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Pipikaula Poke Recipe

Lyra WestonLyra Weston
Pipikaula Poke Recipe is a salty, smoky Hawaiian dried beef poke with Maui onion and seaweed. No raw fish. Learn to dry beef at home in this complete guide.
5 from 10 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Hawaiian
Servings 6
Calories 210 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • Dehydrator or oven with a wire rack and tray
  • Sharp knife and cutting board
  • Tongs

Ingredients
  

For the Pipikaula
  • 2 lbs flank steak or flanken cut short ribs
  • 1/2 cup low sodium shoyu soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Hawaiian sea salt alaea or coarse sea salt
  • 4 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 inch fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
For the Poke
  • 1 lb prepared pipikaula sliced thin against the grain
  • 1/4 cup sweet Maui onion thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh ogo seaweed chopped (optional)
  • 1 tbsp inamona roasted ground kukui nut (optional)
  • 1 to 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp shoyu to taste
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • Chili flakes to taste

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together all the pipikaula marinade ingredients. Add the beef, coat well, cover, and marinate in the fridge overnight.
  • Remove the beef and pat off excess marinade. Dry in a dehydrator at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 to 8 hours, or in a low oven with the door cracked open for 4 to 6 hours, until firm and leathery but still slightly pliable.
  • Optional but recommended: sear or broil the dried beef briefly to crisp the edges, then let it cool.
  • Slice the cooled pipikaula thin, cutting against the grain into bite size pieces.
  • In a bowl, combine the sliced beef with onion, green onion, ogo, sesame oil, shoyu, sesame seeds, inamona, and chili flakes.
  • Toss gently, taste, and adjust the salt and heat. Let it rest 15 minutes before serving at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Dry the beef until it bends without snapping. Brittle beef means you went too far.
  2. Taste before adding salt. Drying concentrates the seasoning already in the meat.
  3. Always slice against the grain so every piece stays tender, not stringy.
  4. Rest the finished poke for 15 minutes so the oil and onion mellow into the beef.
  5. A quick broil after drying adds a charred edge that makes the whole bowl taste like Helena's.
Keyword authentic Hawaiian poke, beef poke recipe, Hawaiian dried beef poke, paniolo dried beef, pipikaula meaning, pipikaula poke recipe