Flank Steak ideas

SurfnGrill

Greetings! We have some well-meaning friends who are bringing over flanks steaks on Saturday; expecting me to create awesomeness without any prior prep (marinade, etc...). I'm looking for some quick and basic ideas. Also, I'm not opposed to sending these angels (anyone who brings me free protein is an angel) instructions to marinade them in advance. Feel free to offer both marinade as well as cooking instructions for a L BGE. Thanks in advance!
Winning recipe and pics to follow...

4TheGrillOfIt

You can do a couple of things to tenderize what can be a tough cut without marinading.  Use a jaccard or a fork to poke the hell out of it.  This will tenderize it by breaking down those long fibers.  Then rub some lime juice (another tenderizer) over it and season it up with salt and pepper.  If you can give it an hour or more before cooking.  Cook it over ripping hot heat to just under medium and slice thin against the grain.  

6baluts

Let me sniff around for my wifes Matambre recipe (she is traveling at present). Though not really a Colombian dish she has a killer recipe. Pretty sure a number of options are on the web.

WeberWho

You can butterfly it, stuff it, and roll it up like a pinwheel. 

HeavyG

Forum favorite Steve Raichlen 's new season of Project Fire recently had an episode featuring a flank steak/matambre which might inspire you:

https://video.mpt.tv/video/episode-402-rolled-stuffed-and-grilled-tjly9e/

saluki2007

https://beefandlambnz.com/recipes/blue-cheese-flank-steak-roll-balsamic-glaze/

1voyager

Tell them that you will need at least 2 hours to marinate.

If you are friends enough to ask them to do the marinade, it is best to do 12 - 24 hours.

Here's my basic version:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons red wine 

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the steak in a container large enough for the entire piece to be exposed to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate, hopefully 12 - 24 hours. 

Reverse sear to 100 degrees internal temp.

Sear on screaming hot cast iron griddle or direct on BGE at 500 degrees dome temp. Leave the lid open. 

Pull at 125 degrees.

Slice thinly across the grain and serve immediately on hot plates.

RRP

RRP’s London Broil

Background & Disclaimer: Over 30 years ago someone shared this basic recipe with my wife, Pat. We have no idea of the origin – hence no credit can be given. On the other hand I have tweaked it over the years and have adapted it to grilling on the Big Green Egg.  To this very day it is my favorite meal and I reserve it for my birthday meal plus a couple other special occasion celebrations each year.

Needed:

1 flank steak around 1.25 to 2 pounds

2 T garlic infused EVOO

3 t dried chopped parsley flakes

3 or 4 fresh garlic cloves crushed

½ t salt

2 t lemon juice

¼ t fresh ground pepper (12 grinds)

Using a sharp knife trim any excess fat. Scrape off the fine membrane on the one side. Rinse under cold running water and then dry. Option here: I use a Jaccard to assure my flank steak is tender. Combine the above ingredients, and mix well. Lay meat on a piece of Saran wrap and spread the mixture evenly on both sides. Since a flank steak has a strong grain pattern to it with a stringy texture I work the mixture into the meat using the backside of a spoon. Finish wrapping with more Saran wrap and then seal tightly in a food safe plastic bag compressing out air. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, though 30 is better and 48 is best and do not disturb it!

Next day:

Sauté 8 oz of sliced white button mushrooms in 1/3 stick of real butter and salt to taste and sit aside, but do not drain! (BTW lately the sliced mushrooms are thicker than they used to be so I find they work with this meal better when further sliced in half while still raw.)

In a saucepan create the following au jus:

2 T Heinz Chili Sauce

a pinch of marjoram

a pinch of thyme

a generous pinch of hickory smoked salt

2 generous dashes of Tabasco

2 generous dashes of Worcestershire

5 oz of Burgundy

1 beef bouillon cube

2 oz of water

sprinkle of salt and fresh ground pepper

Optional: ½ t of flour (add the flour to a T of hot water from the tap so that it will dissolve)

Mix these ingredients well and add several slices of  sweet red onions, broken apart or left as rings or cut in half. Simmer the pot until it starts the fine bubble stage. At this point add the mushrooms and their liquid and stir well. This can be done in advance, left to cool and refrigerate until time to reheat and serve with the meal.

Grilling the meat:

Flank steak is thin and if overcooked it will become tough very quickly. 

Remove meat from refrigerator and place on counter for at least 2 hours before grilling time.

Fire up your BGE and stabilize at 650 to 700 degrees dome as you will be grilling direct. Unwrap the meat and quickly place on the grill for a mere 2 minutes for first side, flip for 2 more minutes and  remove the meat as the cooking is done!

Quickly cut the meat across the grain in thin strips of ¼” to 3/8” slices. Prepare the plates with meat and garnish with the warm au jus/mushroom mixture. We love this meal with mashed potatoes also garnished with the mixture.

* * * * * *

I just hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. BTW I love any leftovers just cold and eaten over the kitchen sink the next day!  

  Ron Pratt, aka RRP in Dunlap, IL

loco_engr

@4TheGrillOfIt has a good method, I should try his next time.
I normally rub in EVOO,S+P, slice across the grain and roll up in pinwheels and wrap bacon around the outside. HTH

SurfnGrill

Some great options here; I'll report the results soon

EggDeacon

HUGH HAMILTON’S LONDON BROIL MARINADE

My family has used this marinade for years! 

For 3 lbs London Broil    1 or 2 slabs Flank Steak 

 

4 tsp. Adolph’s meat tenderizer

2 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. Accent

4 T. sherry

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. Worcestershire Sauce

2 T. honey

 

Mix all ingredients together well. Pierce meat well with fork and place in marinade in a zip lock bag or spoon marinade over meat in a casserole dish. Refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight, turning meat at least once, more often as you wish. Grill (or broil in oven) until desired doneness, through meat should be pink in middle when done. Let rest 10-15 minutes, then slice thinly across grain at an angle.

As Soy and Worcestershire are high in sodium, you may well omit the 1 tsp of salt.  I use low sodium Worcestershire and Soy sauces.

NOTE: Best cut of meat for this is flank steak though grocers sell several cuts as “London Broil.”  “London Broil” actually designates cutting thinly, cross-grain, at an angle.  Flank steak gives nice grain and texture!

It is even better as left-overs on day 2!  Great in Black'n Blue salads. 

 

dmourati

https://www.seriouseats.com/carne-asada-food-lab-recipe-kenji

EzraBrooks

If you have a wok, go beef and broccoli. The velveting process only takes about 15 minutes and the cook is super fast.

https://rasamalaysia.com/beef-and-broccoli-recipe/

SurfnGrill

Success! So I went with @loco_engr s pinwheel idea. Turns out, our friends did in fact marinade them with a mix of Dales, teriyaki, Worcestershire and a garlic pepper rub. Rolled 'em up, wrapped 'em in bacon and cooked (indirect at first, then direct) at 275 to get the internal temps at 100. then removed, got the heat up and reverse seared to finish them off. Thanks also to @Foghorn for the extra tips. Medium rare perfection. Pics are first load to the egg, prior to sear, post sear. Thanks to all for your ideas; some good ones here.

Foghorn

Outstanding.  Great execution.  

I guess we'll just have to take your word for it that they were medium rare.