flank steak too chewy?
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Anonymous
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how do i make this cut tender?
i marinated for about 6 hours and grilled, it was medium well. |
Anonymous
| It is by definition a chewy cut of meat. |
Anonymous
| Slice it against the grain as thinly as possible |
Anonymous
| Did you slice it against the grain? Medium well is probably too done for a flank steak. |
Anonymous
+1. But slice thin and across the grain, it helps. |
Anonymous
| Slice across the grain, add white vinegar to the marinade to break down the tissues a little. I usually marinate flank steak for 24-36 hours. |
Anonymous
| All of the above and medium well is too much for flank steak. I wouldn't just eat one, rather, slice and use in salads or fajitas or the like. |
Anonymous
| PP's are right - slice against the grain. Your marinade needs some sort of acid in it - vinegar, citrus juice... this will help break it down. Medium is as far as I would take it. |
Anonymous
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Medium well will never be tender. Medium rare is ideal. Your marinating time was right; the time on a hot grill (or in a hot pan) should be very short.
Agree w/PP's re thin and against the grain. And of course you let it rest 10 min before cutting (OK, if it's thin, maybe 7-8 min.) (covered w/aluminum foil to keep the heat). |
Anonymous
| How about using a meat tenderizing sauce and then tenderizing it with a meat mallet? |
Anonymous
| Flank steak is best for dishes that need a bit of a chewy feel, like fajitas, steak salads, stir fries. I wouldn't just serve a flank steak. |
Anonymous
| Not too chewy in stir fries. |
Anonymous
The best solution is to just buy a ribeye! 
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Anonymous
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We eat flank steak (solo, not as fajitas, etc) several times a month. Not all marinades are up to the task of tenderizing a flank steak. It needs acid, oil, and probably some salt.
I think this is the one I grew up on, but I can't find it in stores around DC: http://www.mccormick.com/Lawrys/Flavors/Seasoning-Mixes/Tenderizing-Beef-Marinade-Mix The Safeway generic version is a decent, but not great replacement. I think DH generally adds some BBQ sauce to it. Italian dressing can work OK, but I'd marinate it overnight. We also stab the steak all over with a fork before putting it in the marinade. |
Anonymous
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Marinade with the juice from 1 Orange, 2 Limes, 1/4 white vinegar, fresh garlic, pepper, sea salt & cilantro.
Cook until medium rare (a minute or two on each side- no more) |