How to make Hibachi Steak | Benihana Copycat Recipe

With a crispy, charred crust on the outside and a buttery soft inside, this hibachi steak is tossed in an addictive garlic butter sauce and mushrooms. Here is everything you need to know about how to make an insanely delicious hibachi steak with only a grocery store cut, in your own kitchen.

Can you really make Hibachi steak at home?

With a few tips, you can totally make Hibachi Steak at home. Instead of a flat top grill, use a very hot cast iron skillet. To get the most authentic benihana hibachi flavor, make this special Benihana Garlic Butter ahead of time. Its super easy to make and requires only a few minutes of prep work - the oven does the rest. It’s so tasty you will want to make an extra batch to keep in the fridge, especially during grilling season. It's fantastic on everything - from eggs, pan roasted chicken, seafood, steak to stir-fried vegetables.

Why is the Benihana Garlic Butter so important?

The secret to that garlicky-umami flavor in Benihana cooking is their special roasted garlic butter. Benihana uses a compound butter where roasted garlic, sweet, whipped butter, freshly ground black pepper, soy sauce and lemon juice is mashed up with whipped butter. The steak is tossed in the garlic butter right at the end which gives the steak that signature Japanese steakhouse taste.

Many Benihana copycat recipes call for minced garlic mixed with butter. Don't be fooled - the oven roasted garlic, soy sauce and other ingredients mixed in with the whipped butter is what makes the difference. This special compound butter takes about 40-50 minutes to make of which only 10 minutes is prep work - the remaining time is spent roasting the garlic in the oven. It is a fantastic pantry staple that can easily be used to transform everyday foods to a new level.

How do you make Benihana Garlic Butter?

To make Benihana Garlic Butter you need whole fresh garlic bulbs, sweet, whipped butter, freshly ground black pepper, soy sauce and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

To make the butter, roast whole fresh garlic bulbs in an oven at 350°F until they are soft inside - about 30-40 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, press out the soft garlic and mash with a spoon. Add the whipped butter, freshly ground black pepper, soy sauce and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the garlic paste. Mix well. The butter will look a little grainy because of the tiny lumps of roasted butter.

For the full recipe please see my Benihana Garlic Butter recipe.

What is the difference between Hibachi Steak and regular steak?

Hibachi steak differs from a regular steak in that the steak is first seared and only partially cooked. It is then cubed and sautéed with garlic butter on a stovetop. Variations for hibachi steak may include adding a sauce like teriyaki sauce or an Asian stir-fry sauce right at the end with the garlic butter. The steak is then garnished with a drizzle of sesame oil, garlic butter, sesame seeds. Most Japanese steakhouses serve hibachi steak with fried mushroom which are absolutely delicious - so don't skip this step!

What kind of steak is used in hibachi?

The most common types of steak used in hibachi are NY Strip Steak, filet mignon and ribeye steak. The main difference between each type of these steaks is the amount of internal marbling or fat. Filet mignon is one of the most popular and expensive Japanese steakhouse cuts because it is buttery and juicy while still being relatively lean. The NY Strip steak has some marbling with a thick band of fat running down one side. Ribeye has more internal marbling than NY Strip and known for its succulent taste. More internal marbling ensures that ribeye steak is juicy even when seared over very high heat.

There is no need to invest in an expensive cut for this recipe. Since the steak is cut into bite sized pieces the ideal steak thickness is ½ to ¾ inch thick. In this hibachi steak recipe, we use a ¾ inch ribeye steak that we purchased for about $22 at our local grocery store.

Ingredients

• Ribeye steak - when picking a steak, make sure that the marbling is thin and spread throughout the steak like a spider web. Avoid cuts where the fat is in thick layers and the rest of the steak is very lean. The ideal steak will be about ½ to ¾ inches thick. There is no need to buy a thick expensive cut for hibachi as the meat is ultimately cut into bite-sized pieces. You can also use sirloin steak, filet mignon and New York strip steak to make this dish.
• Baby bella mushrooms - Japanese steakhouses typically serve steak with delicious garlic-butter fried mushrooms. While the use of white button mushrooms is more common, I prefer baby bella because it has a more deep and savory flavor. Shitake, Portobello, and oyster mushrooms are also great choices for this recipe.
• Vegetable oil - most hibachi restaurants use safflower oil which with a smoke point of 440-520°F is ideal for high heat frying or cooking. I have found that vegetable oil works just as well. Other types of oils that work for high heat searing include canola, corn, soybean, sunflower, peanut, avocado oil, and olive oil. I do not use coconut oil because it can compete with the flavor of the steak.
• Benihana Garlic Butter - The secret to the deep umami-garlicky flavor in this recipe is this special roasted garlic butter. In this case, the golden brown benihana garlic butter is used to flavor the steak and mushrooms right at the end like a dressing, its is not used to cook the meat. Please see my Benihana Garlic Butter Copycat recipe for full directions on how to make it.
• Salt and pepper are optional and is used to season the steak at the end if needed.

How to make Hibachi Steak

Step One: Cook the mushrooms

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a cast iron pan or large skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms. Season with salt. Sauté the mushrooms until they are tender, and all the released juices evaporate, about 8-10 minutes. Set the fried, golden brown mushrooms aside.

Step Two: Sear the steak

Continue to heat the same cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for about 2-5 minutes.

Add the vegetable oil to the hot pan. Using tongs, sear each side of the steak, turning every minute for about 4-6 minutes on each side. If the steak has a fat cap or thick layer of fat on one side, place it on the oil first, until it is brown and crispy. Sear the steak only - do not cook it. The steak needs to be undercooked the steak because it will be sautéed in garlic butter and mushrooms.

Place the steak on a cutting board and allow to rest for about 5 minutes so that the juices can redistribute. Do not cover with foil as you would a traditional steak.

Step Three: Cook the steak and mushrooms in the garlic-butter

After the steak has rested, trim off and discard any visible fat based on your preference. Slice the steak into bite-sized cubes.

Heat the cast iron pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the cubed steak and cook the steak to your preference. Add the mushrooms and benihana garlic butter. Toss the steak and mushrooms in the butter. You can garnish with sesame seeds, green sprouts or sliced green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.

Tips on making an EPIC Hibachi Steak

• Dry the steak before searing for a perfect crust. Press a paper towel against all sides of the steak to make sure it is as dry as possible. You can also pat dry the steak and put it in the fridge on top of a small rack for a few hours to air dry.
• Bring the steak to room temperature. If the steak has been in the fridge, bring it to room temperature so that the hot oil temperature does not drop when you sear it.
• Season the steak only at the end. Do not season the steak before searing as it will draw out moisture during the searing process. Instead season the steak at the end, after adding the garlic butter, only if needed, as the garlic butter is already salty since it contains soy sauce.
• Optimal steak thickness is ½ to ¾ inch. There is no need to purchase a thick, expensive steak since the steak will be cut into bite sized cubes in the end and you want each piece to have at least two seared sides.
• Turn the steak often when searing. You do not want to completely sear each side all at once because that will overcook the inside of the steak. Keep flipping the steak every minute until you get the desired sear.
• Use oil, not butter, to sear the steak. Vegetable oil has a 400-450°F smoke point compared to butter which only has about a 304°F smoke point. The higher smoke point of the vegetable oil is ideal for searing. In this recipe, the garlic butter is added later for flavor, not for cooking.
• Heat the oil, until it just starts smoking, to sear the meat. If the oil is not hot enough, the meat will cook slowly, release juices and simmer in its own juices instead of searing. Heat the vegetable oil until it just starts smoking, then begin searing the steak.
• Unlike regular steak, do not cook the steak to the desired temperature while searing. Hibachi steak is cooked a second time after being cubed - the steak will be overcooked if you cook it to your preference during the searing process.
• Use a digital thermometer to determine when the steak is done. Insert a digital thermometer into a steak cube to gauge when it is perfectly done. For Rare, internal temperature should be between 120-125°F, Medium Rare - 125-140°F, Medium - 140-150°F, Medium Well - 150-155°F, Well Done: 160+°F.

What to serve with Hibachi Steak

The simplest side dishes for Hibachi Steak include plain white rice like jasmine rice or brown rice. For a low carb alternative, you can also serve Hibachi Steak with cauliflower rice or lightly steamed fresh vegetables.

Japanese steakhouses like Benihana, typically serve Hibachi Steak as a combo platter with a few options like Hibachi Fried Rice, Benihana Hibachi Chicken, Hibachi Shrimp, Hibachi Vegetables. A delicious dipping sauce like Yum Yum Sauce, Mustard Sauce and Ginger Sauce is also served as a side.

This steak is particularly tasty as a leftover. For the rare times that I have had leftover steak, I have loved having it as a fajita filling. It also goes very well with non-Japanese sides like Naan, tangy Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad, Spicy Indian Potatoes and Potato Salad.

Hibachi Teriyaki Steak Variation

To make a Hibachi Teriyaki Steak simply add 2-4 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce and toss with the steak, right at the end of the recipe.

Storing and reheating

Stored in an airtight container, Hibachi Steak will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To reheat the hibachi steak, pan fry it over medium heat on a stovetop. Turn off the heat so that it is completely heated through.

• Every time you reheat steak it goes from one level of doneness to the next. So turn off the heat and serve as soon as the steak is reheated.
• Microwaving is not recommended to reheat steak. The small cubes of steak quickly cooks all the way to the center making it well done. The steak loses its juiciness and you can easily end up with dry, tough meat.

Freezing

Wrapped tightly in a freezer safe bag, Hibachi steak will last about 6 months. Thaw by letting the steak sit overnight in a refrigerator. To reheat, pan fry the hibachi steak over medium heat on a stovetop.

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