Flank steak help

[overcome]

My DH requested this for his birthday dinner and I dont know the first thing about cooking a steak.

Any BTDT advice?
We won't be grilling it....

[oneplustwo]

You could do a London Broil. I use a variety of steak cuts for it, including flank. The recipe I use is from Yankee Magazine, and I've done it both grilling (which I know you're not doing) and broiling and the steaks always come out great. Here's all the info:

London Broil Recipe from Yankee Magazine
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 20 minutes, plus 1 to 8 hours for marinating; active time: 20 minutes This recipe doubles easily if you wish to prepare two steaks instead of one. Use leftovers in a steak sandwich or as a topper for a main-dish green salad.
IT IS POSSIBLE to have beef that's tender but also affordable; just start with a less expensive cut and add a marinade. I like the flavor and texture of flank steak prepared London broil style; but other options are top round, top sirloin, and shoulder roasts.
Combine a few basic ingredients -- oil, herbs, and an acidic ingredient (vinegar, citrus fruit juices, or wine) -- in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. To save time, you can simply use Italian salad dressing, or mix together 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 1 minced clove garlic. Marinate beef at least 30 minutes, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook over hot coals. Remember -- for tender steak, do not cook beyond medium rare. Overcooking toughens the meat.
- Judy Feagin
What Is London Broil?
London broil is defined as a flank steak from the lower hindquarters of the cow, which is marinated and then broiled or grilled. Some claim it was first served in London in 1931; others say its origins are American and the name is a matter of creative license. The term is also used somewhat loosely to describe thick cuts of meat such as top round and sirloin.

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1-1/2 pounds flank steak

Combine all ingredients except steak in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag.
Score steak by making 1/8-inch-deep diagonal slashes across the meat in two different directions to create a diamond pattern on both sides of the meat. Add steak to marinade; seal and chill at least 1 hour or overnight. (If you wish to reserve some of the marinade to use as a basting sauce, do so before adding the steak; see box, "Tips for Marinating.")
Remove steak from marinade, reserving 1/4 cup marinade. Boil reserved marinade 5 minutes to kill any bacteria; use as a basting sauce. Grill steak, covered with grill lid, over high heat (400° to 500°) 5 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness, basting occasionally. Remove from grill; let steak stand covered for 5 minutes. (To broil, place steak on a rack in a broiler pan. Broil 3 to 5 inches from heat for 5 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness.)
Slice steak diagonally across grain into thin strips.

TIPS FOR MARINATING

· Marinate beef in heavy-duty zip-top plastic bags or in covered glass, ceramic, or stainless steel containers. Do not marinate in aluminum containers, which can impart "off" flavors.
· Marinate meats in the refrigerator.
· To tenderize tough cuts of meat, marinate overnight. Thick cuts, such as top round, can marinate up to 48 hours. (If you just want to add flavor, marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours.)
· Add roughly 1 cup marinade for 1-1/2 pounds of beef. If the marinade doesn't completely cover the beef, turn beef every couple of hours.
· When marinating a flank steak, cut diagonal slashes on both sides of the meat to allow the marinade to penetrate more quickly. For thicker cuts of beef, prick the meat all over with the tines of a fork.

[Edited to add: I recommend marinating overnight for the best flavor.]

[mommylamb]

We do flank steak quite frequently. DH usually marinates it and cooks it on the grill. Just make sure to cut it against the grain.

[mjs64]

We do flank steak quite frequently. DH usually marinates it and cooks it on the grill. Just make sure to cut it against the grain.

Cut against the grain. And don't overcook it. Cook to med rare, med at the most. Marinating is always good--do whatever flavor you like. Add some acid (lemon/lime/vinegar) and then other seasonings--pick a region. Broil it (it's like upside-down, indoor grilling) if you can't grill.

Here's Mark Bittman (NYTimes food columnist) with a basic recipe and several variations:

http://content.markbittman.com/recip...ed-flank-steak

[BeachBum]

This is one we like
Chipotle-Lime Flank Steak

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time 00
Categories : Beef Grilling
Tex-Mex

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 (1 1/2 lb) flank steak
4 chipotle chiles canned in adobo
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup (anout 1/2 of a bunch) chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons garlic oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients for marinade. Marinate flank steak in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight. Remove steak from marinade and reserve marinade.

Grill or broil to desired degree of doneness.

Meanwhile, as steak is grilling, bring marinade to a boil and boil until slightly reduced and thickened. Serve sauce over thinly sliced steak.

[g-mama]

Here is one I make and it's absolutely delicious:

Marinated Flank Steak by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Cooking Sherry
3 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons (heaping) Minced Ginger
3 cloves (to 5 Cloves) Minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 whole Flank Steak

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a glass or ceramic dish.

Remove flank steak from package and give it a quick rinse. Coat both sides of the meat with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 3 to 6 hours.

Remove the steak from the marinade and place on a plate while you heat up the grill pan. Make sure to turn on your overhead exhaust fan as the cooking process can be quite smoky.

When the pan is extremely hot, place the steak on a slight angle as this makes for more appealing grill marks. Cook without touching for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Rotate the meat about 45 degrees, keeping it on the same side, and cook for another 1 ½ minutes.

Now flip it to the other side. Cook using the same method on the other side, cooking for 1 1/2 minutes, then rotating it and finishing the cooking process. I cook the flank streak to medium rare, which usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes total cooking time. Remove the meat to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.

When you’re ready, thinly slice the meat against the grain. That means find the directional striations/lines in the meat grain and slice perpendicular to it.

Controversial Optional Sauce: Before grilling the flank steak, strain the marinade into a small saucepan. Discard what stays in the sieve. Add ½ cup of water to the marinade. Boil the marinade while heating the grill for the meat AND add an additional 10 minutes. The point of boiling, obviously, is to take away any risk of bacteria from the marinade. Also, by boiling for ten to fifteen minutes, the sauce will reduce and slightly thicken. Then just spoon a little into a dish and use it as a dipping sauce for the meat.

ETA: If you search the recipe on her site, you can find the step by step photographs.

[overcome]

Wow!!! Thanks for the great and detailed responses! Now I just have to make it and hope for the best. My DH is so easy he'll be happy w however it turns out, but I want it to be good! We love rare to med rare so I hope I don't overcook it.
Yay! Thanks so much. BTW I have to check out the pioneer woman....her recipes keep cropping up!!

[overcome]

Success! We had the flank steak tonight and it was excellent!! I am embarrassed to say I marinated in a bottle of Italian dressing (bc that's how his mom used to prepare it).

I am so happy w the results and will def make it again, this time with one of the recipes from this post.

I just gained so much confidence!!! Yippee!!! Thanks ladies. :-)

[KLD313]

Success! We had the flank steak tonight and it was excellent!! I am embarrassed to say I marinated in a bottle of Italian dressing (bc that's how his mom used to prepare it).

I am so happy w the results and will def make it again, this time with one of the recipes from this post.

I just gained so much confidence!!! Yippee!!! Thanks ladies. :-)

Don't be embarrassed, I've done that and it tastes good. I'm glad your meal was a success.