The siren song of premarinated meat. That seductive whisper that says, “You too can have delicious teriyaki without the 24-hour marinade prep or the $15 delivery fee!” is Trader Joe’s latest attempt to save us from our own kitchen inadequacies comes in the form of their Sesame Teriyaki Beef Skirt Steak. It’s the culinary equivalent of a blind date your friend swears is “perfect for you”, promising on paper, professionally dressed (in vacuum-sealed packaging), and absolutely guaranteed to have spent too much time soaking… in marinade. In other words, buyer beware…
Reviewer’s Note: As a Seattle native where the American teriyaki movement began, I consider myself something of a teriyaki connoisseur. With teriyaki shops on practically every corner in Seattle and a personal habit of enjoying it weekly, my standards are admittedly high. There’s something magical about the combination of beef and teriyaki sauce that creates a perfect harmony of flavors, so I approached this product with both excitement and discerning expectations, like a parent watching their kid’s first solo bike ride: hopeful but braced for potential disaster.
Trader Joe’s has a lot of teriyaki products. I’ve reviewed a few here: Trader Joe’s Chicken Teriyaki, Trader Joe’s Chicken Teriyaki Bowl.
The Teriyaki Meat
Each package contains a generous cut of skirt steak that’s been bathing in a flavorful marinade of soy sauce, honey, and sesame seeds. This isn’t a cheap meal, with the price being at $16.99 a pound. Mine was $21 at around a pound a 1/3. The quality of the beef is immediately apparent USDA Choice Angus that’s supposed marbled and perfectly portioned. Skirt steak is prized for it’s tenderness but also because it has a real beef and meaty flavor. It’s easy to grill and takes to marinade really well.
As you can see in the picture below, I got three decent sized pieces of meat. With skirt steak, it’s traditional to slice it before serving.
Preparation
The whole reason to get this is that it’s so simple to make, especially if you have a gas grill. Just fire up the grill and open a bag and grill for about 5 minutes on a side. Done! If you want a traditional steak experience with an appealing char, grilling over high heat delivers outstanding results. The sugars in the marinade caramelize to create a delicious crust while the interior remains tender and juicy. Or that is the plan with these steaks.
For my test run, I opted for the classic preparation method: cooking the steak on a trusty Weber charcoal grill over high heat. The intense heat created that coveted char that Trader Joe’s describes, allowing the sugars in the marinade to caramelize beautifully. It went pretty quickly, only about 4-5 minutes on a side. You don’t want to over cook this meat.
The portion size is quite generous, my package contained enough meat to comfortably feed four people when paired with sides. This makes it an excellent value for family meals or small gatherings.
Alternatively, you could use this in a stir fry meal. Slicing the steak thinly when it’s raw and adding it to a quick stir-fry with fresh vegetables makes for an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in minutes. The pre-marinated nature of this product eliminates prep time without sacrificing quality or flavor. But honestly, this is meant for the grill. It’s not cheap eats.
Flavor Profile
At first glance, the marinade looks promising a thick, syrupy blend of soy sauce and honey with sesame seeds generously floating throughout. Visually, it hits all the right notes for what a good teriyaki sauce should look like.
However, upon tasting, there was a noticeable issue that often plagues pre-marinated meats. The steak had developed a slight but distinct sour undertone, suggesting it had been sitting in the marinade far too long, possibly days rather than the ideal few hours. This is unfortunately a recurring issue I’ve noticed with several of Trader Joe’s vacuum sealed marinated meat products. Not sure what to do about this other than make your own marinade.
The sourness wasn’t overwhelming enough to make the dish inedible, but for someone accustomed to fresh teriyaki, it was definitely detectable and detracted somewhat from the experience. The traditional sweet and savory notes were present, the umami from the soy sauce and the sweetness from the honey, but they were partially overshadowed by this off-note.
Suggested Pairings
This Sesame Teriyaki Beef Skirt Steak pairs beautifully with:
- Steamed jasmine rice (the traditional accompaniment)
- Stir-fried vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and snap peas
- A simple side salad with a ginger dressing
- Trader Joe’s frozen vegetable fried rice for an ultra-convenient meal
- Spring rolls or gyoza for an authentic teriyaki restaurant experience at home
Following Seattle teriyaki tradition, a complete meal would include the teriyaki beef served over rice with a side of vegetables or a small salad, possibly accompanied by appetizers like gyoza (dumplings).
Texture
Where this product truly shines is in the texture department. The USDA Choice Angus beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender after grilling, with the perfect level of chew you want from a skirt steak. The high heat of the charcoal grill created that essential caramelized char that defines great teriyaki, providing a wonderful textural contrast to the tender interior.
Beef Quality vs. Marinade
It’s worth noting that the beef quality in Trader Joe’s offering is noticeably superior to what you’d typically find at a local teriyaki restaurant. The USDA Choice Angus beef provides excellent marbling and tenderness that surpasses most quick-service teriyaki establishments. This quality difference is immediately apparent in the texture and would be a significant advantage if not for the marinade issues.
Ironically, while the meat itself is of higher quality than my neighborhood teriyaki spot, the marinade quality and execution actually detract from the overall experience. This creates a frustrating situation where the premium ingredients don’t translate to a better end result. The local teriyaki joint may use less prestigious cuts of beef, but their freshly made marinade and proper marination timing often yield a more satisfying flavor profile.
Final Verdict
Trader Joe’s Sesame Teriyaki Beef Skirt Steak offers a mixed bag. On the good side, the quality of the beef itself is excellent, and the convenience factor cannot be denied. The portion size is generous, easily feeding a family of four when paired with sides, and the cooking process is straightforward and reliable. The grill is a must in opinion.
However, the over-marinated, slightly sour note is a significant drawback for teriyaki enthusiasts. This issue seems consistent with other premarinated meat products from Trader Joe’s and suggests that the vacuum-sealing process, while practical for shelf life, may compromise some flavor elements by steeping the meat too long in the marinade.
For busy home cooks who prioritize convenience above all, this product still delivers a decent teriyaki experience. But for those with access to good teriyaki restaurants or the time to marinate their own beef, there are better options available. The product falls short of authentic Seattle-style teriyaki standards, but remains serviceable for a quick weeknight meal.
Recommendation: Consider buying Trader Joe’s plain skirt steak and marinating it yourself with something like Soyaki bottled teriyaki sauce (or making your own) for a fresher flavor profile while still enjoying the quality of their beef.
Ingredients
BEEF, SESAME TERIYAKI SAUCE (HONEY SESAME TERIYAKI SAUCE [TERIYAKI GLAZE {SUGAR, SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT), WATER, CORNSTARCH, PRUNE JUICE CONCENTRATE, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, YEAST EXTRACT}, HONEY, SESAME SEED, CARAMEL COLOR], VINEGAR POWDER, ROSEMARY EXTRACT).
- CONTAINS SOY, SESAME, WHEAT.
