Honey-Tamarind-Ginger Beef Barbecue

We served this at my granddaughter's second birthday party recently, and it was a big hit. The meat came out really tender and flavorful because of the overnight marinating (my son-in-law also expertly sliced it against the grain, which helped a lot in having tender slices). The combination of the honey, concentrated tamarind paste, and grated ginger made for an unbelievable marinade.You don't have to buy an expensive cut of meat -- you just have to make sure you slice it against the grain (they could get stringy otherwise).

Ingredients:

5 pounds beef sirloin or any good steak cut

Marinade:

1/2 cup mild honey

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate (available at Asian stores)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Asian chile paste, like Sriracha (or Tabasco)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Slice the beef against the grain into large 2x4-inch skewerable pieces. If the beef has completely thawed and proves too difficult to slice, place in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes to make slicing easier. Slicing against the grain goes a long way in making the beef a lot more tender.

In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients until thoroughly combined. This will make a little over one cup.

Divide the beef slices into two large Ziploc bags, and pour half of the marinade into each bag and seal securely. Gently squeeze the bags in places until all the pieces are coated by the marinade. Seal the bags and lay flat on a baking sheet in one layer. Refrigerate overnight.

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water overnight to keep them from burning when you grill the meat.

Spear two slices into each bamboo skewer, and grill. Alternatively, place a wire rack on a sided baking pan, put the beef skewers on the rack (leave some space between skewers), and broil in the oven for few minutes, or until the beef is nicely browned. Serves 10-12.

(If you want to serve the beef with sauce, make extra marinade, boil and simmer for a few minutes, then let cool. Serve as a dipping sauce on the side.)