Grilled Flank Steak – Smokey, juicy, flavorful, marinated flank steak with a tender texture and good chew with every bite. So simple and a total crowd-pleaser. Perfect steak indulgence for your weekend summer grilling.
I can’t imagine how boring life would be without steak. Aside from bread, steak is my go-to order when eating out. Although I’m occasionally willing to pay full price, nothing compares to a homemade grilled steak right in your backyard.
It’s cooked the way YOU want it with a marinade that is pretty customizable! And with the 4th of July coming in a few days, I think this Grilled Flank Steak perfectly fits our holiday feast. 😉
Flank Steak vs. Skirt Steak
Flank steak is often used interchangeably with skirt steak. It comes from the bottom abdominal row of the cow, which is relatively lean with a wider and thicker cut than skirt steak.
Skirt steak, on the other hand, is a thin, long cut from a cow’s diaphragm muscles and is beefier in flavor than flank steak. They make excellent stir-fry meat for fajitas, burritos, or sandwiches – just like my Grilled Skirt Steak.
Recipe Ingredients
First, you need a good marinade to enjoy a delicious homemade grilled flank steak. Luckily, I have the perfect marinade mix you can recreate at home. And the ingredients are pretty basic, too. 😉
- Flank Steak – This beef cut is tougher than the other cuts because it’s lean, thick-grained, and has little to no fat. Don’t worry, though, because this marinade will work its magic to tenderize our meat. 😉
- Aromatics – Minced garlic and ginger can genuinely make any dish flavorful and add depth of flavor to our flank steak.
- Lime and Orange Juice – These two are the secret to tenderizing our steak while adding refreshing citrusy flavor at the same time.
- Soy Sauce – Besides adding savory umami flavor and nice color to our beef, it also keeps it moist while grilling.
- Herbs and Spices – Oregano, cilantro, cumin, and pepper are enough to give our steak its glorious mouthwatering goodness. Feel free to swap them with your favorite herbs and taste to recreate your flavor.
How to Grill Flank Steak
Marinate the Beef
- Make the Marinade – Combine all the ingredients in a ziplock bag or large shallow dish, and mix until well-combined.
- Marinate – Coat well and marinate for at least an hour or refrigerate until ready to cook. If you feel it will take more than an hour, refrigerate it. (Photos 1-2)
Grill It
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Dry – When ready to grill, drain the flank steak and use paper towels to pat dry the steak. It’s crucial to wipe excess moisture using paper towels. If the steak is too moist, it will steam instead of grilling.
- Grill – Brush and oil the grill grate. Place flank steak on the hot grate and grill for about 5-6 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium, depending on preference, turning as needed with tongs. If using a meat thermometer, 125-130°F for rare, 140°F for medium-rare, 150°F for medium, and 160°F for medium-well. Keep in mind that cooking times will vary due to the thickness of your steak. (52-55℃ for rare, 60℃ for medium-rare, 65℃ for medium, and 70℃ for medium-well.) (Photo 3)
- Let it Rest – When the flank steak is ready, transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Slice and Serve – Then, starting at one corner, thinly slice it into thin strips against the grain. Arrange on a platter and serve. (Photo 4)
Recipe Variations
- Red Wine Vinegar – If the citrusy flavor is not your thing, red wine vinegar makes a great substitute. It also aids in tenderizing our meat because of its acid content.
- Honey – Adding a bit of sweetness won’t hurt. Instead, it’ll give your tastebuds a little tickle. 😉
- Seasoning Mix – To add an iconic Cajun or Mexican flair, you can also season our steak with more complex seasoning blends, such as Creole seasoning and taco seasoning.
- Hot and Spicy – Excite your tastebuds with a spicy surprise from hot sauce, cayenne, and red pepper flakes, and get ready for battle. A battle that you surely don’t want to quit. Ah-huh!
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to pat dry the flank steak with a paper towel before grilling, or else you’ll end up with a steamed flank steak instead of grilled.
- Allow the meat to rest before slicing it up for 5-10 minutes. This method allows it to retain most of its juice.
- Always slice the beef against the grain to minimize the length of muscle that you have to chew.
- If the weather is not ideal for grilling, you can cook it in a grilling pan instead. Either way, you’ll love how simple yet flavorful this fancy grilled flank steak is.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Since our beef cut is a little tougher and leaner, I highly suggest marinating it overnight to ensure a more tender and flavorful grilled steak. This lets all the beautiful flavors seep into the meat fibers and gives it enough time to tenderize. And, of course, don’t forget to refrigerate to avoid bacteria. 😉
Serving and Storage Instructions
For summer grilling, I like to go with a good chunk of flank steak over wine and salad. I also love it wrapped in pita or tortilla with slices of tomatoes, bell pepper, and cheese for a quick steak burrito. Oh, yum!
Leftover grilled steaks can be stored in a dry, clean, airtight container and kept in the fridge for four days. You can also wrap it with foil and store it in a heavy-duty freezer-safe resealable bag. Then freeze it to extend its shelf life for 3 months.
Reheat the grilled steaks in a preheated 225°F/107℃ oven for 15 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 110°F/43℃. Or sear in a cast-iron pan with butter to bring back the moisture.
FAQs
Ideally, the recommended marinating time is 12-24 hours, but if you’re pressed in time, you can simply marinate it two hours before cooking. Don’t stress yourself.
Grilling time depends on the steak’s thickness and your preferred doneness. Mine took about 5-6 minutes per side, medium-rare to medium. If available, you can use a meat thermometer for a more accurate reference to the doneness of your steak. For rare, it should read 125-130°F, 140°F for medium-rare, 150°F for medium, and 160°F for medium-well.
The acids in the marinade will tenderize the meat. You can also tenderize flank steak by pounding it with a meat mallet before marinating it.
What to Serve With Grilled Flank Steak
Don’t forget to grab your favorite wine to go along with this beef. And while you’re at it, why don’t you serve it with these exquisite side dishes below to complete your fancy yet inexpensive restaurant-quality meal? Yes, please!
More Amazing Steak Recipes to Try
Conclusion
This recipe is perfect for the weekly rotation but elegant enough for special occasions. When do you plan on trying this recipe? Let me know below;)
This blog post was originally published in May 2018 and has been updated with additional tips and new photos.
Grilled Flank Steak
Ingredients
- ½ lime, freshly squeezed (about ½ tablespoon juice)
- 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger freshly grated (optional)
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons cilantro
- 1½-2 pounds flank steak, trimmed
Instructions
- Combine marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag or large shallow dish, add flank steak, coat well, and marinate for at least an hour or refrigerate until ready to cook. If you feel it will take more than an hour, refrigerate it.
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- When ready to grill, drain the flank steak and use paper towels to pat it dry; it's crucial to wipe excess moisture using paper towels. If the steak is too moist, it will steam it instead of grilling it.
- Brush and oil the grill grate. Place flank steak on the hot grate and grill for about 5 -6 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium, depending on preference- turning as needed with tongs. If using a meat thermometer, 125℉ to 130°F for rare, 140°F for medium-rare, 150°F for medium, and 160°F for medium-well. (52-55℃ for rare, 60℃ for medium-rare, 65℃ for medium, and 70℃ for medium-well)
- Keep in mind that cooking times will vary due to the thickness of your steak.
- When the flank steak is ready, transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Then slice it into thin strips against the grain, starting at one corner. Arrange on a platter and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Make sure to pat dry the flank steak with a paper towel before grilling, or else you’ll end up with a steamed flank steak instead of grilling.
- Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it up. That allows the meat to retain its juice.
- Always slice the meat against the grain to minimize the length of muscle that you have to chew.
- If the weather is not ideal for grilling, you can cook it in a grilling pan instead. Either way, you’ll love how simple yet flavorful this fancy grilled flank steak is.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
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