Dear Eric: Do you have an interesting way to prepare flank steak? Dave
Dear Dave: Flank steak is a long, fairly thin cut of beef taken from the animal’s lower hindquarter. It’s an active area, which explains why flank steak is lean and tough — almost stringy — in texture.
For steak lovers, that might not sound appealing, but flank steak is very flavourful and there are ways to make the meat deliciously tender.
One popular method is to marinate it. Because of its shape, the tenderized flank steak is usually grilled or broiled whole and then sliced into portions before being served.
When I cook a marinated flank, I prefer not to take it past the medium-done stage because overcooking can mess up the work of the marinade, and the meat will likely be dry and tough. You can also negate the work of the marinade if you slice the cooked meat incorrectly.
If you take a close look at a flank steak, you can see distinct lines (grains) running through the meat. If you slice the steak in the same direction as those lines, when eating those slices you’ll have to bite through those fibres. That’s why it’s important to slice the meat against the grain as shown in the photo of the steak on this page.
Dave asked for an interesting way to prepare flank steak and I chose to use it on a Cobb salad. This salad was invented in the 1930s, or a little sooner depending on whose story you believe, and is named after Robert Howard Cobb. He owned the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, Calif., and this main-course salad was a signature dish.
To make a Cobb salad, a bed of lettuce is topped with such ingredients as avocado, bacon crumbles, boiled egg, tomatoes and cheese. You’ll often see a Cobb salad with slices of chicken atop the greens, but in my version I’ve replaced chicken with marinated, grilled and sliced flank steak — and it was a tasty decision.
This filling dish makes a perfect summer supper, as it combines a cool salad with meat (protein) you can cook outside on the barbecue. If you don’t use all the steak on the salad, the leftover can be refrigerated and used the next day or two to make tasty sandwiches, quesadillas or any other creation sliced beef would taste good in.
Cobb Salad with Grilled Flank Steak
Serve this hearty and filling main-course dish on a summer night, when you’re in the mood for a salad, but also some delicious grilled meat.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: About 10 minutes (to cook egg and bacon)
Makes: 4 servings
1 head butter lettuce, separated into whole leaves
1/2 medium head lettuce, chopped
• sliced meat from a marinated and grilled flank steak, to taste (see recipe below)
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 strips bacon, sliced or diced, cooked crispy and drained well
1 medium avocado, cubed
4 medium boiled or hard-boiled eggs, each quartered
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
• french salad dressing to taste (see Note)
Divide and line four dinner plates with the butter lettuce. Divide and mound chopped head lettuce on each plate. Arrange sliced steak, tomatoes, bacon, avocado, egg, green onion and blue cheese, if using, on top of the lettuce. Let diners top their salad with french salad dressing, to taste.
Note: Orange-coloured French salad dressing is sold in bottles at most supermarkets.
Eric’s options: Instead of French salad dressing, top the salad with any other salad dressing you think would enhance it.
Southwest-style Marinated Flank Steak
Citrus juice and spices give the meat a pleasing southern-style taste that should nicely complement the other ingredients used in the Cobb salad above.
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time
Cooking time: Depends on desired doneness, see method
Makes: 4 servings
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lb (750 gram) beef flank steak
• salt to taste
• olive oil for the grill
Combine citrus juices, oil, brown sugar, garlic and spices in a shallow glass or other non-reactive (non aluminum) dish just large enough to hold the steak snugly. Add the steak and turn to coat with the marinade. Cover, refrigerate and marinate the steak, turning occasionally, for eight hours, or overnight.
When ready to cook, bring steak to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Preheat your barbecue or indoor grill to medium-high. Remove the steak from the marinade and season with salt. Lightly oil the surface of the grill. Grill the steak to desired doneness, about three minutes per side for rare, three to four minutes per side for medium-rare, and four to five minutes per side for medium.
Set the cooked steak on a plate and rest five minutes to allow its juices to set. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, thinly slice against grain of meat, and use in the salad above.
Eric Akis is the author of the hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
