Grilled Flank Steak

I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and some of my fondest memories as a kid are playing in our backyard with my sister as my Dad and Mom sat on our back porch grilling dinner. There was something about the wonderfully fresh smell of summer in western Pennsylvania combined with the savory smell of a steak cooking on the grill.

One of our family favorites was a grilled flank steak from The Three Rivers cookbook: Faye’s Flank Steak. This cookbook was first published in 1973 and my mom still has her original copy – it is all torn and tattered and lovely. There are three other books in the series and they all hold a recipe or two by which I can define my childhood.

This marinade is so easy and is made up of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. I always make my marinades in a plastic bag resting in a bowl or pyrex measuring cup to keep cleanup easy. Once the marinade ingredients are added to the bag, I zip it up and give it a good shake to make sure everything is well combined before adding the steak. I let the steak lay flat in the marinade and keep the bag in a baking pan to catch any liquid that might leak out of the bag.

Waiting… it’s the hardest part with recipes like this but it is critical. Let the steak rest a minimum of 5 minutes after coming off the grill before slicing. Then slice the steak into fairly think cuts (1/4″ max) against the grain. I like to serve this flank steak with a salad or those yummy rosemary potatoes I posted a few months ago. Now get outside and get grilling.

Faye’s Flank Steak (from Three Rivers Cookbook I)

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vinegar (I use cider vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 chopped onion
1 flank steak

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except steak. Add the steak to the marinade and marinate the steak a minimum of 8-12 hours. Cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on whether you want your meat rare or medium-well.

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