The Best Oven Roasted Garlic Flank Steak Recipe – how to bake flank or skirt steak with tons of garlic butter steak flavor!
Delicious, low carb, keto-approved flank steak that is tender and perfectly cooked when broiled to perfection!
One of my favorite things to make during the week is juicy, tender, low carb sliced flank steak – it’s quick, easy, and can marinate overnight so you can pop it in the oven after you get home from work and have a hearty meal in less than 30 minutes.
See also:
This flavorful flank steak is great in fajitas, tacos, burritos, salads, sandwiches, wraps, and even cold as leftovers.
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How to make the Roasted Garlic Flank Steak Recipe?
WHAT IS FLANK STEAK?
Flank steak is great for fajitas, stir fry, homemade cheesesteak, or simply sliced with some fresh vegetables on its own.
Flank steak is a leaner cut of steak with less marbling that is meaty, rich, juicy, and delicious.
Flank steak is well known for becoming tough quickly – and because it is made of long, thick muscle strands, it must be cut in a specific way when serving (against the grain).
INGREDIENTS
This flank steak recipe requires only a few simple ingredients. The precise measurements are given in the recipe card below. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need:
- The average size of a flank steak is 2 pounds. They arrive folded, and you unfold them before cooking. I usually buy my meat at Costco or Whole Foods.
- Olive oil rub: This flavorful rub is made with olive oil, minced fresh garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. As you can see, I prefer to cook with kosher salt. If you use sea salt, you’ll need to cut back on the amount you use.
HOW TO COOK FLANK STEAK?
Flank steak gets a bad rap for being tough – which it can be if not cooked properly – but flank steak needs to cook hot and fast.
If you remember nothing else from this recipe, the number one tip I can give for perfectly cooked, tender flank steak is to cook it hot and fast.
Flank steak is absolutely delicious when marinated, but unlike other tougher cuts of steak, it also looks great under a broiler or on the grill – anywhere with high heat so it can cook quickly.
IS A FLANK STEAK THE SAME AS A SKIRT STEAK?
Flank steak and skirt steak are both cut near the belly of the cow, in the “short plate” area – and they can be used interchangeably in this recipe – just plan on a slightly longer cooking time for the slightly fatter and larger skirt steak.
The flank steak is lower and leaner than the skirt steak, and it has less fat marbling.
CAN YOU USE SKIRT STEAK?
Skirt steak comes from the same part of the cow as flank steak, but it contains a little more fat and connective tissue (skirt steak is a little more marbled than flank steak), so it requires a little more breaking down.
Fortunately, if you take a few extra steps, skirt steak can be roasted in the oven!
If you can’t find flank steak and instead opt for skirt steak, don’t skip the skirt steak marinade (preferably overnight) and give it a quick pound with a meat tenderizer before putting it on the grill.
HOW TO CUT FLANK STEAK?
Because we’re using tougher cuts of beef with long, lean fibers, it’s critical to properly cut your skirt steak or flank steak for tender, juicy steak.
If you look at your grilled flank steak or skirt steak, you’ll notice long lines running down the steak – you’ll want to cut against the grains to shorten them, which makes them much softer and easier to chew because you’re breaking down the fibers that hold the meat together.
Slice the grilled steak as thinly as possible for the most tender and easy-to-chew flank steak – and be sure to let the steak rest completely before slicing to help preserve the natural juices and flavor!
FLANK STEAK COOKING TIME CHART
DONENESS | BROWN ON THE STOVE | THEN BROIL FOR | TARGET TEMPERATURE |
Rare | 2 minutes per side | 1 minute | 120 degrees F |
Medium Rare | 2 minutes per side | 2 minutes | 130 degrees F |
Medium | 2 minutes per side | 3 minutes | 140 degrees F |
Medium Well | 2 minutes per side | 4 minutes | 150 degrees F |
Well Done | 2 minutes per side | 5 minutes | 160 degrees F |
The target temperature is before resting, which raises the temperature by 5 degrees.
HOW TO COOK FLANK STEAK IN THE OVEN?
Do you want to know how long to cook flank steak? I’ll walk you through every step of making flank steak:
- Marinate the steak. Whisk together the olive oil, coconut aminos, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small baking dish large enough to hold the steak. Turn the flank steak in the marinade to coat. Refrigerate the steak for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, turning it halfway through.
- Flank steak, browned After preheating the grill, add the flank steak (shake off any excess marinade) and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until browned and charred on both sides.
- Grill the flank steak. Place the pan under the broiler in the oven. Broil until done to preference. (Cooking times and temperatures are listed below.)
- Rest the steak. Transfer the steak to a plate to prevent it from continuing to cook, and cover and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Cut against the grain. Flank steak is best served thinly sliced.
VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Using different seasonings is a good way to change up the basic recipe.
So, when making the olive oil rub, you can incorporate spices like smoked paprika, chili powder, and ground cumin. I don’t recommend using dried herbs because they burn under the broiler.
EXPERT TIP:
- It’s critical to let the meat rest before slicing it, as with all steaks and roasts. If you cut into it right away, a lot of juices will immediately escape into the cutting board, making the meat less juicy.
- Even after properly resting it, you’ll notice that some of the juices have escaped into the cutting board. That is unavoidable, but we want to do everything we can to minimize it, which includes resting the meat before slicing it.
STORING LEFTOVERS
Like most cooked leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can reheat them gently in a microwave on 50% power, covered, or chop them cold and add to a salad. I occasionally substitute them for chicken in this cobb salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a flank steak?
This beef cut is made from the cow’s abdominal muscles. If you’ve ever eaten at a French bistro and been served “bavette,” you’ve had this cut.
What is the best way to cook a flank steak?
Because this is a flavorful but tough and fibrous cut (I’m referring to muscle fiber), it’s best to cook it quickly and minimally over high heat.
How do you know which way the grain runs in meat?
It’s best to examine the piece of meat while it’s still raw because that’s when it’s easiest to determine the grain direction. Essentially, you’ll be looking for parallel lines of muscle fiber running down the meat. The grain runs in different directions in some cuts, such as tri-tip. However, in a flank steak, the muscle fibers are visible and easy to identify, and they all run in the same direction, as I demonstrate in the video below.
What’s the difference between a flank steak and a flat iron steak?
Both are thin cuts with a great beefy flavor that should be cooked medium-rare to avoid being tough and chewy. They do, however, come from different parts of the animal. Flank steak is lean and comes from the cow’s abdomen, whereas flat iron steak comes from the shoulder (chuck), has more marbling, and is also more tender.
Easy Roasted Garlic Flank Steak Recipe
- Prep Time: 8 hours and 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours and 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A delectable marinade that transforms the often tough flank steak into a succulently tender cut of meat.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Flank Steak
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic medium, minced
- 2 tablespoons chives minced, fresh
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- In a ziploc bag or a large dish, combine all of the ingredients.
- Add the flank steak and marinate it in the fridge (covered) overnight or at least all day.
- Preheat the gas grill to high. Remove the steak from the marinade and cook for 2 minutes per side on the grill. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until an internal temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare, or longer for medium, etc. is reached. Remove from the oven and place on a cutting board with foil draped over the top.
- Meanwhile, in a sauce pan over medium heat, heat 1/2 of the remaining marinade.
- Set aside after simmering the marinade for 10 minutes.
- Slice the steak against the grain and serve with more sauce on the side, if desired.
Notes
Because flank steak is a lower quality meat, cooking it to well done will make it chewy. When cooked properly, it’s incredibly flavorful and delicious!
- Category: Beef
- Method: Steak
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
- Calories: 530kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1912mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 52g
- Cholesterol: 136mg
Keywords: Flank steak recipe, grilled flank steak recipe, flank steak, steak recipe
inspired by: https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/flank-steak/