When it comes to grilling steaks for family or friends, one of my favorite cuts is the flank steak* – a large, flat cut that is both lean and full of beefy flavor.

In this Flank Steak Grilling How-to sponsored by Omaha Steaks, we'll start with a flavorful marinade as it’s one of a select few cuts of steak that really respond well and are enhanced by marinades (see my tequila-lime marinade recipe below). To marinate, simply place the flank steak in a zip top bag, pour in the marinade, remove excess air from the bag, seal, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and no more than 2 hours.

Once the steak has marinated, simply remove it from the liquid, pat it dry, coat it with ½ tbsp. olive oil, and season it liberally with either Kosher salt and ground black pepper or your favorite prepared dry rub seasoning (tip: add 1 /2 tbsp. of ground coffee to ¼ cup of your favorite BBQ dry rub to create a custom seasoning mix that pairs perfectly with flank steak).

Preheat grill to high (400+ degrees). Place flank steak on the grill and cook for approximately 10 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees for medium rare. Remove the steak from the grill and allow it to rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before slicing. Like such other cuts of beef as brisket, hanger, or skirt, flank steak is comprised of long muscle fibers that create a natural grain in the meat. To slice, be sure to cut across the grain, otherwise the long fibers will make the meat extremely chewy.

Once sliced, the flank steak can be served in any number of ways including sliced steak sandwiches with grilled onions and provolone cheese, fajitas (in place of skirt steak), or on its own along with your favorite steak sauce or a zesty horseradish cream sauce (combine ¼ cup sour cream with 1 tbsp. prepared horseradish, ½ tsp. Kosher salt, and ½ tbsp. lemon juice). And should you find yourself with leftovers, the flank steak slices can be used as an addition to salad, added to fresh or frozen vegetables for a quick stir fry, or created into wraps for lunch the next day!

* Note that flank steak can sometimes be referred to as London broil despite the fact that one is a cut of meat and one is a cooking method in which the flank steak is marinated and sliced thin as in the description above.

TEQUILA LIME MARINADE

Ingredients

½ cup tequila

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. smoked paprika

½ tsp. chipotle powder

2 tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients together in a glass mixing bowl and stir to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.