SMASHED STEAK SKEWERS WITH CHERRY BBQ SAUCE (WHOLE30 RECIPE)

Quick Last Minute Dinner Whole30 Recipe

After a long day juggling working from home with a toddler ending with a quick dip at the pool to cool off from the Southern California heat, I decided to try Michelle Tam’s smashed steak skewers with cherry bbq sauce, a Whole30 Recipe. 

It’s a Thursday night after dinner as I sit down to write this post, therefore after almost a full week eating at home 3 meals a day I was tempted to eat out. 

Eat at Home

Why not just drive through somewhere or order takeout? Because we’ve been eating out much more than I’d like the past few weeks. 

Mentally and physically I feel best when I eat most of my meals at home. When we eat at home, I know exactly what’s in my food. I also eat more veggies and quality protein and carbohydrates when I cook. Excess sugar, seed oils, and gluten can often cause digestive issues and therefore mental health issues for me. 

Remember this blog is called Eat Yourself Happy, I eat to fuel my lifestyle and keep me as mentally and physically happy as possible. While I don't like to label nutrient dense foods, most Whole30 recipes fit my requirements when feeding my family. If we must define our diet, I'd say loose paleo. 

It’s also incredibly rewarding to feed my family nutrient dense meals, avoid food waste, and save money. 

Smashed Steak Skewers With Cherry BBQ Sauce Whole30 Recipe

OMG this Whole30 recipe was so easy to follow and the payoff was incredible. I always love Michelle’s recipes, I own two of her cookbooks, however this is by far my favorite because of how easy it is to make and quick! 

I was able to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. The meat was incredibly tender and paired with the cherry bbq sauce I was in tastebud heaven. To be honest I wasn’t sure what to think about the cherry bbq sauce when I first read the Whole30 Recipe. 

SMASHED STEAK SKEWERS WITH CHERRY BBQ SAUCE (WHOLE30 RECIPE)

Make sure to check out Michelle’s original recipe HERE. I modified a few ingredients based on what I had available and grilled it in our Traeger. 

Ingredients

Cherry BBQ Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons of ghee
• One whole shallot, miced
• 1 large garlic clove, mineced
• 1 tablespoon mashed ginger (I buy frozen ginger squares and used 2)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup 100% apple juice
• ¾ bag of 16 oz frozen pitted sweet cherries, chopped 
• Sea salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Smashed Steak Skewers:

• 2 pounds flank steak (ask the butcher to dice it for you if you can)
• Seasalt 
• 2 tablespoons of melted ghee
• Chopped green onions 

Directions for Cherry BBQ Sauce

1. Melt the ghee over medium heat in a saucepan. Add shallots and a dash of salt. Saute till translucent
2. Add in garlic, ginger, and tomato paste. Saute for 1 minute
3. Stir in coconut aminos, vinegar, juice, and cherries. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat once boiling and simmer till thickened. 
4. Make sure to stir occasionally as the sauce is simmering. 

Notes:

This sauce is easy to make and I’ll be sure to make ahead to freeze or store for the week. Would taste delicious on any steak or turkey. The quantity of this sauce will last around 2 to three meals depending how much sauce you like. 

Directions for Smashed Steak Skewers

1. Carefully stab beef through the center with a soaked skewer.
2. Grab a meat tenderizer and smash each steak skewer until it’s about ½ inch thick.
3. Brush both sides with melted ghee and season with salt and pepper. 
4. Heat up the grill to 425, grease the grates, and cook 3minutes on each side.
5. Let the beef skewers rest for 5 to 10 minutes before brushing on the cherry barbecue sauce.
6. A garnish of fresh green onions

Notes: 

Heat up the grill before starting the sauce to ensure it’s ready to go when you are. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to avoid a fire. 

How to Enjoy

I served the skewers with cauliflower rice, sugar snap peas, and homemade ranch dressing. Both the husband and nugget gobbled up most of the 2 pounds of steak. We have just enough for lunch tomorrow. 

Whenever I make dinner, I like to make enough for leftovers. This helps during a busy day chasing after an 18 month old and working. When all you have to do is heat up something from the fridge it simplifies your day. 

Whole30 Recipe Review

Forget this being a Whole30 recipe. Anyone can enjoy these steak skewers. They are so delicious and tender. Make friends with your butcher and give the steaks an extra hit for the juiciest skewers. 

As I sit here typing, I cannot wait for lunch tomorrow. I’ll probably make some rice to go with the Smashed Steak Skewers with Cherry BBQ Sauce. I’m even thinking of making some green beans and using the sauce on them. 

Unexpected, tangy, sweet, but not too sweet. 

If you enjoy this recipe, check out this Breakfast Egg Bites Recipe