Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

flank steak

As much as I like to talk about making things from scratch and DIYing and…wait, I rarely talk about DIYing, that was a bold face lie. So, let’s start over — as much as I like to think about DIYing and taking the time to make things from scratch and “enjoying the process” and all that — sometimes I just really love convenience. In the kitchen, this translates to a love of meals that come together quickly, yet are still full of flavor. So now that the weather is heating up I want to talk about a MAJOR FAVORITE in our household.

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak.

Can we talk about Flank steak for a minute? I mean, why wouldn’t we be talking about Flank steak — what else do you talk about around the water cooler on a Wednesday, right? Flank steak is one of those long and flat steaks that come from the abdominal area of a cow, and because ab muscles are *supposed* to be all rock hard and stuff, it can be a little tough. But if you treat it right, it will make your night — and yes, that is a poem I just wrote. Who wants to offer me a book deal on my poetry collection?

What that means to you, my friends, is that flank steak loves a good marinade. And I’m going to tell you about the best one I know of. It’s originally from Simply Recipes (who I love because on top of being brilliant, she’s from Carmichael — AWESOME!) but I make a substitution to keep it Paleo. Yo. (That was poem number two. You’re welcome.)

The thing I love about this marinade is that it involves simple ingredients, it’s quick to mix up and you can drop your flank steak in there in the morning, on your lunch break, or even the night before as it imparts awesome flavor. Heck I’ve popped my marinating steak in the fridge at 4:30 when I get off work and still had dinner on the table before 7. So it is super versatile! (Just don’t do more than 24 because the acidity of the marinade will start breaking the proteins in your meat down. No bueno.)

Enough talk though, let’s get to the goods, shall we?

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
* 1/3 cup coconut aminos
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 pounds flank steak
* Kosher salt
* Garlic pepper (or just regular black pepper and garlic powder)

Method

1. Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch diagonal knife cuts about an inch apart across the grain of the meat. Mix up your marinade and pour it over your steak in a large freezer bag. Pop in the fridge and leave for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

When it’s time to grill:

2. Grease your grill with olive oil (You can use a brush or just oil on a paper towel) and then preheat the grill on high for about 10 minutes. Flank steak likes high direct heat. This is awesome and practically fool-proof. Another reason I love this recipe.

3. Take the steak out of the marinade bag and generously season both sides with salt and garlic pepper. Garlic pepper is so darn awesome, you should try it. But if you don’t have it – salt, pepper and garlic powder will work just fine. Again be liberal with these seasonings. They make a nice tasty crust on the outside.

4. Drop your steak on the hot grill. I use a gas grill and I grill the entire time with the cover open. The breakdown goes a little something like this for a perfectly medium rare steak:

Grill for 2-3 minutes, then turn the steak 90°
Grill for 2-3 minutes, and flip over
Grill for 2-3 minutes, then turn the steak 90°
Grill for 2-3 minutes, and you’re done.

Yes, I use a timer. Yes I enjoy criss-crossed grill marks. You might too?

Diptic

4. We are a medium rare household, and it’s a good thing too because flank steak gets a little tough if you over cook it. Adapt your cooking time from the suggestion above to your household’s liking. Then take it off the grill and place it on a cutting board (it’s efficient!), then cover it with foil and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.

5. Slice across the grain, and at a slight diagonal and enjoy!

6. And if you REALLY like convenience, enjoy on paper plates out in the back yard like we did! CONVENIENCE FOR THE WIN!

photo

*****

How do you usually prepare flank steak? I love this recipe so much, we hardly ever deviate. But I am totally open to suggestions! Pass your recipes along.

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16 Responses to Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

  1. bethanyrx says:

    Did I give you this recipe? Because we LOVE it… so easy, so flavorful, no fancy ingredients. But you already knew that. 😉

    • Holly says:

      I don’t even remember how we came across it, so maybe it was you…HAHA You do send me some good ones 🙂

  2. Amanda says:

    What if I left out the honey? I’m doing a Whole30, but this looks so good I want to try it out this week!

    • Holly says:

      Hmmm…well I’m not sure since I’ve never tried it. But I can’t imagine it would be a total disaster? Oil/Aminos/Garlic, etc. I don’t think it would be awful 🙂

  3. Erin says:

    I never marinate our flank steak, but after seeing this, I may have to try it. I usually just score, season, and grill!

    • Holly says:

      That’s funny, I never just season and grill. I’ll have to try it. Do you have a particular blend of seasoning you love?

  4. Looks so yummy! What’s the benefit of the coconut aminos??

    • Holly says:

      Just an option to use as a substitute if you don’t eat soy sauce. Or you could use soy sauce, or tamari. Same diff 🙂

  5. Lesley says:

    I’ve made this from Simply Recipes! I absolutely love, love, love that site. Some of my very favorite recipes are found there, especially for veggies. Hello, I made the hashed Brussels sprouts tonight! I would eat those every night if I could pay someone to “hash” them for me 😉 Love flank steak, too…I had my eye on the huge packs at Costco the other day. And I totally get the Carmichael factor. It’s a nice place to be from (says the girl who grew up off Palm Drive).

  6. Andrea says:

    Another great recipe, Thanks.

  7. Maureen says:

    We always marinate our flank steak with Wishbone Italian dressing for a few hours, then throw on the grill. Then my husband slices it into very thin strips, delicious!

    • Holly says:

      Hey that sounds tasty! I’ll have to try it. I always have a bottle of Wishbone in my fridge. Thanks!

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