Kids Teriyaki Beef

Kids Teriyaki Beefhttps://www.pfchangs.com/menu/kids/kids-teriyaki-beef

When people first started asking me to make Kids Teriyaki Beef

I thought am just regular teriyaki beef with smaller portions

You know

Same thing

Just less

But omo

I was so wrong

Kids are not small adults

Kids are their own special category of picky

Very picky

If the beef is too tough

They won’t eat am

They will chew and chew and then spit am out

And the parents will be looking at you like “what is this”

If the sauce is too salty

They won’t eat am

They will make that face

You know the face

The one that says “this is disgusting”

And the parents will be embarrassed

And you will be embarrassed

If the vegetables are too big

They won’t eat am

They will push them to the side of the plate

And the parents will say “eat your vegetables”

And the kids will say “no”

And then nobody is happy

If am too spicy

They won’t eat am

They will start crying

And then the parents will be angry

And you will be in trouble

Trust me

I learned this the hard way

The first time somebody ordered Kids Teriyaki Beef for their child’s birthday party

I thought am just regular teriyaki beef with smaller portions

I was so wrong

The beef was too tough for the kids

The sauce was too salty

The vegetables were too big

The kids took one bite and pushed their plates away

The parents were looking at me like “what is this”

I was so ashamed

I almost refunded the money

But you know me

I no dey give up

So I went back to my kitchen

And I started experimenting

I tried different cuts of beef

Softer ones

I changed the sauce

Made am sweeter

Less salty

I cut the vegetables smaller

Bite-sized pieces

Easy for little hands to pick up

And I served am with rice

And fruit

And the kids loved am

Now

This Kids Teriyaki Beef is one of my most popular dishes for children’s parties

Parents always ask me to make am

And the kids always ask for more

And let me tell you

When you get am right

This dish na money

How I Even Got Into This Thing

Some woman called me for her daughter’s birthday party

She said her daughter is picky

Very picky

She only eats chicken and rice

But she wanted something special for the party

Something the kids would love

She asked if I could make Kids Teriyaki Beef

I said yes

Because that’s what I do

I say yes first

Then I figure am out later

So I went home

Opened my phone

Started researching

I found out that Kids Teriyaki Beef is just regular teriyaki beef

But made kid-friendly

Softer meat

Milder sauce

Smaller pieces

Kid-sized portions

Simple

But I knew that if I just made am like that

Am would still be too tough for some kids

So I had to make am even softer

Even milder

Even more kid-friendly

The first batch I made

I used sirloin beef

Like I use for regular teriyaki

But I sliced am thinner

And I cooked am for less time

The beef was still too tough

The kids couldn’t chew am

The second batch

I used tenderloin

Softer meat

More expensive

But worth am

I marinated am for longer

And I cooked am until am very tender

The beef was perfect

Soft and juicy

Easy for little mouths to chew

The third batch

I changed the sauce

Less soy sauce

More sugar

More honey

Less garlic

Less ginger

The sauce was sweeter

Milder

Something kids would love

That was am

That’s the combination that works

Now

This Kids Teriyaki Beef is one of my signature dishes for children’s parties

And people always ask me for the recipe

The Beef

Let me talk about the beef

Because this na where many people get am wrong

For regular teriyaki

You can use sirloin

Or flank steak

Or even ribeye

But for kids

You need something softer

Something that doesn’t require a lot of chewing

Kids don’t have strong jaws

And they don’t have patience

If the beef is tough

They will spit am out

And they will not eat any more

So you need tender beef

Here’s what I use

Tenderloin

Am the most tender cut of beef

Am soft

Am juicy

And am easy for little mouths to chew

But tenderloin is expensive

So sometimes I use sirloin

But I slice am very thin

And I marinate am for longer

And I cook am very carefully

So am soft and tender

The key na to look for meat with some fat

Not too much

But enough to keep the meat moist

That fat is what gives the beef flavor

Without am

The beef will be dry

And dry beef

Biko

Na waste of money

Another thing

You need to slice the beef properly

Against the grain

And for kids

You need to slice am even thinner

Thin slices are easier to chew

Thin slices are easier for little hands to pick up

Thin slices cook faster

And thin slices absorb more marinade

So slice am thin

Very thin

About a quarter inch thick

Or even thinner

The Marinade

The marinade for Kids Teriyaki Beef is different from regular teriyaki

Regular teriyaki has a strong flavor

Soy sauce

Mirin

Sake

Garlic

Ginger

Am savory

Am salty

Am complex

But kids don’t like complex

Kids like simple

Kids like sweet

Kids like mild

So I changed the marinade

I used less soy sauce

More sugar

More honey

Less garlic

Less ginger

And no sake or mirin

Because sake has alcohol

And even though the alcohol cooks off

I don’t want to take any chances with kids

Here’s what I use

Quarter cup soy sauce

Two tablespoons brown sugar

One tablespoon honey

One clove garlic, minced

Half teaspoon ginger, grated

One tablespoon sesame oil

One tablespoon cornstarch

Quarter cup water

Mix everything together

In a bowl

Whisk until smooth

The cornstarch should be completely dissolved

If you see lumps

Keep whisking

The marinade should be sweet

And slightly salty

But not too salty

Not too strong

Taste am

If am too salty

Add more sugar or honey

If am too sweet

Add more soy sauce

Make am perfect

Before you add the beef

The Marinating

This na where patience comes in

You cannot rush the marinade

The first time I made this

I was in a hurry

I marinated the beef for only thirty minutes

And the beef had no flavor

The sauce was on the outside

But the inside of the meat was bland

Bland beef

Biko

Na waste

So now

I marinate for at least two hours

Overnight is better

But with kids

You don’t want the marinade to be too strong

So two to four hours is perfect

The longer the beef sits in the marinade

The more flavor am absorbs

But with kids

You don’t want the flavor to be too intense

So two to four hours is the sweet spot

I put the sliced beef in a bowl

Pour the marinade over am

Cover am

And put am in the fridge

I turn the beef a few times

Make sure all the pieces are coated

When I take am out

The beef should be dark

Glossy

Already smelling sweet and savory

The Cooking

Now this is where things get serious

You have two options for cooking Kids Teriyaki Beef

Grilling or pan-frying

I prefer pan-frying for my events

Because I can control the heat better

And I can make the sauce right there in the pan

First thing

Take the beef out of the marinade

But don’t throw away the marinade

You’re going to use am to make the sauce

Pat the beef dry with paper towel

This is important

If the beef is wet

Am won’t brown properly

Am will steam instead of sear

And steamed beef

Biko

Na waste

Heat your pan on medium-high heat

Not too high

Kids don’t like burnt food

Add a little oil

Not too much

Just enough to coat the bottom of the pan

When the oil is hot

Add the beef in a single layer

Don’t overcrowd the pan

If you put too much beef at once

The temperature will drop

And the beef will cook in its own juice instead of searing

Cook the beef for about one to two minutes on each side

For kids

You want am well done

No pink in the middle

But you don’t want am overcooked

Overcooked beef is tough

And kids won’t eat tough beef

So cook am just until am cooked through

About two minutes per side

When the beef is cooked

Take am out of the pan

And set am aside

Now comes the sauce part

Pour the reserved marinade into the pan

Add a little more soy sauce if you want

And some cornstarch mixed with water to thicken am

Bring am to a boil

Scrape the bottom of the pan to get all those brown bits

That’s where the flavor is

Let the sauce reduce and thicken

This takes about two to three minutes

When the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon

Add the beef back to the pan

Toss am in the sauce

Make sure every piece is coated

The beef should be shiny and glossy

That’s the teriyaki look

The Vegetables

You need vegetables with this dish

But kids don’t like big pieces of vegetables

Kids don’t like vegetables that are too crunchy

Kids don’t like vegetables that are too soft

So you need to find the middle ground

I use broccoli

And carrots

And snap peas

But I cut them into small pieces

Bite-sized pieces

Easy for little hands to pick up

I blanch the vegetables first

This makes them softer

Easier for kids to chew

And am keeps them bright and colorful

Here’s what I do

I bring a pot of water to a boil

I add salt

Lots of salt

I prepare a bowl of ice water

I add the vegetables to the boiling water

In batches

Broccoli

About two minutes

Carrots

About two minutes

Snap peas

About one minute

When the vegetables are done

I remove them with a slotted spoon

And plunge them into the ice water

This stops the cooking process

And sets the color

When they’re cool

I drain them

And pat them dry

Then I stir-fry them quickly in the same pan

After cooking the beef

Just for a minute or two

So they pick up some of the sauce flavor

But I don’t overcook them

I want them to be soft enough for kids

But still have some texture

The Rice

You cannot serve Kids Teriyaki Beef without rice

White rice is the traditional choice

But for kids

I sometimes use rice with a little butter

And a little salt

The butter makes the rice creamy

And kids love creamy

I use jasmine or basmati

Am fragrant

Am fluffy

And am the perfect base for the saucy beef

I cook the rice with a little salt

And sometimes I add a bay leaf or a piece of ginger for extra flavor

When the rice is done

I fluff am with a fork

And serve am on the side

Or I put the beef on top of the rice

With the vegetables on the side

The sauce soaks into the rice

And every bite is delicious

The Fruit

This is my secret

The thing that makes kids love this dish even more

Fruit

I serve the Kids Teriyaki Beef with fruit on the side

Pineapple chunks

Or orange slices

Or apple slices

Or grapes

The fruit adds sweetness

And color

And kids love fruit

The fruit also helps balance the savory flavors of the beef

So the dish is not too heavy

Not too rich

Just right for little tummies

The Garnish

For Kids Teriyaki Beef

You don’t need fancy garnish

Kids don’t care about fancy

Kids care about taste

And color

And fun

So I keep am simple

I sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top

For color

And crunch

And I add a few green onions

For color

And freshness

But not too much

Kids don’t like too much green stuff

Sometimes I add a little smiley face made of ketchup

Or a little heart made of sauce

Kids love that

They think am fun

And they eat more

All The Things I Did Wrong

Let me tell you about my mistakes

All of them

So you can avoid them

First mistake

Using the wrong cut of beef

The beef was too tough

And the kids wouldn’t eat am

Now I always use tenderloin or thinly sliced sirloin

Second mistake

Slicing the beef too thick

The beef was hard to chew

And the kids spit am out

Now I slice am very thin

About a quarter inch thick

Third mistake

Making the sauce too salty

The kids took one bite and pushed their plates away

Now I use less soy sauce

And more sugar and honey

Fourth mistake

Making the sauce too strong

The garlic and ginger were too overpowering

Now I use less garlic and ginger

And more honey and sugar

Fifth mistake

Overcooking the beef

The beef was tough and dry

And the kids wouldn’t eat am

Now I cook am for about two minutes per side

Just until am cooked through

Sixth mistake

Not blanching the vegetables

The vegetables were too crunchy

And the kids wouldn’t eat them

Now I blanch them first

So they’re softer and easier to chew

Seventh mistake

Cutting the vegetables too big

The kids couldn’t pick them up

Now I cut them into small

Bite-sized pieces

Eighth mistake

Not serving fruit on the side

The dish was too savory

And the kids wanted something sweet

Now I always serve fruit on the side

Pineapple

Or oranges

Or grapes

The Secrets

Let me tell you some secrets

Things I discovered by accident

Or things other chefs told me

First secret

Add a little honey to the sauce

Honey adds sweetness

And shine

And am helps the sauce stick to the beef

Second secret

Use less garlic

Kids don’t like strong garlic flavor

Use just a tiny bit

Or skip am altogether

Third secret

Use less ginger

Same thing

Kids don’t like strong ginger flavor

Use just a tiny bit

Or skip am altogether

Fourth secret

Add butter to the rice

Kids love butter

Am makes the rice creamy

And delicious

Fifth secret

Serve am with fruit

Kids love fruit

And the fruit balances the savory flavors

Sixth secret

Make the pieces small

Kids have small hands

And small mouths

Small pieces are easier for them to eat

Seventh secret

Make am colorful

Kids eat with their eyes

Bright colors make them want to eat

Eighth secret

Make am fun

Add a smiley face

Or a heart

Or a star

Kids love fun food

How Long This Takes

This dish takes time

From start to finish

About two hours

But most of that time is marinating

The actual cooking takes about twenty minutes

So plan ahead

Start marinating the beef in the morning

And cook am in the evening

If you’re in a hurry

Marinate for at least thirty minutes

But the flavor won’t be as good

The marinade needs time to penetrate the meat

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How Many Kids This Feeds

This recipe serves about four to six kids

Depending on how hungry dem be

For children’s parties

I make double or triple the recipe

Because kids always want more

And parents always want leftovers

Questions People Always Ask

Can I use chicken instead of beef

Yes

Chicken is softer

And kids love chicken

Just use chicken breast or thigh

And cook am for about three to four minutes per side

Can I make this ahead of time

Yes

You can marinate the beef ahead of time

And you can cook am ahead of time

Just reheat am gently

So the beef doesn’t become tough

What if the kids don’t like vegetables

That’s okay

Just serve the beef with rice

And fruit on the side

Some kids will eat the vegetables

Some won’t

That’s normal

Can I make this less sweet

Yes

Just reduce the sugar and honey

And add more soy sauce

But remember

Kids like sweet

So don’t make am too savory

How do I store leftovers

Put the beef and sauce in a container

Store am in the fridge for up to three days

Reheat am gently in a pan

Not the microwave

The microwave makes the beef tough

Can I freeze this

Yes

Freeze the marinated beef

Or freeze the cooked beef

Just thaw am in the fridge before reheating

What other vegetables can I use

I’ve used green beans

And asparagus

And zucchini

And bell peppers

Anything you like

Just cut them into small pieces

The Truth About This Dish

Kids Teriyaki Beef is not complicated

But am not easy either

Am one of those dishes that looks simple

But requires attention to detail

You need to choose the right cut of beef

Slice am properly

Make the sauce with the right balance

And cook am at the right temperature

If you rush

The beef will be tough

The sauce will be too strong

And the kids won’t eat am

But if you take your time

And follow the steps

The result is beautiful

Soft tender beef

Sweet mild sauce

Colorful vegetables

Served with rice and fruit

A dish that kids will love

And parents will appreciate

My Final Words

This Kids Teriyaki Beef na show stopper

When I serve am for children’s parties

The kids always go crazy for am

They eat everything on their plates

They ask for more

And the parents are so happy

They take pictures

They ask for the recipe

They want to know where I learned to make am

And I just smile

And tell them am simple

Just follow the steps

Don’t rush

And pay attention to the details

If you can do that

Your Kids Teriyaki Beef will be sweet

Better than the ones dem dey sell for restaurant

So try am

Mess am up

Try again

And when you finally get am right

Serve am to your kids

Or your friends’ kids

And watch their faces

That feeling

Na the reason I keep cooking

One more thing

When you serve this to kids

Make am fun

Put am on a colorful plate

Add a little smiley face

Or a heart

Or a star

Kids love fun food

And when they have fun

They eat more

Alright

I’ve said enough

Go and make your Kids Teriyaki Beef

And if you mess up

That’s okay

I messed up too

We all mess up

Just try again

Practice makes perfect

And soon

You’ll be making Kids Teriyaki Beef like a pro