1/2 ripe asian pear, peeled. Go ahead and eat the other half
1 tablespoon gochujang or other chili bean paste, sriracha being your last resort
1 tablespoon honey (or substitute maple syrup)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 small piece of ginger thinly sliced
teaspoon gochugaru (very optional)**
Instructions
Cut the peeled pear half into chunks and puree in your sturdy blender
Add soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, gochugaru (if using) and honey to blender and pulse a few times
Turn the blender contents into a bowl and add the garlic, ginger and sesame seeds to complete the marinade
With a sharp knife score the top of the flank steak with four or five bias cuts. Cover the steak with the marinade and refrigerate for up to 8 hours
Fire up your grill (remember wood is preferred). Grill the marinated steak turning only once. Test with an instant read thermometer for doneness—sorry, I don’t trust the finger poke method. For me 120F works. After the steak has rested, slice very thinly, again on the bias
*Note to cook: I like sriracha aka “rooster sauce” but it’s become almost like ketchup in recipes. The chili and bean pastes add subtle and more complex flavor notes
** If you can find it, this Korean hot red pepper powder is wonderful. I call it “Korean crack.” Wonderfully aromatic. I received some from a Korean born friend of mine and fell in love with it right away.