Chinese Barbecued Flank Steak

  • Prep 5 min
  • Total 2 hr 20 min
  • Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sake, dry white wine or beef broth
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons grated gingerroot
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 lb beef flank steak

Steps

  • 1
    In 13x9-inch glass baking dish, beat all ingredients except beef with wire whisk. Add beef to dish or plastic food storage bag, turning several times. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
  • 2
    Adjust oven rack so top of beef will be about 3 inches from heat. Set oven control to broil. Line broiler pan with foil. Remove beef from marinade; set marinade aside. Pat beef dry with paper towels and place in broiler pan. Broil 7 minutes per side or until beef is medium-rare (135°F). Remove beef from broiler. Cover with foil and allow to rest.
  • 3
    Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat reserved marinade to boiling over high heat; boil and stir 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
  • 4
    Remove foil and place beef on cutting board. Use sharp knife to cut beef against the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Serve with hot marinade.

  • Why it Works: Against the Grain Meat is a muscle, made up of fibers, that helps animals move. When cooked correctly, the connection between the fibers of the muscle loosen and we call the meat tender. In some muscles, such as flank or skirt steak, the fibers are glued together so tightly that no amount of cooking or marinating can soften them. For this reason, the meat has to be specially handled to make it tender. After cooking, allow the meat to rest a few minutes before slicing; this helps keep the meat juicy. Then look closely at the steak to identify the direction the strands of meat run. (The fibers of flank steak usually run the long way.) With a serrated knife, slice the meat thinly against the grain of the fibers—the short way. This will cut across each of the muscle fibers, making the meat tender.
  • Recipe Rx: The Incredible Shrinking Steak You went to the butcher and bought a good-looking flank steak, just for this recipe. The problem is your finished steak is almost half the size it was when it was raw! No, this isn’t a conspiracy by butchers to get you to buy more meat, it is a natural property of the meat. As meat is heated, the muscle fibers start to contract and pull. In meats where the fibers all run in one direction, such as flank steak, this effect can be quite dramatic. Although this can’t be completely avoided, using gentle heat can minimize it. If the heat is really high not only will the meat burn more easily but also it will shrink faster. So cook as instructed and next time buy enough meat to compensate for the shrink.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
260
Calories from Fat
100
Total Fat
12g
18%
Saturated Fat
4 1/2g
22%
Trans Fat
1/2g
Cholesterol
90mg
30%
Sodium
580mg
24%
Potassium
540mg
16%
Total Carbohydrate
4g
1%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
3g
Protein
35g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
2%
2%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
20%
20%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 5 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
0
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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