13 Expert Tips For Pairing Steak And Sake

It's no secret that one of the best ways to elevate a dish is to pair it with the right drink. The go-to pick for steak is usually wine, like a robust, tannic red that can cut through the rich, savory beef. Beer, whiskey, and even some cocktails make for a uniquely delicious steak pairing, as well. However, there's one drink that's almost always overlooked: sake.

The national drink of Japan, sake fills a delicious niche, with various styles providing a range of different flavor profiles. Although it can certainly be enjoyed by itself, sake has a complexity that makes it perfect for pairing with food, including dishes and cuisines you might not expect.

A number of years ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a sake masterclass in New Zealand through my job as a bar manager for a Michelin-star brasserie. With my eyes opened to the world of sake, I returned to work, and immediately ordered a few bottles. As I started to experiment with food pairings, I began to realize the incredible potential for sake and steak combinations. Given everything I've learned about this intricate art, here are 13 tips for pairing steak and sake.

The first thing you should consider when pairing a steak with sake is the cut of meat. There are dozens of different steak cuts, after all – each with its own unique textures and flavors. Consequently, you'll want to choose a sake that best complements the specific cut.

The qualities of each cut varies depending on where they're taken from the cow. Take the differences between ribeye and sirloin. Ribeye steak is taken from a muscle that doesn't see much work during the cow's lifetime, so it's typically marbled with fat and deliciously tender. These cuts will benefit from being paired with richer, full-bodied sakes, like junmai. Conversely, sirloin is a prime cut taken from the leaner rear end of the animal, and will match better with a more elegant and fruitier sake, such as honjozo.

You've also got cuts like the tenderloin (sometimes referred to as filet mignon), which is simultaneously lean and tender. A sake like junmai ginjo is lighter and more aromatic than a standard junmai, with a smooth texture that complements the juicy cut. The tasting notes are more refined, as well, and won't overpower the flavor of the meat.

Until the beginning of the 21st century, the concept of flavor was split into four core aspects: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. While the addition of "umami" to the flavor line-up is fairly recent, it plays an integral role in the way we describe food and drink. Umami — which means "delicious savory taste" in Japanese — was technically discovered back in the early 1900s. The meaty, savory character of umami can be found in all sorts of foods, like tomatoes, mushrooms, fish, and soy sauce. It's also highly prevalent in beef, so it's worth considering this flavor component when selecting a sake pairing for steak.

While not every type of sake has an umami-forward profile, those that do are excellent for pairing with deeply beefy steaks, as they embolden the meatier flavors. I suggest seeking out a kimoto sake, which is a strongly traditional and labor-intensive style that's complex, yet still mellow and refined. The brewing method utilizes natural lactic acid bacteria, giving kimoto sakes an elevated umami profile — one that's perfect for amplifying the savory aspects of a hearty steak.

The number of ways you can cook steak might feel overwhelming at times.  Although some steak cuts are better suited to specific cooking methods, it also comes down to personal preference. You can sear it in a pan, grill it on a barbeque, or use the oven to roast, slow cook, or broil it. If you're feeling fancy, you could even use a sous vide method, or go with steak tartare. In short, each method has its own pros and cons that'll ultimately affect the final flavor and texture of the steak. So when you're pairing a steak with sake, you'll want to consider the impact of your cooking method on the meat.

For example, if you're serving steak tartare or using the sous vide method, junmai ginjo or junmai daiginjo sakes have a light, elegant fruitiness that pairs beautifully with the clean, unadulterated flavors of the beef. If you're roasting or searing your steak, aged koshu sake tends to be nutty and earthy, with a similar caramel profile that complements the meat's caramelized crust.

Although it's often referred to as a type of rice wine, sake isn't technically a wine. If anything, it's got more in common with beer (which is still a poor comparison for the most part). However, when it comes to pairing sake with food, I find that wine-pairing principles still apply. And since we often talk about the acidity of wine when matching it with food, the acidity of sake is definitely worth considering when you're coupling it with steak.

Some sake production methods result in higher amounts of acids during fermentation, such as lactic, malic, and succinic acid. The more acidic sakes often have drier, bolder flavor profiles, though they can still be bright and light-bodied. high acidity is ideal for cutting through fatty dishes. So if you're going to tuck into a beautifully marbled ribeye, T-bone, or porterhouse steak, the bright, mouthwatering acidity of a kimoto or yamahai sake will mellow out the rich fat. At the same time, the creaminess of the fat will temper the sake's puckering tartness.

For leaner steak cuts, you may want a slightly sweeter sake with lower acidity, like Ginjo. Don't overlook your cooking method either, as techniques like pan searing can introduce extra fat regardless of how lean your steak cut may be.

You'll often hear culinary purists proclaim that steak should be enjoyed with as few seasonings and adulterations as possible. After all, the more ingredients you introduce, the less you'll be able to appreciate the nuanced flavors of the beef. This is all good and well if you've splashed out on some high-end Wagyu beef. However, less premium cuts can definitely benefit from liberal seasoning, a tasty homemade steak rub, a side of sauce, or some delicious steak toppings. If you've decided to pair sake with a seasoning-enhanced steak, you'll want to consider how the flavors will interact with the additions to your meat.

If you prefer spicier additions, you'll want a sake that can balance out the heat and robust flavors, though the sake should still be bold enough so as not to get overpowered. A sweeter sake, like nigori, has a creamy texture, tropical fruit notes, and a mild acidity that is excellent for balancing complex steak dishes. Conversely, if your steak is glazed with a sweet and fruity barbeque sauce, you'll want an umami-rich sake for contrast, like tokubetsu junmai. Sakes from coastal regions of Japan also tend to have a higher minerality, offering a slight salinity to counter sweeter flavors.

Although sake can be enjoyed with many different foods and flavors, the most authentic pairing will always be with Japanese cuisine. Interestingly, beef didn't really become a regular feature of Japanese cuisine until a few hundred years ago, though Japan has made up for lost time since then. Not only are there plenty of steak-based recipes that fit right into the nation's culinary style in the 21st century, but Japan has a reputation for some of the finest-quality beef on the planet, including numerous top-notch options to pair with sake.

If you decide to indulge in premium Japanese beef, like Wagyu, I suggest pairing it with a sake from the same region. For example, if you're lucky enough to be tucking into a Wagyu steak from Kobe, choose a sake from the region's Sakuramasamune brewery, as its sweet and spicy jumai ginjo sake is tailor-made for that beef. You can also try experimenting with dishes like hibachi steak, a Japanese-style beef stir fry; the sweet teriyaki and salty soy notes really sing when you couple them with a full-bodied, umami-forward junmai.

A number of sensations contribute to what we perceive as taste. Texture, for instance — as in the physical feeling of food and drink in our mouths — is often just as important as flavor and aroma. Consequently, it's something to consider whenever you're making a culinary pairing — and steak and sake is no exception.

The texture of steak can vary greatly depending on the type and quality of the cut, the cooking method, and the level of doneness. It could be juicy and tender; it could be slightly firm; or it could have a chewy mouthfeel. Often, a single steak cut might have contrasting textures, with a crispy or crunchy crust seared around a soft interior. Regardless, the best sake to pair with a steak depends on the beef itself and how it's prepared.

A light, aromatic sake with a clean finish (like ginjo) is the perfect contrast to a tender, buttery steak. Firmer and fattier steaks, on the other hand, benefit from unfiltered, higher-strength sakes, such as genshu, where the intensity and acidity of the sake can really help balance out a steak's richer flavors. For tougher, fibrous, or stringy steaks, aim for a more complex sake with earthy or nutty notes, like a well-aged kimoto or koshu.

One of the more unique features of sake is that you can drink it warm or chilled. While sake is traditionally served warm to make it more palatable, the serving temperature is more about highlighting specific tasting notes and qualities in the modern age than masking inferior flavors. Unsurprisingly, then, when you're drinking sake with steak, you'll want to consider how the temperature might affect the pairing.

Generally speaking, chilling sake will emphasize acidity, highlight fruity and floral notes, and produce a sharper profile. Ginjo and daiginjo sakes can benefit from being served cool for these reasons, while a sweet, creamy nigori mellows out when it's served at a lower temperature. Additionally, if you've got a leaner and more delicate steak, chilled sake may enhance the texture without overpowering the elegant beef flavor.

Warming a full-bodied, umami-rich sake (like yamahai or koshu), on the other hand, helps deepen the drink's mature and complex flavors. The bolder character tends to match better with more intense steaks, like dry-aged or flame-grilled cuts. If you want to heat sake the traditional way, you can use a hot water bath, but it's much easier to pop it in the microwave. Lastly, if you're not sure whether to serve your sake hot or cold, room temperature always tends to strike a good balance.

Sparkling sake is a relatively modern creation that's started to gather some serious momentum as the 21st century has progressed. At first, many saw sparkling sake as a bit of a gimmick, given many brands were tweaking the recipes to appeal to Western tastes. But as of 2025, many world class sake brands are putting an effervescent twist on classic sake styles with delicious results. There are a few different ways to make sparkling sake, from infusing still sake with carbon dioxide to champagne-style bottle conditioning. Each method and sake style produces different results, but it's definitely worth trying a few variations to experience how they interact with steak.

Champagne works well with fattier steaks thanks to its high acidity, and a dry, sparkling sake will have the same effect. The bubbly texture is also an excellent palate cleanser, so it's a great choice for an aperitif. I recommend trying it with sushi-inspired aburi-style steak, as the mouthfeel enhances the crispy, blow-torched crust of the meat, while still cutting through the rare, juicy interior. Sparkling wine and deep-fried food is also a surprisingly delicious combination; if you're feeling particularly adventurous, try pairing sparkling sake with steak that's been deep-fried.

While smoky flavors aren't everyone's cup of tea, I can't get enough of them. Scotch whisky, tea, chili peppers – the more it tastes like a campfire, the happier I am. So as much as I can appreciate a more delicately prepared beef cut, I'll never say no to a flame-grilled slab of barbequed steak. Now, if it's too cold to grill outside, I may cheat and use a charcoal steak seasoning when cooking indoors. Either way, since pairing intensely smoky flavors can be a bit tricky no matter the food or drink, you'll want to consider a specific sake style with such a steak.

Smoky barbeque flavors can easily overpower more delicate flavors, so you typically need a drink that's bold enough to stand up to them while still working well together. It's notably unpleasant when strong flavors clash, after all. When it comes to pairing sake with barbequed steak, your best bet is a mature, barrel-aged expression.

Sake can be aged in a few different ways. Like wine, it can be aged in the bottle or a metal vat where it gently oxidizes, producing a richer umami flavor. The more traditional method involves aging in cedar barrels, which gives the sake a slightly woody and tannic profile. Sometimes, oak or ex-whiskey casks are used to impart a more earthy character with slightly sweet caramel notes, creating a sake that both elevates and contrasts the meat's robust flavor profile.

One of the tastiest ways to enjoy steak is a cut of dry-aged beef. While the idea of consuming mature meat may sound odd and unappealing to some, nothing could be further from the truth. Aging the beef in a temperature-controlled environment simply means it doesn't spoil. Instead, the flavors become more concentrated as the moisture leaves the meat, with it ending up more tender as the enzymes break down the muscle fibers. At restaurants, this style can command a premium due to the time-consuming aging, though it's possible to dry-age steak at home. Regardless, you'll want to keep the extremely complex flavor profile of dry-aged steak in mind when selecting a sake pairing.

For instance, the beef flavor becomes more pronounced with this steak cut, and you might even find funky and earthy notes starting to appear. Consequently, a young, clean sake just isn't going to cut it. Similarly to barbequed steak, dry-aged steaks need an extra-mature sake to match the intensity. I suggest a koshu sake with a nutty sweetness and heavy umami character. The sherried fruit notes will also be able to take on the robust steak flavors, and complement any touches of funk, as well.

Although some steak cuts are considered better than others, it's more than possible to prepare a delicious piece of beef without breaking the bank. That said, it's definitely worth splurging on, say, a premium tomahawk steak once in a while. There are other specific types of beef that are renowned for their quality, too, such as Kobe, bife de chorizo, and black Angus. No matter what, if you've decided to treat yourself with beef? Make sure you don't cheap out on the sake.

Ultimately, there's no point in spending big bucks on a top-shelf steak cut if you're going to mask the flavor of the meat with other ingredients. A Wagyu steak only needs minimal seasoning, for instance, because the beef should be the star of the show. Premium sakes often taste clean and pure, too, offering a well-balanced and refined taste that highlights the steak's flavor without outshining it.

Texturally, high-end sake is typically silky smooth in a way that complements more expensive, tender steak cuts. That said, premium sake still comes in many different styles, so you'll want to factor in other things like acidity, flavor profile, and maturity. Fortunately, there's no shortage of superb sake brands, so you should always be able to find a standout bottle that suits your needs.

Considering how subjective people's tastes can be, serving steak at a dinner party can be a little daunting. After all, cooking a large quantity of steaks to different levels of doneness is no simple feat (trust me, I've been there). With that in mind, you'll want to opt for a steak cut that you can easily cook to perfection and portion out before wowing your guests with a drink pairing – like sake. Of course, unless you're serving a sake and steak that you've tried before, you're going to want to test the sake in advance to make sure it works with the beef.

Although sake is traditionally served in small ceramic cups, I prefer a wine glass when taste testing because it opens up the aroma. When you're smelling the sake, give the liquid a swirl and inhale through your nose with your mouth open, as this will reduce the heat of the alcohol. Take a small sip of sake and let it coat your palate, savoring it gently before swallowing.

Next, ask yourself these questions: Is it umami-forward, or floral and fruity? Is your mouth watering from the acidity? Is the mouthfeel full and creamy, or clean and sharp? How does the flavor change if you warm the sake? If you've analyzed a sake's taste beforehand, it'll be much easier to decide what kind of cut, cooking method, and seasonings to use for the steak.