Satay Marinade Recipe for Chicken, Beef, Tofu and Tempeh

Ingredients for 8–10 skewers

• 2 lemongrass stalks, tender inner parts finely sliced.
• 3 garlic cloves.
• 2 shallots.
• 1 teaspoon turmeric.
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander.
• 2 unsalted macadamia nuts.
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis.
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar.
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil.
• Salt to taste.
• 400 g chicken thigh, beef, firm tofu or tempeh.

This base uses the existing macadamia option. Candlenuts, or kemiri, are not a direct raw substitute: they require appropriate thorough heating. Only use them in a recipe explicitly explaining safe preparation and cooking.

Allergens and clean marinade

Kecap usually contains soya and may contain wheat. Macadamia is a tree nut; the sauce below contains peanuts. Check all labels and prevent cross-contact. Discuss suitable substitutions with guests who have allergies.

A clean portion stays clean only if its bowl, brush and spoon also avoid raw meat. Pour out a small amount of glaze for use, keep a used brush away from the reserved supply and heat the glaze after applying. Discard leftovers that touched raw meat.

Making the satay marinade

1. Grind lemongrass, garlic, shallots, turmeric, coriander and macadamias into a paste.
2. Mix in kecap, sugar, oil and optional salt.
3. Before contact with raw ingredients, reserve two tablespoons covered and refrigerated as clean glaze.
4. Cut chicken or beef into even pieces. Pat tofu dry or cut tempeh into firm cubes.
5. Mix with the remaining marinade and refrigerate covered immediately.
6. Thread onto suitable skewers shortly before grilling.

How long should satay marinate?

These are flavour guidelines, not extensions of shelf life. Account for freshness and product instructions. Do not marinate on the counter.

Preparing satay skewers

Metal skewers become hot; use tongs or heat-resistant gloves. Soaking bamboo skewers may reduce rapid scorching a little but does not make them fireproof. Avoid leaving wooden ends over open flames unnecessarily.

Grilling satay on the BBQ

1. Create a direct grilling zone and a cooler zone to move food to.
2. Take skewers out of the fridge only shortly before grilling.
3. Let excess marinade drip off to limit burning.
4. Grill all sides, turning regularly.
5. Use only reserved glaze and prevent a used brush from contaminating the clean supply. Heat the applied glaze during cooking.
6. Move to the cooler zone if flames appear or sugar darkens quickly.
7. Cook chicken through, measuring the thickest piece with a clean thermometer. It must reach at least 74°C before removal.
8. Serve on a clean dish that has not touched raw ingredients.

Fixed minutes per side are unreliable. Thickness, skewer material and heat vary.

Chicken satay

Thigh is a practical choice; breast is leaner and needs more attention to moisture loss. Cut even pieces and avoid folding large flaps on the skewer, which slows cooking inside.

Beef satay

Try bavette or flank steak. Cut thin strips across the muscle fibres and thread loosely. Pink doneness is a culinary preference for suitable intact beef, not a general safe endpoint for every product. Choose fully cooked meat for vulnerable guests and follow product instructions.

Tofu or tempeh satay

Use firm tofu and pat dry. Briefly steaming tempeh beforehand can soften its texture; follow the packaging for further preparation. Use separate marinade, tools and skewers if the vegetarian version must stay separate from meat.

Quick peanut sauce

Ingredients

• 150 g roasted unsalted peanuts, finely ground, or peanut butter.
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped.
• 1 tablespoon kecap manis.
• 1 tablespoon tamarind or lime juice, to taste.
• Sambal to taste.
• 150 ml coconut milk.
• Water and salt as needed.

Method

1. Put ingredients in a pan.
2. Heat gently, stirring regularly.
3. Heat through thoroughly and add water to reach the desired thickness.
4. Taste and adjust acidity, heat and salt. Tamarind and lime juice do not give exactly the same flavour.
5. Serve warm with a clean spoon.

The sauce contains peanuts and often soya; kecap may contain wheat. Cool leftovers promptly in small portions, refrigerate covered within 2 hours at 4°C and use within 2 days. Find more recipes in the BBQ sauce encyclopaedia.

Saté, sate or satay?

Indonesian generally uses sate. Dutch commonly uses saté, and internationally satay is frequent. Recipes, meats and sauces vary by region.

Indonesian BBQ: sate and grilling culture

Common mistakes

• Using marinade that touched raw meat as ready-to-eat sauce.
• Dipping a used brush into the clean glaze supply.
• Burning kecap and sugar over uncontrolled flames.
• Threading uneven pieces onto one skewer.
• Putting raw and cooked food on the same dish.
• Judging chicken only by time or colour.
• Forgetting allergens in kecap, peanuts and nuts.

More marinades and recipes

• Indonesian BBQ culture
• Marinating chicken
• Dry rub versus marinade
• Vegetarian BBQ
• BBQ sauce encyclopaedia

Frequently asked questions

Can you marinate satay overnight?

Chicken thigh can often marinate covered in the fridge for 2–12 hours. Check ingredient freshness and shelf life.

Can you reuse marinade?

Use a clean portion reserved beforehand and avoid cross-contamination from a used brush. Discard marinade that touched raw meat.

Why does satay burn quickly?

Kecap and sugar colour quickly. Let excess marinade drip off, turn regularly and use a cooler zone.

Must bamboo skewers be soaked?

Soaking may reduce scorching a little but does not make skewers fireproof.

What internal temperature for chicken satay?

Check the thickest piece with a clean thermometer and let it reach at least 74°C before removing.