Marinated Flank Steak: A 'Go-To' Dish

Grilling steak is always tasty but very often an expensive meal option. But by using a less expensive cut of meat such as a flank steak or London broil, you can have steak flavor at a pot roast price; the best of both worlds. 

On their own, these cuts of meat are too tough to put on the grill with no prior preparation. But by marinating the beef overnight to tenderize it, it can then be grilled and turn out tender and delicious. The other key to making this tender is to, before serving, cut it very thinly and on the diagonal. If you have an electric knife I think that’s the best tool for getting this done.

With the grilled flank steak, serve a colorful vegetable salad along with potatoes or rice to make a complete, well balanced meal. When making your salad choose dark, green leafy lettuces and spinach for maximum nutritional value. Add to that other vegetables of deep color such as cooked beets, carrots, red and yellow peppers and tomatoes (actually a fruit) to boost the vitamin count even more. When serving vegetables such as these in a salad there is then no need for an additional side green vegetable.

This recipe courtesy of Kathy Stembridge of Norcross: 

Flank Steak
ingredients:

• 1¼ -1½ pound flank steak
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

prep:
Combine marinade in a ziplock bag or glass bowl.

Place steak in marinade, seal and marinate for 8 hours, turning once.

Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill on high 3” from flame, 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare-medium.

Do not overcook.

Let meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly on the diagonal.

Another marinade option for flank steak is to us a bottle of your favorite Italian salad dressing. Follow the above marinating and grilling directions. 

Editor's Note: Carol Frey is the author of two humorous cookbooks, "Have You Considered Cooking?" and "The Grits Shall Rise Again!"