The most perfect Flank Steak please

[patricia]

I will be interested in other responses. I have only ever cooked flank steak whole after a marinade - broiled and cut across the grain in thin slices. The meat cooked to remain pink inside and is juicy. One of my favorites but the cost has become unreasonable. I thought the roulade types of preps were done with a top round or the like.

I will be interested in other responses. I have only ever cooked flank steak whole after a marinade - broiled and cut across the grain in thin slices. The meat cooked to remain pink inside and is juicy. One of my favorites but the cost has become unreasonable. I thought the roulade types of preps were done with a top round or the like.

Thank you all for the responses. Heidih, I, too, love a marinated pink flank steak. Wonderderful flavor. I would like to offer a beef roulade, I'll try top round next, any other suggestions?

I can't afford to waste, so I will trying braising my experiment today and hopefully eating the result.

[gfweb]

I'd ask the butcher for his suggestion for what's the best that he has available.

[Jaymes]

When I read this, I immediately thought of a recipe that was one of my standard "go to" recipes for dinner parties back when I was first married, so I dug it out. Unfortunately, reading it over now, from my hastily-scribbled recipe card, I can see that the directions are a little vague.

But it was so popular that I want to go ahead and post it.

Flank Steak K-Bobs

1 flank steak

3 bacon strips

barbecue skewers

Marinade:

1/8 C soy sauce

1/4 C vegetable oil

1 grated white or yellow onion (not sweet onion)

2 fat cloves of garlic, mashed & minced

1/2 C dry red wine

Tenderize flank steak. You can either beat it with a meat tenderizer on both sides, or score it into a criss-cross diamond pattern on both sides. Then lay the three strips of bacon across the meat and roll up. (This is the part that I wasn't very descriptive about, so I can't really remember if I laid the bacon with the grain of the flank steak or across it, but probably with the grain, so that I could slice the pinwheels across it.) Place sturdy toothpicks along the edge of the rolled flank steak at about 1 1/2" intervals. Slice between the toothpicks through the roll to create pinwheels.

Combine all ingredients for the marinade. Put the pinwheels into a non-reactive bowl or plastic bag and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight, either stirring (or in the case of the ziplock bag, shaking) occasionally.

At party/dinner time, thread the pinwheels onto the barbecue skewers (remove the toothpicks), alternating with assorted vegetables: onions, peppers, mushrooms, apple chunks, etc. Broil outside on a grill, or in your oven broiler.

Edited November 10, 2012 by Jaymes (log)

[pacman1978]

Ok so maybe I am misunderstanding the cut but flank steak to me is what we call either Bavette or Onglet steak. It needs to be cooked very quickly and rare - I would never dream of marinading it as you need to develop the maillard flavours very quickly so has to be dry. That said what an amazing cut of meat - so flavourful!

[HungryC]

I do flank steak hot and fast on the grill, direct over coals, then slice it thinly and serve it rare. I don't marinate it....I use a dry spice rub, then use a squeeze of lime, lemon, or other acid after I've sliced it.

[scubadoo97]

Ok so maybe I am misunderstanding the cut but flank steak to me is what we call either Bavette or Onglet steak. It needs to be cooked very quickly and rare - I would never dream of marinading it as you need to develop the maillard flavours very quickly so has to be dry. That said what an amazing cut of meat - so flavourful!

Isn't Onglet hanger?

[Jaymes]

Ok so maybe I am misunderstanding the cut but flank steak to me is what we call either Bavette or Onglet steak. It needs to be cooked very quickly and rare - I would never dream of marinading it as you need to develop the maillard flavours very quickly so has to be dry. That said what an amazing cut of meat - so flavourful!

Isn't Onglet hanger?

In some parts of the US, I've occasionally seen what I've always known as flank steak labeled "London Broil."

[lancastermike]

I do flank steak hot and fast on the grill, direct over coals, then slice it thinly and serve it rare. I don't marinate it....I use a dry spice rub, then use a squeeze of lime, lemon, or other acid after I've sliced it.

Exactly. I get the BGE cranked up to 600 or so. Four minutes on a side and it is rare and charred and delicious.

[pacman1978]

Ok so maybe I am misunderstanding the cut but flank steak to me is what we call either Bavette or Onglet steak. It needs to be cooked very quickly and rare - I would never dream of marinading it as you need to develop the maillard flavours very quickly so has to be dry. That said what an amazing cut of meat - so flavourful!

Isn't Onglet hanger?

To be honest I struggle with these cuts as I know they are called different things between french/english/american butcherry. I always find onglet is the best cut as I find bavette slighter more fibrous and tough. Either way I would never dream of marinating it as lancastermike/hungryc say just char the hell out of it in a few minutes and then a really good resting period is essential.

[patrickamory]

Onglet is hanger steak in the US.

Flank is called flanchet in France, I believe; bavette is next to it on the beef diagrams, and Bourdain describes bavette d'aloyau as "the more tender little cousin of flank steak."

[radtek]

So I'm to understand "hanger-steak" is... Skirt-steak? Fajita meat? Yup.

[rotuts]

as far as I know hanger steak is not flank steak. flank steak is a somewhat thin single muscle that sold whole thats flat with tendenacious bits at each end.

its the second one on the top row: very red here. note the thin slicing:

https://www.google.c...LL7SG0QGnsoHIAQ

of note the 3d row second from the R is a skirt steak. 9th row has a good pic of flank 2d from R

hanger is here: a thicker smaller cut. tough menbrane in the middle, sort of two muscles fused:

https://www.google.c...WObSP0QH4w4DAAQ

and http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=vEJ&sa=X&tbo=d&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1193&bih=1014&tbm=isch&tbnid=S6PKfBTZ_mRqYM:&imgrefurl=http://recipesfrom4everykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/06/lime-curry-marinated-hanger-steak.html&docid=wj50eE6ZXD2l4M&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_u3rxdrzQFuw/TBytviF2ASI/AAAAAAAAOvc/DzVghO0yqkU/s1600/preparing%252Bhanger%252Bsteak%252B003.jpg&w=1600&h=1200&ei=KpajUO7vCtO10QH7vYGgDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=705&vpy=208&dur=7139&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=160&ty=212&sig=105127656313783048476&page=1&tbnh=145&tbnw=196&start=0&ndsp=36&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:20,i:163

Edited November 14, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[HungryC]

Hanger is analogous to the diaphragm muscle. Only one on each animal, hence it can be difficult to find at retail outlets. To my taste, hanger has organ meat overtones, which make it especially delicious. Flank is cut from a different muscle. Flank is thinner, flatter, with a distinct chew thanks to longitudinal muscle fibers.

[HungryC]

So I'm to understand "hanger-steak" is... Skirt-steak? Fajita meat? Yup.

Hanger is definitely NOT typical fajita meat....that's inside skirt, with outside skirt now more commonly used because of cheaper price and availability.

[rotuts]

inside skirt, which is thin and has lots of fat is delicious. its a diaphragm muscle:

http://www.smartkitchen.com/resources/outside-skirt-steak

outside is this:

http://www.smartkitchen.com/resources/outside-skirt-steak

note the inner tough tendon.

both are different sides of the diaphragm. the inner is much easier to work with and makes great 'pinwheels

[brucesw]

I used to do rolled stuffed flank steak in the oven but haven't done it that way in a couple of decades. When I first read that you could broil flank I didn't believe it. These days that's the only way I do it because it's so much easier.

I don't remember where I got the recipe but I remember it involved tenderizing the steak (with a mallet) but not butterflying it. The fillings included mushrooms, onions, pistachios, herbs, etc.

The rolled steak was browned in a dutch oven, then a small amount of liquid was added (wine, bouillon, water) and it was baked, covered, for a couple of hours. It came out delicious and falling apart tender.

Matambre is an Argentine rolled stuff flank steak preparation that I've had served cold, sliced, on a baguette, with chimichurri or other condiments. There are many recipes online. I haven't used any of them so I won't link to any in particular but you can look them up for possible ideas on times and temps. I noticed several I looked at called for adding enough liquid to almost or completely cover the roll but I never did that.

Edited November 14, 2012 by brucesw (log)

[radtek]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Hangar does not equal skirt steak though I suspect that it is probably sold as fajita meat in my neck of the woods. Sounds very tasty! I'll ask a butcher if I can get the part of the diaphragm that isn't the outside or inside skirt. "You know- the hangar-steak..." might not produce any results. If I say arrachera maybe I'll get it.

[rotuts]

i also used to do the butterflied flank tied and browned and braised in beef stock and a little wine about 2 hrs 350. delicious! I tended to put various italian cold cuts inside and spinach.