Beef, how I love you. Maybe I love you so much because I don’t get to see very much of you. It’s kind of like the forbidden fruit. If I had it more often, I probably wouldn’t love it as much.
Did I just say that? That’s not true. I’d love it just as much as I do now, I’d just be fatter.
Marinate the Flank Steak
So flank steak is expensive. If you’re going to get it, make sure you have a delicious recipe. We can help with that part.
Have you been properly introduced to my dear friend, Balsamic vinegar? If you haven’t, now is the time. Sometimes the simplest of recipes can be the tastiest if you use the right ingredients – and balsamic falls under the category of right ingredients.
The full list of marinade ingredients is in the recipe card below.
You will get the most flavor from the marinade if you let the steak soak for at least four hours in the refrigerator. If you are short on time then here is a shortcut:
Quick Marinade
Use a fork (or Jaccard if you have one) and punch a BUNCH of holes in the steak. Flank steak has a pretty tight grain structure so you are trying to break it up a little for easier marinade penetration.
Place the flank in a shallow dish and pour 2/3 of the marinade over the steak. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting while you grill. Let the steak marinade at room temperature for one hour and flip the steak in the dish every 15 minutes for even coverage.
Prepare Your Weber Kettle
I like grilling this steak over direct high heat.
Completely fill a standard charcoal chimney with briquettes and light the charcoal. Once flames are shooting out the top of the chimney, dump the charcoal into the center of the charcoal grate. Use your tongs to arrange the charcoal around the middle of the grill.
Keep the top and bottom air vents of the kettle completely open to get the coals as hot as possible.
Grill the Flank Steak
There are two approaches to grilling a steak over direct high heat and both work great.
Approach #1: Passive Grilling
Place the steak directly over the hot coals, close the lid and wait 4-5 minutes. Flip the steak, close the lid and grill another 4-5 minutes and remove when the internal temperature reaches 135-140F.
Approach #2: Active Grilling
Place the steak directly over the hot coals. Leave the lid off and flip the steak every minute. Grill the steak, flipping every minute, for 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 135F.
This is a great technique to use if you used a fast marinade as you can baste the steak with the reserved marinade between flips.
Serving the Steak
Let the steak rest for about 15 minutes on a platter before slicing.
Slice the flank as thin as possible against the grain for maximum tenderness.
You can serve this as a standard steak with grilled veggies or use it as a base for a Balsamic Flank Steak Salad or Flank Steak Tacos. If you have any leftovers then they would go great in a Leftover Steak Burrito or even a Steak Pizza.
Try to talk the children into eating hot dogs or chicken. Unfortunately, my kids know the smell of beef from miles away, and they flock to it. We have to hide it from them. I try to put all the vegetables they don’t like all around it to make it look less appealing, but it usually doesn’t work.
Of course it doesn’t work! It’s beef!
Anyway, you’re going to want to make this. It’s really good, quick enough to make during the week and super easy.
If you want even more steak inspiration then check out this recipe for smoked flank steak!
Weber Grill Flank Steak with Marinade
Ingredients
- Marinade:
- 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbn soy sauce
- 2 tbn dark brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsn fresh chopped rosemary
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 pound flank/skirt steak
- If more liquid is needed, add 1/4c red wine - yum!
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients together. Let the steak marinate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
- Set up your grill for direct cooking.
- Sear over incredibly high heat (400+) - for about 5-7 minutes on each side.
- It looks like such a thin cut of meat, but it takes a little longer than you might expect. Feeling the meat is how I gage where it's at, or use an instant read thermometer. We prefer our beef at medium (140), but cook yours longer or less depending on your preference.
- Slice against the grain and enjoy!