By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
282 cal · 25 min
Vietnamese Sugar Steak
Recipe GLPR73781e6cfb6b1c
A classic Vietnamese-inspired dish featuring tender skirt steak caramelized with brown sugar, garlic, fish sauce, and lime juice. The beef becomes glossy and deeply flavored as it cooks in a quick, high-heat pan, creating a sweet and savory glaze. Finished with fresh lime juice for brightness, this lean protein dish is low-carb and ready in under 30 minutes.
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Ingredients
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound skirt or flap steak
1 tablespoon butter, optional
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and minced garlic until the sugar dissolves completely.
Pat the skirt steak dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper if desired.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the steak and sear for 3-4 minutes on the first side without moving it, until a golden crust forms.
Flip the steak and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the second side.
Pour the fish sauce mixture over the steak, then add butter if using. Allow the glaze to bubble and coat the meat for 2-3 minutes, occasionally spooning the liquid over the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F for medium-rare.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice.
Let rest for 3-5 minutes, then slice against the grain and serve with the pan sauce spooned over top.
Comments
Fish sauce is the only ingredient requiring a second stop, available at Harris Teeter's Asian section or ALDI's international aisle, though not all locations stock it reliably—a real friction point for a weeknight. At roughly $12–15 for skirt steak, $2 for fish sauce, and $8 for other pantry items, you're looking at about $5–6 per serving, which is reasonable for a weeknight protein. The stated 25 minutes is honest: marinating takes 10–15 minutes, then 5–7 minutes of high-heat searing, though you should add 5 minutes for proper rest and browning. It's a no-fuss pan dish that feeds four without babysitting, reheats adequately in a skillet, and lands well as a summer weeknight main; skirt steak is standard Southern fare and brown sugar caramelization appeals to regional taste.
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