marinade on top as possible for the first half of cooking (after turning, most of it will simply drop down into the coals).  Discard the remaining marinade.

Cook as usual for steaks – about 8 minutes per side on my pellet grill for a perfect medium rare (less if you have direct heat gas or charcoal).  Remove and let them rest for another few minutes before slicing thin across the grain and serving.  If you like, you can julienne the left over pear into matchsticks and serve with the sliced steak, as well as sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds on top.