I’m gonna be real with you here. The first time I tried making flank steak, I ended up with something that could’ve doubled as a shoe sole. Tough doesn’t even begin to describe it. But then I discovered the magic of a good marinade, and let me tell you, everything changed. This marinated flank steak has become my go-to for pretty much everything. Whether I’m looking for Barbecue Food Ideas for the weekend or need some solid Barbeque Recipes that actually impress people, this one’s my secret weapon. It works just as well as other Beef Cube Steak Recipes I’ve tried, and honestly? It’s way easier than those fancy Bacon Wrapped Steak dishes everyone raves about. When friends ask me for Best Grill Recipes, this is always at the top of my list. Heck, I’ve even made it as Campfire food on camping trips, and it turns out perfect every single time. The marinade does all the heavy lifting. You just mix everything together, let the meat soak up all those flavors for a few hours (or overnight if you’re a planner, unlike me), and then throw it on the grill. The result? Tender, juicy steak with this incredible depth of flavor that makes people think you spent way more time on it than you actually did. We make this at least twice a month now, and my kids actually request it. That’s when you know you’ve got a winner.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Marinated Flank Steak Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Marinated Flank Steak
- 4) How to Make Marinated Flank Steak
- 5) Tips for Making Marinated Flank Steak
- 6) Making Marinated Flank Steak Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Marinated Flank Steak
- 8) Try these Main Course next!
- 9) Marinated Flank Steak
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
- What makes marinated flank steak so tender?
- How long should you marinate flank steak?
- What’s the secret to grilling perfect flank steak?
- Why do you need to slice flank steak against the grain?
2) Easy Marinated Flank Steak Recipe
Listen, I get it. You’re looking for Grilling Recipes that actually work, and you want something that won’t leave you standing at the grill wondering if you’ve just ruined dinner. I’ve been there. Let me tell you about this marinated flank steak that’s changed my entire approach to Grilling Recipes.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. We’re not talking about some complicated technique that requires a culinary degree. This is straightforward, honest cooking that delivers restaurant-quality results right in your backyard. The marinade does most of the work, breaking down those tough muscle fibers and infusing the meat with layers of flavor that’ll make your taste buds sing.
What makes this one of my go-to Barbecue Food Ideas is how forgiving it is. You can marinate it for a few hours if you’re in a rush, or let it sit overnight if you’re one of those organized people who plans ahead. Either way, you’re getting a steak that’s tender, juicy, and packed with umami goodness. The soy sauce and Worcestershire combo creates this savory base, the lemon adds brightness, and that touch of brown sugar? That’s what gives you those gorgeous caramelized edges when it hits the grill.
I’ve tried countless Barbeque Recipes over the years, and this one keeps coming back into rotation. It’s become my secret weapon for impressing guests without breaking a sweat. When people ask me for Best Grill Recipes, this tops my list every single time. It’s practical, it’s delicious, and it never lets me down.
The whole process takes about 30 minutes of active time once you’ve got your marinade ready. Compare that to more complex Beef Cube Steak Recipes or fussy Bacon Wrapped Steak preparations, and you’ll see why I’m such a fan. I’ve even made this as Campfire food on camping trips, throwing it on a grate over the fire, and it turns out phenomenal every time. The versatility alone makes it worth keeping in your recipe rotation.
Here’s what I love most about it. You can prep everything the night before, let that steak soak up all those good flavors while you sleep, and then when you get home from work, you’re literally 20 minutes away from dinner. No stress, no last-minute scrambling, just good food that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together even when you absolutely don’t.
3) Ingredients for Marinated Flank Steak
Soy Sauce: This is the backbone of your marinade. I use regular soy sauce, not the low-sodium stuff, because we need that salty punch to really penetrate the meat. If you’re watching your sodium intake, you can try using half regular and half low-sodium, but I’m telling you right now, it won’t be quite the same. The salt in soy sauce helps tenderize the meat and carries all those other flavors deep into every fiber. Don’t even think about skipping this one.
Olive Oil: Good quality olive oil is your friend here. It helps the marinade cling to the meat and adds richness. I’m not saying you need to break out your fancy finishing oil, but don’t use the stuff that’s been sitting in your cabinet since 2019 either. Fresh olive oil makes a difference. It coats the meat, keeps it moist during grilling, and helps create that beautiful crust we’re all after.
Worcestershire Sauce: This is where the magic happens. Worcestershire adds this deep, complex, almost mysterious flavor that you can’t quite put your finger on but you know something would be missing without it. It’s tangy, it’s savory, it’s got a little sweetness. My bottle lives right next to my soy sauce because they’re basically best friends in my kitchen.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed is the only way to go here. Those little plastic lemon-shaped bottles? Just no. The acidity from real lemon juice helps break down the muscle fibers, making your steak more tender. Plus, it adds this bright, clean flavor that cuts through all the richness. I usually need about one and a half lemons to get a quarter cup of juice.
Garlic: Three cloves of fresh garlic, minced up real fine. Not garlic powder, not garlic salt, actual fresh garlic cloves. Take the extra 30 seconds to mince them properly. Your steak will thank you. Garlic infuses the meat with this aromatic quality that makes your whole house smell like a steakhouse. If you’re a garlic lover like me, you can even add an extra clove. I won’t tell anyone.
Brown Sugar: This might seem weird in a savory marinade, but trust me on this one. The brown sugar balances out all the salty and acidic elements, and more importantly, it helps create that gorgeous caramelized crust when the meat hits the hot grill. It’s only two tablespoons, so it’s not making your steak sweet, just giving it depth and helping with that all-important browning.
Dijon Mustard: A tablespoon of good Dijon adds tang and helps emulsify the marinade so everything stays mixed together nicely. It also adds a subtle complexity that most people can’t identify but everyone appreciates. I keep a jar of Dijon in my fridge at all times because it’s just that useful for marinades, dressings, and sandwiches.
Black Pepper: Freshly cracked if you’ve got it. Pre-ground is fine if that’s what you have. A full teaspoon gives the marinade a nice peppery bite without overwhelming everything else. I like to see those little flecks of pepper on my steak when it comes off the grill.
Red Pepper Flakes: This is totally optional, but I always add them. Half a teaspoon gives just a whisper of heat in the background. If you’re cooking for kids or people who can’t handle any spice at all, leave them out. But for everyone else, that little touch of heat makes the whole thing more interesting.
Flank Steak: Look for a piece that’s about two pounds, evenly thick if possible. Sometimes you’ll find flank steaks that are thicker on one end, which is fine, but it means some pieces will be more done than others when you slice it. I try to pick the most uniform piece I can find. If your butcher is friendly, ask them to trim any excess fat or silver skin for you.
4) How to Make Marinated Flank Steak
Step 1. Make the Marinade: Get yourself a large bowl and whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if you’re using them. Whisk it real good until that brown sugar dissolves completely. You don’t want any grainy bits hanging around. Take a little taste. Yeah, it’s salty and strong, but that’s exactly what we want. This concentrated flavor is going to mellow out beautifully once it’s cooked.
Step 2. Prep Your Steak: Lay your flank steak on a cutting board and look at it for a second. See those muscle fibers running in one direction? That’s important to remember for later when we slice it. Now, take a sharp knife and score the surface on both sides. Make shallow diagonal cuts about an inch apart, creating a diamond pattern. Don’t cut deep, just barely break the surface. This serves two purposes. First, it lets the marinade really penetrate into the meat. Second, it keeps the steak from curling up like a taco when it hits the hot grill.
Step 3. Marinate the Meat: I like using a gallon-size zip-top bag for this. Slide your scored steak into the bag, pour in all that gorgeous marinade, and squeeze out as much air as you can before sealing it up. Massage the bag a little to make sure the marinade is coating every inch of that meat. Lay it flat in your fridge. If you’ve got 4 hours, great. If you’ve got overnight, even better. I’ve done both, and overnight definitely wins, but 4 hours will still give you excellent results. Flip the bag over halfway through if you remember.
Step 4. Bring to Room Temperature: About 30 minutes before you want to grill, take that steak out of the fridge. Let it sit on the counter, still in its bag, so it can come up to room temperature. Cold meat hitting a hot grill equals uneven cooking. Room temperature meat cooks way more evenly and you’ll get a better crust. Use this time to get your grill ready and maybe crack open a cold one. You’ve earned it.
Step 5. Prep the Grill: Get your grill screaming hot. We’re talking medium-high to high heat here. If you’re using a gas grill, turn those burners up. If you’re working with charcoal, wait until the coals are white-hot and glowing. You want to hear that satisfying sizzle the second the meat hits the grates. Clean your grates well and oil them lightly so the steak doesn’t stick. There’s nothing worse than losing half your beautifully marinated steak to the grill grates.
Step 6. Grill the Steak: Take the steak out of the marinade and let the excess drip off. You don’t need to pat it dry or anything, just let it drip for a few seconds. Place it on the hot grill and resist every urge to move it around. Let it sit there for 5 to 7 minutes. You’ll see the edges start to brown and the meat will release from the grates when it’s ready to flip. Flip it once and give it another 5 to 7 minutes on the other side. For medium-rare, you’re looking for an internal temperature of about 130°F. Use a meat thermometer. It’s the only way to know for sure.
Step 7. Rest and Slice: This is where most people mess up, and I’m not going to let you make that mistake. When that steak comes off the grill, put it on a cutting board and walk away. I know it smells incredible. I know you want to cut into it right now. Don’t do it. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes. This gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the meat. If you cut into it right away, all those beautiful juices will run out onto your cutting board and your steak will be dry.
Step 8. Slice Against the Grain: Remember when I told you to look at those muscle fibers earlier? Now’s when that matters. Look at which direction those fibers are running and cut perpendicular to them. Against the grain. This is non-negotiable if you want tender steak. Cutting with the grain gives you long, chewy fibers. Cutting against it gives you short fibers that are tender and easy to chew. Slice it thin, about a quarter inch thick, and arrange it on a platter. Throw some fresh herbs on top if you want to look fancy.
5) Tips for Making Marinated Flank Steak
Don’t Skip the Scoring. I know it seems like an extra step, but scoring the surface of your flank steak really does make a difference. Those shallow cuts create more surface area for the marinade to penetrate, and they prevent the meat from curling up into this weird taco shape on the grill. It takes maybe 30 seconds and completely changes the end result. Use a sharp knife and just barely break the surface. You’re not trying to cut the steak into pieces, just creating pathways for flavor.
Temperature Matters. That 30 minutes of room temperature time isn’t just me being picky. Cold meat on a hot grill means the outside overcooks before the inside comes up to temperature. Room temperature meat cooks evenly from edge to center. It’s basic physics, and it makes the difference between a perfectly cooked steak and one that’s charred on the outside and raw in the middle.
Invest in a Meat Thermometer. I can’t stress this enough. Stop guessing when your steak is done. A decent instant-read thermometer costs about fifteen bucks and takes all the anxiety out of grilling. Pull your flank steak at 130°F for medium-rare, 135°F for medium. Remember, it’ll continue cooking for a few minutes after you take it off the heat, so don’t wait until it hits your target temperature on the grill.
The Grain is Everything. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You can have the most perfectly marinated, beautifully grilled flank steak in the world, but if you slice it with the grain instead of against it, you’ve just created yourself a chewy mess. Take the five seconds to figure out which direction those muscle fibers are running and cut perpendicular to them. Your jaw will thank you.
Don’t Crowd the Grill. If you’re doubling the recipe or cooking for a crowd, don’t try to cram multiple steaks onto your grill at once. They need space for air to circulate and for you to flip them easily. Cook them one or two at a time, let them rest while you’re cooking the next batch, and slice them all at once. The resting time makes this completely doable.
Save Some Marinade. I like to set aside a few tablespoons of the marinade before I add the raw meat. After the steak is cooked and sliced, I drizzle a tiny bit of that reserved marinade over the top as a finishing touch. It adds a hit of fresh flavor. Just make sure it’s marinade that never touched raw meat. Food safety, people.
6) Making Marinated Flank Steak Ahead of Time
This is my favorite kind of recipe because it actually gets better when you plan ahead. The longer that steak sits in the marinade, the more flavorful and tender it becomes. I usually prep this the night before I want to serve it. I’ll make my marinade while I’m cleaning up dinner, score the steak, get it in the bag with the marinade, and stick it in the fridge before I go to bed. Next day, all I have to do is pull it out, let it come to room temperature, and throw it on the grill.
You can marinate flank steak for anywhere from 4 hours to 24 hours. I’ve found that sweet spot is around 12 to 18 hours. Less than 4 hours and you’re not getting the full benefit of the marinade. More than 24 hours and the texture can start to get a little mushy from the acid breaking down the proteins too much. If you accidentally leave it longer than 24 hours, it’s not the end of the world, but aim for that overnight window when you can.
If you want to really batch prep, you can actually freeze the steak right in the marinade. Put your raw flank steak and marinade in a freezer bag, squeeze out the air, seal it up, and freeze it flat. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the fridge overnight. The meat marinates as it thaws, so you’re killing two birds with one stone. Then just let it come to room temperature and grill as usual.
Another make-ahead option is to cook the whole thing in advance. Grill your steak, let it cool completely, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate it. It’ll keep for about 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, you can slice it cold and use it for salads or sandwiches, or warm it up gently in a skillet. I’ve done this for meal prep, and it works great. The key is not to reheat it too aggressively or it’ll dry out and get tough.
7) Storing Leftover Marinated Flank Steak
Leftover flank steak is honestly one of my favorite things to have in the fridge. It’s so versatile and makes throwing together quick meals ridiculously easy. Once your steak has cooled to room temperature, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or put it in an airtight container. Get it in the fridge within two hours of cooking. It’ll stay good for about 4 to 5 days.
If you’ve already sliced the steak, store those slices in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Sometimes I’ll drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the slices before I seal them up. This keeps them from drying out and makes them taste fresher when you pull them out later. Stack them neatly so they take up less space and stay moist.
For longer storage, freeze it. Cooked flank steak freezes really well for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it in portion sizes so I can pull out just what I need. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap it again in foil, or use a freezer-safe zip-top bag with all the air squeezed out. Label it with the date so you don’t end up playing freezer roulette six months from now.
When you’re ready to use frozen steak, thaw it in the fridge overnight. If you’re in a hurry, you can use the defrost setting on your microwave, but be careful not to actually cook it. Reheat it gently in a skillet over medium heat, or slice it thin and eat it cold. I’ve made some killer steak salads and sandwiches with leftover flank steak straight from the fridge.
Here’s a pro tip for reheating without drying it out. Put your slices in a skillet with just a splash of beef broth or water. Cover the pan and warm it over medium-low heat until it’s heated through. The liquid creates steam that keeps the meat moist. You can also reheat it in the oven at 250°F wrapped in foil with a splash of liquid. Low and slow is the way to go.
8) Try these Main Course next!
9) Marinated Flank Steak
Grilling Recipes: Best Marinated Flank Steak You’ll Ever Make
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but I love a little kick)
For the Steak
- 2 pounds flank steak
- Fresh herbs for garnish (parsley or cilantro work great)
Instructions
- Grab a large zip-top bag or a shallow dish. Whisk together all your marinade ingredients until the brown sugar dissolves. Taste it. Go ahead, I won’t judge. You want to make sure the flavors are balanced.
- Score your flank steak lightly on both sides with a sharp knife. Just make shallow diagonal cuts about an inch apart. This helps the marinade really get in there and also prevents the meat from curling up when you cook it.
- Pop the steak in the bag or dish, pour that beautiful marinade all over it, and make sure every inch is coated. Seal it up and stick it in the fridge. Let it marinate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better if you’ve got the time.
- When you’re ready to cook, pull the steak out and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This helps it cook more evenly. Meanwhile, get your grill nice and hot. We’re talking medium-high heat here.
- Take the steak out of the marinade and shake off the excess. Don’t worry about patting it completely dry though. That bit of marinade will help create a gorgeous caramelized crust.
- Grill the steak for about 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare. If you like it more well-done, give it a couple more minutes. I use a meat thermometer and pull it off at 130°F for medium-rare.
- Here’s the hard part. Let the steak rest for at least 10 minutes before you slice it. I know it smells amazing and you want to dig in right away, but trust me on this one. The juices need time to redistribute.
- Slice the steak against the grain into thin strips. This is super important! Look at the direction the muscle fibers are running and cut perpendicular to them. It makes all the difference in tenderness.
- Garnish with fresh herbs if you’re feeling fancy, and serve it up. We usually do this with grilled veggies and maybe some crispy potatoes on the side.
10) Nutrition
Serving Size: 1/6 of the steak | Calories: 312 | Sugar: 4.2 g | Sodium: 892 mg | Fat: 18.5 g | Saturated Fat: 4.8 g | Carbohydrates: 6.3 g | Fiber: 0.2 g | Protein: 30.4 g | Cholesterol: 78 mg
Leave a Comment