Flank Steak Bbq: Cooking Time Perfection

Flank steak is a long, thin, and lean cut of beef that is full of flavour but can become tough if overcooked. It is best cooked rare, medium-rare, or medium. To get a juicy steak, grill your flank steak hot and fast and serve it between medium-rare and medium. Check the temperature of the meat with a meat thermometer until it reads 130˚F to 135˚F. The cooking time depends on the thickness of your steak, but generally, it should take 3 to 10 minutes per side over a very hot grill.

Marinating the steak

There are many different marinade recipes to choose from, but most include olive oil, soy sauce, an acid like lime juice or vinegar, and a sweetener like brown sugar or honey. You will also need to add salt and pepper to taste, but be careful not to over-salt, as soy sauce is already quite salty. You can also add aromatics like garlic and rosemary.

Once you have chosen your marinade recipe, whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl. Place your flank steak in a bowl or resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over it, turning the steak to ensure it is completely coated. Cover the bowl or seal the bag, and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to two hours.

When you are ready to cook the steak, remove it from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Allow the steak to come to room temperature, about 30-40 minutes, before placing it on the grill.

Cooking methods

Flank steak is a specialty cut, known for its intense flavour and how tough it can be if cooked improperly. It is a versatile cut of beef and can be cooked in a variety of ways, including grilling, pan-searing in a skillet, broiling in an oven, or using a specialty cooking method like an instant pot. The key to cooking flank steak is to keep the cooking time to a minimum, as it is best cooked rare, medium-rare, or medium.

Grilling

Grilling is a popular cooking method for flank steak and can be used with a variety of marinade recipes or traditional seasonings. If using a marinade, place the steak in a bowl or resealable plastic bag with enough marinade to cover the meat completely. Turn the steak a few times while marinating, and always refrigerate the meat. Before cooking, remove the steak from the marinade and allow any excess marinade to drain away.

To grill flank steak, preheat your grill on high and place the steaks over the hottest part of the grill. Sear both sides for 1-2 minutes, then move to medium, ash-covered coals. Continue grilling for 9-12 minutes for a medium-rare steak, turning the steak about a minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F (54°C) for a medium-rare steak.

Pan-Searing

To pan-sear flank steak, preheat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot, for about 5 minutes. Add 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter to the skillet, then place the flank steak in the hot skillet. For a medium-rare steak, sear for 12-13 minutes, turning the steak about a minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.

Broiling

To broil flank steak, set your oven to "broil" and preheat for 10 minutes. Place the steak in the oven to broil on the rack of a broiler pan, with the surface of the steak 3-4 inches from the heat source. Broil for 11-14 minutes for a medium-rare steak, turning the steak about a minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.

Instant Pot

To cook flank steak in an instant pot, start by preheating the pot on the sauté setting. Season the steak with your desired seasonings or marinade. Add oil or butter to the pot, then place the flank steak in the pot and sear each side for 2 minutes. Remove the steak and add beef cooking stock to deglaze the pot. Add the steak back into the pot, cover, and cook for 30-50 minutes with a natural pressure release. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak.

Smoking

To smoke flank steak, fire up your smoker and preheat it to 225°F. Place your well-seasoned steak onto the grates of the smoker, close the lid, and smoke the meat until it reaches about 10°F below your desired internal temperature. Preheat a skillet over high heat and lightly coat the bottom with a high smoke point oil. Place the steaks in the skillet and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side, until they reach your desired internal temperature.

Resting the steak

For a flank steak, it is recommended to let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes, but ideally 10 minutes, before slicing. During this time, the temperature of the meat will continue to rise by about 5°F (a process known as "carryover cooking"). This means that if you remove the steak from the grill at 130°F for a medium-rare steak, it will reach a final temperature of 135°F after resting.

To keep the steak warm while it rests, cover it lightly with foil. Before slicing, use a sharp carving knife to cut the steak across the grain into slices no more than 1/4 inch thick. For extra tender bites, hold the knife blade at a 45° angle, exposing more surface area of each fibre and weakening the bonds that hold them together.

Slicing the steak

When slicing, it is important to cut the steak against the grain. This means identifying the long muscle fibres that run through the piece of meat and cutting through them to shorten the fibres and make the meat easier to chew. This is especially important for flank steak, as it is a tough cut of meat.

To ensure each bite is extra tender, hold your knife blade at a 45-degree angle when slicing. This is called "cutting on the bias". Cutting against the grain in this way exposes more surface area in each fibre and keeps the fibres from being stacked directly on top of each other in each slice of meat, further weakening the bonds that hold them together.

Make sure your carving knife is sharp. Take a good look at your flank steak and note which direction the fibres are running. Slide your knife back and forth across those fibres, keeping each slice no more than ¼ inch thick.

Choosing a substitute cut

Flank steak is a specialty cut, famous for its intense flavour and for how tough it can be if improperly cooked. It is also known as flap or bavette steak. If you're looking for a substitute cut, there are several options that will give you a similar result.

Skirt steak is a common stand-in for flank steak. It comes from the plate of the cow, which is located in the centre, just below the ribeye. It is a good alternative when the preparation calls for grilling, broiling, or cooking over high heat in a cast-iron skillet. Skirt steak is also a tougher cut of meat, but it has more marbling (fat content) which makes it more forgiving to cook. You can use the same marinade as for flank steak, but reduce the time the meat is left to soak—don't marinate skirt steak for more than 30 minutes.

Flat iron steak is another good substitute. It comes from the chuck primal, or shoulder, of the cow, and is known for its rich marbling. It is more tender than flank steak and can be cooked to medium without losing texture. It still has some tendons, so a marinade is a good idea, but reduce the time spent in the marinade to accommodate the higher fat content.

Hanger steak is another option. It is usually cut thin, like flank steak, but has a higher fat content, making it more tender. It comes from the underside of the cow, near the loin. It is best prepared with a marinade and is a good stand-in for fajitas. Be careful not to grill hanger steak for more than about two minutes per side, or it will become tough.

Tri-tip steak is another suitable and affordable swap. It is a triangular, boneless cut of beef from the bottom (or tip) of the sirloin. It has the benefit of an easily trimmable fatty edge, though for the best flavour, the cutting should be done after cooking.

If you're looking for a substitute that doesn't require beef, portobello mushrooms are a tasty and meaty vegetarian alternative. They are versatile and stand up to grilling. They are also quick to absorb marinades and have a satisfying, earthy flavour.

Frequently asked questions