Flank steak ideas

[radshop]

Since buying a whole cow earlier this year, I'm getting to try all the various cuts I've never cooked before. One of those is flank steak. It's just never come up for me. What are some favorite approaches? I see a lot of recipes online, but I trust the pit.
I've got all the toys - from grills & smokers to sous vide and pressure cooker, so no holds barred. The only constraint is that since it's grass fed, I have to be super-extra careful to make sure it doesn't dry out.

[TripleB]

Grilled flank steak with a Chimichurri sauce.

[captainlee]

Sliced thin for Philly Cheese Steaks.

[Michael_in_TX]

I find it useful to take a step back and consider the characteristics of the cut. It is a relatively uniform shape, so slices will generally be the same size. It is beefy, similar to skirt in flavor. It is quite lean. It must be cut, thinly, against the grain. (Thankfully, when cooked the fibers separate as such as to make it obvious which way the grain runs!)

I really enjoy using it for pseudo-gyros, served either in pitas or over rice pilaf. Here is one of my favorite recipes for this: https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/steak...under-an-hour/

(Here's the YouTube video for the above recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g72Il7OlcPA)

[texastweeter]

Jerky

[JoeSousa]

I throw my flanks in a ziploc bag with some Bachan's sauce for a couple hours and then season with some Spiceology Umami Punch seasoning before grilling over direct heat until it gets to the high end of medium rare. I am not a fan of flank steak on the rarer side. This is one cut I like to cook just a bit more. Serve with a side of rice or potatoes and maybe some corn or brussels sprouts and that is one of my favorite weeknight meals.

[Michael_in_TX]

Oh that sounds good. I think I'm going to try that for my next flank.

[Michael_in_TX]

I am not a fan of flank steak on the rarer side. This is one cut I like to cook just a bit more.

I agree with Joe. For both flank and skirt, I tend to cook them more towards medium than medium rare. 135 F is what I shoot for. For me, it really improves the texture.

[hoovarmin]

I like to use flank when I can't find flap for stir fry dishes. If you slice, then velvet the flank it will be so juicy and tender in a pepper steak or beef and broccoli stir fry.

[GolfGeezer]

Flank steaks make excellent fajitas. Marinated then grilled as mentioned above, adding grilled green/red/yellow peppers as desired and sliced onion also grilled. The basic recipe I use for the marinade uses olive oil, tequila, oregano and cumin - other add-ins are cayenne, chili or chipotle pepper, salt. Slice the meat thin after grilling. Yum.

[Oak Smoke]

+1 fajitas are the way to go. Keep those onions and peppers on a hot griddle or in a hot skillet until they start to brown. The change in flavors is worth the wait.

[barelfly]

I buy flank often, and it’s one of the cuts I have on hand because I buy them at Costco. Separate the two pack and vac seal individually then freeze. They thaw fairly quickly for dinner use.

For me, flank is a go to for Tacos - of course I say that! whether that’s with chimichurri, or carne asada with mojo de ajo. I actually posted flank steak in the Show us What you are cooking thread last night, served as sliced beef with grilled onions, peppers and mushrooms. Was excellent!

I also do some wok style cooking with it, one of my favorites. Beef and broccoli or crying tiger beef, anything like that. Which is what hoovarmin mentions above as well.

Another thing I like, but don’t do as often, beef stroganoff. I know I could use other cuts for this, but it turns out well.

[hoovarmin]

barelfly I think we are having the same thing for dinner tonight 😂

[barelfly]

hoovarmin did you make the goods!

[hoovarmin]

barelfly no, my buddy caught some beautiful shrimp so I made an étouffée

[jfmorris]

I buy flank more than skirt here, and marinate it and then grill or cook on the flat top for taco/fajita meat. Sliced thin across the grain at a bias of about 45 degrees it yields amazingly beefy, tender and flavorful slices of meat. We've eaten it with chimichurri as just a steak as well, but mostly I've used it to feed tacos to a crowd.

HOWEVER, if you want to try something really different.... I did this with flank steak a while back, just for the wife and myself:

https://blog.thermoworks.com/beef/grilled-muffuletta-flank-steak/

Basically, butterfly it, stuff it with your choice of stuffings, roll back up, THEN slice into steak pinwheels that you hold together with a skewer. Grill those hot and fast. It was amazing. If you don't like olives, do pesto or something you do like. Heck just the cheeses and ham or prosciutto adds another layer of flavor.

[hoovarmin]

That looks like a great way to do a flank! But I'm not sure I trust my knife skills enough to try to butterfly a flank.

[jfmorris]

hoovarmin its easy. I used a cheap boning/fillet knife I keep in the drawer, and just sliced in the center, going in an inch or two at a time. And guess what? If you are off a little doesn't matter, since you are rolling it up with cheese and stuffings anyway, into a pinwheel. The trick is slicing those pinwheels from the rolled up log of meat and stuff to a uniform thickness for grilling.

[Michael_in_TX]

Ah, but of course, stuffed flank steak. I did one with cream cheese that was quite good. And hoovarmin, jfmorris is right....it is easier to butterfly than it looks. A thin, sharp knife and going slow -- inch or two at a time -- is all you need to do.

[shify]

Agreed with marinade and grilling. A soy/garlic or chimichurri inspired marinate and/or sauce work well.


Also glad that jfmorris brought up the butterflied/rolled flank steak. it works out really well and is a show stopper and may be a great move for a grass fed flank which may need some help to keep moist. I have done a teriyaki/negimaki style stuffed flank steak before following Kenji's recipe on Serious Eats and was really good

[jfmorris]

Oh.... I missed the grass fed part. Yeah, I think doing the pinwheels so you can add cheese and other moist content may be a good way to go. Most of my flank steaks have been USDA choice Angus, and even then, have been on the lean side of things. Another reason not to overcook it...

[McFlyfi]

Negimaki.
Sliced & marinated in teriyaki sauce (male your own -1/c soy sauce, 3tbsp mirin, 3 tbsp saki and 1/4c sugar is all it is) rolled around scallions, grilled hot and fast. Really a treat as an appetizer.