Ingredients
Method
- Prep. An hour or two before cooking, moisten the surface of the meat, salt it, and place it in the fridge. This technique is called a dry brine and it does a great job of amplifying flavor because the salt is sucked down deep into the meat. It also helps protein retain moisture.
- Flank steak is usually wedge shaped. One end is a lot thicker than the other. When you cook it hot and fast one side is either overcooked or undercooked. So here's how to outsmart the steak. If your steak is more than 1/4" (6.3 mm) thicker at one end than the other, cut it in half and start the thick half first. This is important: Make a mental note of which way the grain of the fibers is running. You can even put a toothpick in there as a pointer.
- Lightly coat the meat with oil to help darken the surface and keep it from sticking.
- Fire up. Start a 2-zone fire and get the hot zone as hot as possible. Flank steak is best over charcoal or the sear burner of a gas grill. If you are using charcoal, here's a trick: Raise the coals so they are about 2" (51 mm) below the cooking grate. On a Weber Kettle, put a couple of bricks under the charcoal grate as shown here. We want high heat so we can take the surface to dark brown and crusty, almost but not quite charred.
- Cook. Put the thick half of the flank steak on first, about 2 minutes ahead of the thin half. Leave the lid off. Cook about 4 minutes on the first side or until it gets dark brown and from the side you can see the color has changed about 1/4" (6.3 mm) up the side. Cook on the other side about 3 minutes. The exact time will depend on your grill. If the skinny section finishes too fast you can move it to the indirect zone.I like mine rare to medium rare, at about 125°F (52°C), which is where it is when the juices start to come through the surface. Use an instant read meat thermometer to be sure you get it right.
- Slice. Remove the flank steak from the grill and set on a cutting board. The way you carve the meat is crucial to making it easy to chew. Flank steak tends to be tough, but if you cut it thin and across the grain, it is easier to chew. Click here to learn more about the proper way to carve flank steak. Place the meat on a cutting board. Hold a thin blade at a 45 degree angle and cut 1/8" (3.2 mm) slices across the grain.If you slice with the grain it will be much too chewy. On a flank steak, the first cut will be a little overcooked. Not to worry, the center cuts will be just fine.
- Serve. Plate the meat, laying it out in a fan. If wanted, top it with a little chimichurri sauce but be careful not to add too much as you want to meat taste to shine through. It can also be served over salad.
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Notes
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
Sauces. Make a board sauce or chimichurri sauce if you like. I like them a lot with this cut, although if you cook it properly, it is mighty fine with just salt and pepper.
Cook extra. Leftovers make great cold steak sandwiches, but I love to toss thin cold slices on top of a fresh green salad with leftover grilled asparagus, zucchini, and peppers (at right). Top it with croutons and blue cheese dressing.