Can a cut of steak that is on sale for under $2 a pound be any good? Actually, YES!
Top Round London Broil is a rather versatile cut of beef and is probably better known as “Flank Steak.” If it’s not cooked correctly it can also be known as “Shoe Leather,” so let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.
London Broil (a.k.a. Flank Steak) just loves bathing in marinades and high-heat quick cooking methods are recommended such as grilling or broiling. That’s not to say there are not other ways to cook it, as you will find out.
The odds are good that you’ve had flank steak, especially with restaurants that serve fajitas, steak tacos, steak salads and even cheese steak pizza and sandwiches. Because it’s not a well-known cut, the pricing is lower than more popular cuts of beef. Let’s keep this fact our secret so we don’t cause the prices to increase by popularizing it.
Marinating this cut of steak helps to tenderize, as well as add flavor, to the meat; however, it’s not advised to marinate longer than a few hours to avoid burning this rather thin cut. Marinating is highly recommended for grilling to reduce the chances of making the meat tough and rubbery from the hot flames of the grill, both charcoal and gas grills. There are so many choices of marinate or grilling sauce flavors to choose from. My personal favorite is Teriyaki. After marinating for no more than two hours, you will want to cook the meat for only about three minutes on each side. It’s really THAT easy and that quick to get a delicious steak on your plate.
If you have more time whip out your slow cooker because the slow cooking method will make the flank cut even more tender than other cooking methods. A low and slow six to eight hours of slow cooker time will have your delicious dinners ready for however you intend to serve them.
You can cook a flank steak on the stove, cast-iron skillets are best for this, because again you want that high-heat cooking method for both texture and taste. Make certain to use cooking spray to avoid sticking to the pan. About four minutes on each side will bring your London Broil to medium rare and it won’t be too chewy.
Can you broil London Broil? Yes. Much like grilling the cut, it’s a great way to get that same grilled meat results as a charcoal or gas grill would offer so it’s an especially good alternative for cooking in inclement weather when an outdoor grill could make the meat, and you, all wet and soggy. Just about five minutes per side for that medium rare temperature. Allow five or ten minutes for the meat to rest before cutting and serving to keep the juices in.
Inexpensive and versatile, it’s quite possible that flank steak may be a new “go-to” cut for your family.
“Meat” me at Stop & Shop to take advantage of this $1.99 per pound weekly special through May 10th.
NOTE: Well-wrapped steaks can be frozen up to six months according to experts. Some people marinade the meat befo
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