Seared Tenderloin Poke Recipe

Prepare and season beef

Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels. Trim any silver skin. Cut the tenderloin into 1/2-inch cubes for poke. Lightly season the cubes with kosher salt and black pepper; toss gently to coat.

Heat pan and sear

Place a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl. Working in a single layer (do not crowd), add the beef cubes and sear 20–30 seconds per side until a deep brown crust forms but interior remains rare to medium-rare. Use tongs to turn. Total searing time per batch about 1–2 minutes. Transfer seared cubes to a bowl to rest while you prepare sauce and wontons.

Combine sauce ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, mirin, honey, grated ginger, grated garlic, and sliced scallion until smooth.

Thicken and finish

In a teaspoon, dissolve cornstarch in cold water to make a slurry. Heat the sauce briefly in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (or microwave 15–20 seconds) until steaming, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Cook 30–60 seconds until the sauce slightly thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. Taste and adjust: add a pinch of sugar if you want sweeter or a few drops of tamari for saltiness.

Toss beef with sauce

Pour about two-thirds of the warm sauce over the seared beef cubes and gently toss to coat. Reserve the remaining sauce for drizzling when plating.

Make crispy wontons

Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping an edge of wonton wrapper — it should sizzle and brown quickly. Working in batches, fold each wonton wrapper in half or into a boat shape (you can brush edges with a little water to hold shape) and carefully lower into hot oil. Fry 20–40 seconds per side until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Alternatively, brush wonton wrappers lightly with neutral oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) on a sheet for 6–8 minutes, flipping once, until crisp and golden.

Assemble poke on wontons

Place a spoonful of microgreens or thinly sliced cucumber on each crispy wonton to protect it from wilting. Top each wonton with 3–4 pieces of the sauced seared tenderloin.

Finish and serve

Drizzle remaining sweet sesame–tamari sauce over the assembled wontons and meat. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced scallion, and optional pickled ginger on the side. Serve immediately so wontons remain crisp.