Super flavorful and bright with the flavors of orange and tomato – this steak is ready to grill after a few hours of marinating, but do yourself a favor and let it go at least overnight. I am mixing up the flavors a bit here creating a bit of Mexican and Italian fusion (okay, not really). The steak marinade of tomatoes and citrus are a classic Mexican combination. Parsley, lemon and garlic make up the classic Milanese gremolata typically served with osso buco. I really love the fresh gremolata as a counterpoint to the char and smoky flavors of the grilled meat.
Cooked correctly, flank steak is one of my favorite cuts of beef. This cut of beef comes from the belly between the loin and the ribs, however it is not as tender as either of those cuts.. The primal cut is very fatty, but by the time you get it from the butcher, it is a trimmed long, thin piece of meat. Flank steak is considered a flat steak and like my other favorite flat steaks – skirt and hanger – the the flavor is B-E-E-F-Y!
Flat steaks have a relatively loose grain to the meat and are ideally suited to marinades. Because they are relatively tough pieces of meat, flat steaks are served best by grilling quickly over high heat. They is best served medium-rare, but no more than medium or it starts to toughen up. GRILLER TIP: flat steaks, in particular, should be sliced across the grain of the meat or it will be chewy.
For quick and easy meal, grill up some vegetables like my Cumin and Lime Marinated Squash while the meat rests after coming off the grill. Warm up some tortillas and you’ll have a beautiful grilled dinner in under 30 minutes… Ray Ray would be proud. 🙂
- 2 pounds flank steak
- 2 oranges
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- :
- For gremolata:
- ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon reserved grated orange zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Trim away any excess fat from the flank steak and place in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold the steak. Grate the zest from the oranges using a Microplane or fine grater. Reserve 1 tablespoon for the gremolata; add the remaining zest to a blender. Juice the oranges and add to the blender along with the remaining ingredients; give it a good blitz. Pour the marinade over the steak and flip a couple time to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 to 6 hours or for as long as overnight.
- For the gremolata: In a small bowl, toss together the parsley, reserved orange zest and the garlic. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat grill for direct cooking over high heat and as always, brush and oil grates before cooking.
- Place steak on hot grill at a 45 degree angle to the grates. Cook for about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Allow the steak to rest (repose) for 7 or 8 minutes before slicing.
- Once the steak has rested, thinly slice across the grain of the meat with your knife tilted at an angle to give you nice wide slices. Serve hot or at room temperature sprinkled with the gremolata along with grilled vegetables (like my Cumin and Lime Marinated Squash) and warm, grilled tortillas.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~Jeff
Lovely