How Long Does It Take To Grill A Flank Steak On A Gas Grill
At the halfway point, turn 1 minute prior to changing direction. Grill your flank steak for about 9-12 minutes turning it at a pace of about 1.25 minutes per halfway point. 130F is the ideal temperature for meat thermometers. The foil should cover the flank steak lightly when it needs resting for 5 minutes.
Perfect Grilled Flank Steak
If you are a steak person, this grilled flank steak is for you. Sometimes flank steak can get a bad wrap because it is affordable and can be a bit tough if you dont cook it correctly.
We love flank steak here on Fit Foodie Finds because we know how to prepare and cook it to make it taste amazing. We have an amazing sous vide flank steak recipe and our Instant Pot beef and broccoli uses flank steak, too!
This grilled flank steak recipe is marinated, grilled, and cut into strips. Its flavorful and seriously easy to make! The only decision youll have to make when preparing this steak is what to serve it with.
Easy Cast Iron Teriyaki Flank Steak With Veggies
Teriyaki flank steak boasts sweet, spicy and savoury flavours in every mouthful. Some of the ingredients in the sauce help tenderize the meat. This means you can expect the flank steak on a cast iron skillet to come out juicy and delicious. This is a favourite quick steak dinner made in a cast iron grill pan.
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A pan seared flank steak recipe like this is simple to prepare. Expect plenty of incredible flavours from this quick steak dinner. Flank steak is an economically priced cut of beef which is ideal for recipe like this one.
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Preparing Your Flank Steak
You will need one pound of flank steak for every three people. Score your steak by making shallow cuts into your meat. This will allow better penetration of your marinade and seasonings. Put your steaks onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife tip to make cuts on both sides in a diamond pattern. Each cut should be one-quarter of an inch thick and against the grain. You will be using either a marinade or dry rub. Pro Tip: For a stronger flavor, let your flank steaks marinate overnight.
How To Marinade A Flank Steak
The main rule with marinading is not to leave your marinating to the last minute. Good marinades need a minimum of 2 hours to do the job, and the best marinades can also do with being left to soak into the steak for 12+ hours.
Consult our recommended recipes at the end of this article for some marinade ideas for your flank steak. Other ideas that work well are teriyaki or barbecue-based marinades.
Do You Have To Marinade?
You do not have to marinate your steak. However, it is strongly advised to enjoy your cut to the fullest.
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How To Cook Beef Flank Steak
Take advantage of the warmer weather and get outside to cook a flank steak on your pellet grill. Flank steak is popular due to its short grilling time and affordability. In addition, the flank steak is worth noting for its strong beefy flavor and ability to absorb marinades well, making this a wonderfully versatile cut that can suit many styles of cooking and recipes. This steak, when cooked right, can be excellent in simple stir-fries, spicy fajitas, or even in a beef Panang curry with shiitake mushrooms, but equally well works on its own with a side of grilled vegetables.
Here is everything you need to know about cooking a flank steak in your garden on your Z Grills Pellet Grill.
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How Long To Marinate Steak
4-12 hour is the optimal time to marinate this flank steak recipe. After 4 hours, the flank steak has absorbed a lot of the flavor but by 12 hours it will have become even more tender. I recommend marinating the steak for the maximum 12 hours. This will infuse the steak with TONS of flavor and optimal juiciness.
Dont over-marinate. This flank steak marinade is highly acidic which means you dont want to marinate the steak much longer than 12 hours because the acid in the marinade will begin to change the structure of the meat and the muscle fibers can break down and become mushy.
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How Long Should I Marinate Flank Steak
I came across some research that said you shouldnt marinate flank steak longer than two hours because it could scorch or toughen the meat. The reason youll see this is because acid breaks down proteins, and when those proteins break down too much water is released and the muscle becomes tough.
I tested this marinade after two hours, and again after eight hours. Both times the meat was tender and flavorful. I also tried it after 24 hours and found the meat a little tough compared to the others. Just to be on the safe side, I wouldnt marinate this overnight.
How To Marinate Flank Steak
Flank steaks love a good marinade. Just a couple hours in the marinade is all it takes to tenderize them and infuse them with plenty of flavor. Check out our Soy-Marinated Flank Steaks to learn about the ingredients that go into a fantastic flank steak marinade. This marinade includes soy sauce, which seasons and flavors the steak, balsamic vinegar, which tenderizes it, vegetable oil, which maintains its juiciness and sugar, which helps it brown and caramelize.
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How To Slice Flank Steak Against The Grain
Take a look at your steak before you cook it and notice the direction the grain flows. After your cooked steak has rested, remember that direction and thinly cut across the grain with a sharp knife held at about a 45-degree angle. Cutting flank steak against its grain is yet another way to fight its tough nature.
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How To Prepare Flank Steak Seasoning And Marinade
The best way to prepare flank steak is to marinate it. Marinating your flank steak for a few hours or overnight will help tenderize the meat. If you dont have time for a marinade, you can use a rub of spices. However, you may want to use a meat tenderizer to soften the muscle fibers before applying a rub.
Generally, a marinade will provide all the flavor your flank steak needs. You can craft your marinade so it has the flavors you want. We recommend using an acid element like lime juice, a salt element like soy sauce, and olive or vegetable oil to keep the meat juicy. You could alternatively use a rub to season your flank steak.
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How To Tenderize Flank Steak Quickly
Complex pieces of meat, such as flank steak, throw broil, brisket, and holder steak, are not only less costly than their less fatty counterparts, but they also provide significantly more taste when cooked to perfection. In any case, you wont receive any of that taste until you add a few crucial steps to their processing. Here are six various cooking methods, ranging from a lengthy, slow simmer to the force of saltwater.
Hammer It Out
Meat softens and mellows after being beaten, allowing it to cut and consume easily. One of the simplest and safest methods is to press the flesh between two cling wrap or parchment paper sheets and smash it before grilling.
Tackle The Force Of Salt
We use salt to season meat to give the steak extraordinary flavors.
Utilize An Acidic Marinade
Consider an acidic marinade for extreme, more slender slices of steak like a skirt, holder, and flank, as well as London cook, for more delicate outcomes and much more exterior richness. A marinade must comprise acidic fixings such as yogurt, soft drinks, vinegar, buttermilk, citrus juice, and wine.
Think About The Kiwi
Chemicals in kiwifruit together with pineapple, pears, and papaya tenderize hard meat. The kiwifruit, in especially, is an excellent option because it has the most delicately balanced flavor.
Take A Good Blade Work
Cooking Flank Steak On The Stove
If you want to cook flank steaks on the stove, you should opt for a cast-iron skillet to do the job, since it can handle higher temperatures. These steaks do best when cooking over high heat for a short period of time to give them the perfect texture and taste. Spray the pan with some cooking spray or add olive oil and cook on each side for about four minutes each. The optimal temperature is, again, a medium rare so your meat doesnt end up too chewy.
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Flank Steak Recipe Variations
- Swap citrus. Swap the lemon juice for lime juice or orange juice.
- Swap vinegar. Swap the balsamic for red wine vinegar.
- Swap seasonings. Mix up the flavor profile and swap the seasonings in the recipe for Cajun seasonings, Fajita seasonings, or Asian inspired seasonings such as Chinese 5 Spice, ginger and garlic.
- Make it spicy. Add additional red pepper flakes or swap the red pepper flakes for some cayenne or chipotle chili powder.
- Add chimichurri. Chimichurri is AMAZING with steak! I highly recommend my tangy, fresh Cilantro Jalapeno Chimichurri Sauce used in my grilled pork recipe. It is the perfect complement to the earthy, smoky grilled steak.
How Do You Keep Flank Steak Moist
Flank steak is a fairly tough cut of meat due to its leanness. Our simple marinade has just four ingredients and is the perfect way to prepare flank steak for the grill. While acidic citrus juice and salty soy sauce act to both season and tenderize the steak, olive oil helps to keep the meat supple and juicy.
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An Introduction To Flank Steak
Flank steak comes from the lower abdominal area or the flank of the cow. This is a less expensive version of the pricier cuts of beef. Our beef flank steak recipes will show you how to cook this type of meat to be flavorful and tender. You will need to use a dry rub or marinade. You will be cooking your steaks on your grill. If you do not have one, the best way to cook flank steak indoors is with a cast-iron skillet.
To achieve the best results, your marinade needs to include salt, acidity, seasonings, oil and sugar. This is what will affect the general flavor of your meat. If you overcook flank steak or do not use a marinade or a rub, your meat may be tough.
Flank Steak Vs Skirt Steak
Although many people use the terms interchangeably, there are some subtle distinguishing factors between a flank and a skirt steak. The latter tends to hold a stronger huskier flavor as it is a tougher cut from a cows diaphragm. However, both cuts fair well with a good marinade and short cooking time on high heat.
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Why Is Flank Steak So Expensive
Again, this is probably because its so thin that people tend to overlook it as a quality steak. Compared to skirt steak, flanks are usually a bit more expensive because theyre usually the go-to cut for restaurants to use for fajitas. The top cost of this steak is usually no more than $11 per pound.
Let It Rest And Cut It Properly
One of the most crucial elements to flank steak is how you carve it. Because of its distinct muscle graining, if you cut it incorrectly, you might be left with much chewier meat.
First, allow the steak to rest for five to 10 minutes. This will seal in the juices and allow the muscles to relax. This is a key element for any steak, but especially important for a cut that is mostly muscle. You can place some aluminum foil over the steak if you are worried about it cooling off.
One it has rested, you want to be sure you are using a sharp knife to slice against the grain. What does that mean, exactly? If the grain is the lines that you see on the steak, slicing against it means you will cut perpendicular to those lines. Dont cut with the lines and instead cut straight across them in the opposite direction. This severs those muscle fibers and makes the meat much less chewy.
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How To Buy Flank Steak
Beef flank steak can vary in size, ranging from one pound to four pounds. When choosing a steak, pick a cut uniform in thickness to ensure even cooking throughout the steak. If you buy more steak than you can use at once, it can be vacuum-packaged and frozen for six to twelve months.
When at your butcher or supermarket counter, look for flank with visible marbling and large muscle fibers . Also, look for a flat shape and dark red color.
Flank also comes by different names, depending on where you live. It may often be referred to as London broil or jiffy steak. Its sometimes mistakenly referred to as Bavette, despite them being different beef cuts.
Its also sometimes confused with skirt steak. Skirt, however, is a different beef cut from the cows nearby diaphragm region. Skirt steak does share the distinctive grain of the flank and we can substitute the two for one another in a pinch. See our guide on the differences between flank and skirt steak to find out more.
Cooking Your Beef Flank Steak Recipe
Once your grill is hot enough, brush the metal bars of your grill with vegetable or olive oil using a grill brush. You are now ready to place your flank steaks on your grill. As soon as your steaks come in contact with the surface of your grill, they should start to sizzle. Pro Tip: If you do not have a grill brush available, you can use bunched up paper towels dipped in oil. Make certain your hand does not come into contact with the surface of your grill.
During the first few minutes, you will be searing your flank steaks. This will require between three and four minutes. Use a pair of tongs to turn over your steaks. Provided your grill was nice and hot, you should see blackened or dark brown areas of your steak with a crispy appearance. If your meat is not well seared, turn it back over immediately and let your meat continue to cook.
Once your flank steaks are well seared, cook them on the other side over high heat for another three to four minutes. This will ensure you have a crispy layer on both sides for a great taste and the ideal texture. You will enjoy the caramelized exterior of your steaks. Once both sides of your flank steaks have been seared, you will need to move them to a cooler section of your grill. You can do this using your tongs.
- Rare: 120 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium-Well: 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- Well done: 160 degrees Fahrenheit
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How To Make Sure Flank Steak Cooks Evenly
A flank steak is sort of wedge-shaped and can range from one to two pounds. Often one end of the flank steak is thicker than the other. If the difference in thickness is more than 1/4 inch, its smart to slice apart the thicker and thinner sides to ensure even doneness. Start cooking the thicker half, and about halfway through cooking, add the thinner half and cook both pieces to desired doneness. Alternatively, you can pound the steak out into an even thickness between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Or, if some family members like their steak cooked medium-rare and others like theirs more well done, leave the flank steak intact as is and there will be something for everyone.
Is Broiling An Option
Yes! In fact, some people prefer broiling flank steak over other methods. Broiling helps cook the steaks much like grilling would, which helps create crispiness around the edges without overcooking it. The trick is to only cook for about 5 minutes on each side to medium rare. Any further and youll risk overdoing it, turning your beloved flanks into hockey pucks. Allow resting for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
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Keys To Perfectly Grilled Flank Steak
- It must be tenderized either by the butcher or at home by scoring.
- It must be cooked to perfection . Refer to the grill time and temperature chart below.
If you’re new to barbecuing steaks, cuts of meat that are lean like flank and brisket are much more challenging than cuts with a high degree of marbling like rib eyes and filet mignon.
Can You Marinate And Freeze Flank Steak
Feel free to freeze this steak with the marinade! Make the marinade in a zip top bag, add the steak and turn to coat. Squeeze as much air out as possible, then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Take the steak out of the freezer and thaw it in a bowl of water a couple of hours before you want to grill it or the morning before you plan to grill it.
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Use A Meat Tenderizer
This is one of the easiest, no-fail ways to tenderize flank steak. Simply put the meat between plastic wrap or wax paper on a cutting board and pound using a weighted mallet that can be purchased at any multi-purpose store or grocery store. If you do not have a weighted mallet, a rolling pin or anything with some weight like a skillet works great as well. Pounding the meat softens it by flattening the muscle and helping blend the muscle, collagen and fat prior to grilling.