London Broil

[LNorman]

I've bought London Broil style pieces of beef and cooked in a frying pan, under the broiler, and in a Foreman Grill (after unfreezing and marinating overnight). I always burn the outside and the middle is too red for me.

I even bought an instant read thermometer. I used it with the Foreman Grill. The temperature inside was only 120 degrees (it was a thick cut of beef) but burning on the outside.

I know people like rare meat but I really can't stomach it. How can I get the inside a nice pink without burning the outside? Or is the outside supposed to burn a little?

[Dana]

I'd say you're probably going to want to sear it on top of the stove and finish in the oven - maybe 15 min at 375? If you get it too done, it's going to be VERY tough. Better to err on the side of rareness and close your eyes to eat!!

[dano1]

yeah, sear and finish in oven.

hth, danny

[NulloModo]

A little burnt on the outside is a good thing anyway, you want a nice flavorful crust to contrast with the juicy inside.

[Susan G]

And maybe your refrigerator is too cold for the middle to warm up easily?

[arjay]

Unless you have the jaw muscles of a timber wolf, london broil is the wrong cut to use in your methods of cooking, considering that you must have well done meat.

Some of the best beef stew I ever made was london broil cooked 3-4 hours in broth over a low flame.

[LNorman]

Thanks for your suggestions.

[phaelon56]

You are cutting the slices relatively on a diagonal across the grain, correct? If not this could be compounding the problem.

[fierydrunk]

Hollis made a DELICIOUS bunch of shredded beef tacos (meat made in a pressure cooker) with a few london broils. I throughly reccommend using this cut for the slow cooker method listed above (stew) or in a pressure cooker...which is awesome, by the way, if you have never used one before. VERY EASY and fast and the beef was soft and cooked well.

[jayt90]

yeah, sear and finish in oven.

hth, danny

←

Alton Brown did a show about searing a steak and finishing in the oven. If you see it, you'll know that it will work perfectly with the London broil. Alton uses a cast iron pan, heated for several minutes (almost smoking) before searing.

A $15-$20.00 Wagner pan used this way will be way better than the Geo. Foreman, or any stainless teflon pan.

[aidensnd2]

Are you letting the meat come up to room temp before cooking? That will help the middle part to cook faster.

[alacarte]

Although I prefer London Broil to be still pink in the middle, mr. alacarte is a well-done kind of guy. My solution is to to slice the meat as thinly as possible, and then return his slices to the grill pan for about 45 seconds per side.

[Jason Perlow]

We had London Broil for lunch today. I allowed it to marinade in a vaccum sealed container for 2 days in a mixture of the following:

orange juice

lime juice

honey

soy sauce

hot chili sauce

mustard

oyster sauce

Chopped scallions, ginger and garlic

sesame oil

After the 2 days of marination, put on cast iron grill pan, 3 minutes per side. Finish in broiler for another 5-8 minutes depending on desired doneness. Let rest, slice up. Serve over rice or mixed grains. Use remaining marinade, reduce in saucepan, add a pat of butter, use as sauce.

[LNorman]

Thank you for your suggestions. I think I need a pan that can go from stovetop to oven -- missed that one for my wedding registry last year. Still thinking about a vacuum food saver. Even though it's two of us, I am the worst food waster.

[Jason Perlow]

A cast iron pan makes all the difference in the world when cooking steaks and burgers at home.

We have both the classic Lodge 12 inch skillet and cast iron grill pan . They are fantastic. However the pre-seasoned stuff from their Logic line is really good too.

Read Dave Scantland's "Dave the Cook" classic article about Pre-seasoned cast iron in our archives here:

http://www.egullet.org/index.cgi?pg=ARTICLE-castiron

[KatieLoeb]

I always marinate London Broil in red wine, seasonings of choice and lots of meat tenderizer overnight in a Ziplock bag with as much air sucked out of it as possible. Sort of a third world MacGyver vacuum seal, if you will.

Then I make it the same way I make roast beef. Bung it into a blazing oven that at 475 degrees for 15 minutes and then turn it down to 375 until the meat themometer reads RARE. Pull it out and let it sit while it carryover cooks to perfect MED RARE. Voila. If you really want a crispy crust you can run it under the broiler for a minute or two at the end, but I find the oven sear doesn't run the risk of getting it so tough.