Ok so i got this really nice looking choice flank steak, taco seasoning, tortillas, onions, and bell peppers. I’m all set…except i’ve never made flank steak before. It’s about a pound and a half, and fairly thick (part of one end is thicker than the other end). It seems to have some nice little flecks of fat but no big gobs.
So, how should i cook it? Slice it up and pan fry the strips? Cook it whole, then slice it? Broiler or oven? How long? We usually like steak a little red but not too red.
Thanks
Leave it whole. You can pound the thick end a little so it cooks more evenly. Or else, you can cut it in half (on thick half, one thinner half) and pull the thinner one off heat sooner.
Marinade in something fairly zesty and aggressively seasoned. Cook very quickly over high heat - as soon as it’s nicely browned on the outside it’s DONE. Having a little sugar in the marinade (honey, lime juice, brown sugar, etc.) will speed the browning process but I assure you, it will not be bloody-red in the middle.
Grill slices of peppers and onions while you’re at it!
ETA: slice the meat thinly, across the grain. Otherwise it’ll seem chewy. Advice plus an image of how to slice is offered here.
Everyone always says to cook then cut. I don’t agree. After marinating, I slice then throw on a cast iron skillet. Cook until almost done. Drain then throw back on the heat. Turn the heat up a little and stir frequently until you get a nice caramelized finish on the meat.
Score it on both sides in a diamond pattern (criss cross), marinate (I suggest something asian/teryiaki based with lots of garlic, shallots, some sriracha, brown sugar, etc added) for at least half a day. I usually marinate for 24 hours.
Set the meat out of the marinade on a plate an hour before cooking. Grill to medium rare temp and let rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing. That picture upthread is a perfect example of how to cut this type of meat…and you MUST cut it that way. Think of it as “cutting it at an angle” to the meat rather than "against the grain.
Kings Hawaiian rolls go really well with this by the way.
I’d probably dice the onion and bell pepper, and pan fry it in some oil. Then cut the raw meat against the grain, and pan fry it in that same oil with the taco seasoning. Add oil if necessary. Open a can of beans (preferably refried, but pinto or ranch style also work) and heat. Serve the steak and onions and peppers in the tacos. Sour cream is great on this. Also, my husband will beat a path to your place if you fix this.
I didn’t think about marinades until I got home, so I just put some water in the taco seasoning and used that as a marinade. I have a little cast iron skillet, wound up cutting the meat into 3 pieces and cooking them one at a time. I put the burner on max but quickly realized our electric stove was too hot - medium is about what high would be on a gas stove, so turned it down to about medium. I did slice up some red and green bell peppers, yellow onions, and fried those for about 10 mins on high in our nonstick skillet. I used mission tortillas heated for a few minutes on one side only, so they came out soft on one side and flaky on the other (does anyone else do this or am I weird?).
Peppers and onions were very slightly charred, steak came out with a nice light char on the outside (but not burned), slightly red on the inside. I tried to slice the meat at a sharp angle as shown in the links provided, but found it pretty much impossible (our knives kind of suck). I wound up just cutting straight down (perpendicular to the grain of course), and it seemed to work well. I am curious what benefit cutting at a sharp angle is supposed to provide?
It was delicious, I usually like cheese on my tacos but these needed nothing but a few dabs of hot sauce. Thanks to everyone for your tips! I’ll definitely do this again.
OP, this article explains pretty well why you want to cut against the grain on cuts of meat that are essentially harder working muscles of the cow, so they have longer meat fibers. And it has pics of meat!
No, I understand the “slicing against the grain” concept (I’ve watched Alton Brown cut through some taped-together garden hoses), and I did slice my flank steak against the grain. What I wanted to know was, in some of the links provided, why they said to hold the knife at a sharp angle, almost parallel to the meat surface. I was not able to get this to work (knife kept sliding off) and had to hold the knife as you normally would i.e. blade straight down. Sorry for the confusion.
