Marinated Flank Steak
Flank steak, also known as London broil, isn't the most tender cut of beef, but it is one of the most flavorful. The key to getting a tender flank steak is to let the meat marinate for a good, long time — in this case, in a mixture of red wine, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, various spices, and fresh rosemary — and the carve it across the grain into thin slices before serving.
Credit: André Baranowski
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp. black peppercorns1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tbsp. fennel seeds
2 dried chiles de àrbol, broken
2 fresh bay leaves
1⁄2 cup red wine
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. worcestershire
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (2-lb.) flank steak
Kosher salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Toast peppercorns, coriander, fennel, chiles de àrbol, and bay leaves in a small skillet over high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer aromatics to a hard surface; lightly crush with the bottom of a heavy skillet; then transfer to a 9"x13" baking dish.2. Add wine, vinegar, worcestershire, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil; whisk to combine. Poke flank steak all over with a fork and place in marinade; spoon some marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 12 to 24 hours.
3. An hour before grilling, transfer steak to a plate; set aside at room temperature. Transfer marinade to a small pot and bring just to a boil; set aside.
4. Build a medium-hot charcoal fire in your grill. Grill steak, turning once and, using a brush, basting with reserved marinade occasionally, until browned and medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve steak into thin slices on the bias and serve with any accumulated juices.
this recipe is useless without a list of ingredients. it is a real inconvience to have to take the ingredients out of paragraph form and then rewrite the recipe.
k steak was a London broil - far from it!
Salt and glutamates are the only flavoring agents that penetrate deeply into the meat. The worcestershire sauce is great, but you could also add in a bit of Thai fish sauce. I'd add a healthy amount of kosher salt, too - not just "to taste" but a solid two teaspoons or so. And a bit of sugar never hurts.
Secondly, I have issues with that much vinegar. It just makes the surface of the meat rather mushy - contrary to popular belief, intensely acidic marinades do not tenderize meat all the way through. They just break down the surface and impair browning.
I'd omit the red wine vinegar except for perhaps a teaspoon or two for zing, and use a mortar and pestle or food processor to break down the marinade ingredients into a coarse paste. I'd marinate the meat with the paste for perhaps three or four hours, then pat it dry with paper towels so the surface is dry and ready to caramelize. Then I'd apply some oil and a simple rub composed of a bit more of each of the dry spices to the surface, then grill.