My favorite way to cook flank steak is to put foil on an old pizza pan which doesn't have holes in it, put a tiny bit of oil on the foil just where the steak will sit, salt and pepper the steak and put it under the broiler for five or six minutes on a side, depending on how thick it is. When it's finished I put butter on it, let it rest and then cut it thin and at an angle from top to bottom (slant the knife blade while cutting). The reason I use an old pizza pan is because broiling causes pans to bend. I only used the tiniest amount of oil because oil splatters a lot under a broiler.

We love flank steak and have used it many ways. Here's the recipe we marinated it in when we had the deli. It was a huge seller. In the summer we did 25 lbs worth at a time. Never had any left to pitch.

Backwoods Flank Steak

3/4 C soy sauce
1/3 C Pickapeppa Sauce (this is a hot sauce)
1/3 C worcestershire sauce
1/4 C red wine
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tabsp sesame oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 flank steaks (about 2 1/2 lbs total)

Combine the marinade ingredients in a container large enough to hold the steaks. Add the steakes and refrigerate 6 to 24 hrs... Then grill as you would any steak. We grilled it over lump charcoal and while it was cooking we would bring the marinade to a boil and cook it for about 15 min. We then sliced the steaks and poured the hot marinade over them. Slice the meat thin across the grain..

Nancy

I like my beef medium rare, more on the rare side for sure. I'm not sure how the flank would turn out well done. One thing for sure, you want to slice it across the grain. I've always done this cut on a hot grill maybe two to three minutes at most on each side depending on how thick it is.

Here is a great Fajita recipe that my group has made more than once.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!! This place rocks when it comes to food, recipes, and fun!

David

Here is a good recipe that my BIL made for us last year or the year before...my group has used it several times.
Beef Fajitas Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003
Show: Emeril Live
Episode: Macho Nachos

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried crushed Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 pounds flank steak, fat trimmed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 large flour tortillas
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Lime wedges, accompaniment
Cold Mexican beer, or tequila shots

In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, tequila, garlic, cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the Worcestershire sauce, oregano, pepper flakes, cumin and coriander. Pour into a large zip-lock bag, add the steak, and seal. Place in a baking dish and refrigerate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove the meat from the bag and pat dry. Season on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper.
Preheat the grill to high, and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes to warm and soften. Remove from the oven and keep warm in the aluminum foil.
Cook the steak over the grill to preferred temperature, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions, and cook, stirring, until soft and slightly caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic, remaining teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Divide among the warmed tortillas and top with the vegetables. Squeeze with lime juice and serve immediately with cold beer or tequila shots.
Our normal sides are chips and salsa, refried beans, mexican rice, chopped lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, pico de gio, LOTS of sour cream, and grilled onions and peppers. Lots of salsa too.
Margaritas are our drink of choice with a side of ice water!!

Well done flank steak if equivalant to shoe leather....Cook it medium rare and slice thinly at an angle.
Linda C

Flank steak doesn't take long to cook. Broiled or grilled about 5-7 minutes a side (I think). I love Nancy's Backwoods recipe. It's a family staple. Also, I have found Costco's flank steak to be excellent.

Lynn.

Flank steak is one of my favorite cuts of meat. I use S & P, garlic, a bit of olive oil and lemon juice, and most importantly, I score it lightly in a diamond patters to minimize the curling. Since there are only two of us at home, I cook a large piece, cut it in half and vacuum seal it and freeze. It reheats after thawing very well, and makes fabulous sandwiches.

Flank steak just seems to be making a comeback here. Nancy, I'd love to try your recipe, but can't get pickapeppa sauce here - I've looked for years. What would be a good substitute? Frank's hot sauce? What consistency is the pickapeppa sauce?
Jane

Pickapeppa isn't as hot as Franks, it's quite mild with jalapeno peppers in it. It almost has a Jamaican flavor to it so you might want to try something more in that line..
If you use Franks then cut it back to about a tsp.

Nancy

My dad used to put flank steak on the griddle and sear it good on each side, let it rest a bit and slice it thin across the grain. Usually served it with a mixture of mushrooms and chopped olives. Side dishes were salad, mashed potatos or rice and some green vegetable. There were never left-overs and if anyone complained that the steak was tough his instant reply was, "Its tougher where there's none."

Thanks for all the good recipes.

Does frying in a pan toughen the steak compared to other cooking methods?

RB

A standard in our house is:

Ropa Vieja

ROPA VIEJA 2 - 2 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut in strips
1 lg. green bell pepper
1 lg. onion, peeled and cut in half
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 lg. cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 med. Spanish onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 med. green bell pepper, seeded and cut in thin strips
1 med. red bell pepper, seeded and cut in thin strips
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 c. red wine
1 c. beef broth
2 tsp. salt, or to taste
Fresh parsley

Place beef in a large kettle with the seeded green pepper, onion, bay leaf, and black peppercorns. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat until meat is tender. Remove meat from the kettle and allow to cool. Remove bay leaf and reserve cooking stock.

Shred the beef into fine strips and set aside. Heat oil in a 12 inch saute pan or deep skillet. Add garlic and saute until slightly golden. Add the onion slices, the red and green pepper strips, oregano, and bay leaf, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, wine, beef stock, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the shredded beef and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve over yellow rice.