Tender, thinly sliced grilled flank steak that has soaked up a marinade of soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar and spices. Pairs perfectly with grilled veggies, pineapple, and tropical inspired rice side dishes.
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If you make this once you will want to make it again and again! Trust me!
Years ago I found the recipe for this on Our Best Bites. It has been a family favorite ever since. Honestly, we often change up recipes that we find, but this one is perfect as is. I have included some helpful cooking and slicing techniques to ensure your success.
Your assignment is to get to the store, buy a flank steak and whatever marinade ingredients you need, and get it marinating. That way all you have to do is bust out your grill and dinner will be finished in no time.
🥇 Why it’s great!
- Compared to other cuts of steak, flank steak is pretty economical. Since it is served in thinly sliced pieces it seems to stretch farther than other cuts of steak.
- Getting everyone's meat done just the way they like it can be tricky, but on flank steak the outer edges are always more done than the center. If grandma likes her meat well done and teenage son likes his medium rare, then everyone is happy.
- Last but not least, this is the best flank steak marinade because it is full of flavor. Every single time I serve it, it disappears. It's truly delicious!
🥩 Ingredients
Brown sugar: A deeply flavored sweetness.
Oil: I use canola oil but any neutral flavored oil would work.
Soy sauce: Use whichever soy sauce you have on hand.
Pineapple juice: Great for tenderizing the meat and imparting flavor.
Fresh ginger: Use freshly grated or the kind in the tube.
Fresh garlic: Fresh chopped for best flavor.
Flank steak: A thin piece of steak that is best sliced thin for optimal tenderness.
🔪 Instructions
Marinade
This really is a simple recipe. Start by mixing the marinade ingredients in a bowl. *See note below for tips on making fresh ginger easy to peel and grate. Next make sure your flank steak has any big pieces of fat cut off and put it in a ziptop bag. Then pour the marinade over the meat. Very carefully seal the bag getting as much air out as possible. I like to place my bag of marinating meat in a 9x13 pan or on a jelly roll pan while it sits in the fridge. This steak is best when marinated overnight. Even better, buy a couple and make enough marinade to freeze some ahead. All you have to do is thaw and go. That’s one of my all time favorite tricks for getting meals on the table. Packets of marinated meat in the freezer for the win!
*Note: The easiest way to store and use fresh ginger is to freeze it. First peel the thin layer of skin off with a spoon. Throw it in a freezer bag and freeze until solid. Once the ginger is frozen, grate it over a microplane (I love this one.) Not to be too dramatic about it, but this is life changing!
How to grill flank steak
When it’s time to cook you want to have the grill at medium heat. I have a large charcoal grill. To get it to medium heat I fill a charcoal chimney like this one full of coals. Once they have ashed over, pour it into half of the grill and spread out the coals into a single layer. If you have a gas grill, turn half the burners on medium for at least 10 minutes.
Now that the grill is ready, place the meat directly over the fire. Allow it to cook for 10 minutes before flipping it. Once it is on the second side, cook for another 10 minutes. You are looking for a good crust but definitely want to flip it over before it burns. If it begins to cook too fast on the outside, move it to the side of the grill that doesn’t have coals or the flame on. Close the lid and allow it to cook until the internal temperature is where you want it.
Cook until the flank steak has reached an internal temperature of 145°-160° depending on how your like your meat (see this article for more information). We prefer to pull the flank steak off at 145°. My husband gave me this Thermapen as a Christmas gift. While it works amazingly well and is super fast, any accurate meat thermometer will do. Pull meat off the grill and allow it to rest for approximately 10 minutes. Keep in mind that the temperature will rise as it rests. While the meat is resting it’s the perfect time to throw some veggies on.
How to Slice Flank Steak
Flank steak can be melt-in-your-mouth tender or stringy and tough depending on how you slice it. In the picture above the red lines show the grain of the meat. The goal is to make cuts in the direction indicated by the blue lines approximately ¼ inch thick. The sharper your knife the easier it will be to make those slices thin.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
Definitely. Flank steaks are small enough that several can fit on the grill at once. Just have a helper near by to help slice it all.
🙋 Questions & Answers
Yes. One of my favorite things to do is to make a double batch of marinade and throw a couple flank steaks in the freezer. So easy to thaw and grill, plus it seems to deepen the flavor of the meat.
The only part of this recipe that is suited to prepping ahead is the marinating process. Cooking needs to be done close to serving time. While the meat can be reheated, it loses it’s fresh texture.
I have only used this on flank steak, but falp steak or skirt steak should be delicious as well. I'm sure would be amazing on chicken or pork tenderloin. If you try it, leave a comment below. We would love to hear about it!
🍽 What to serve with flank steak
- Try grilled pineapple.🍍🍍 So tropical and delicious!
- I love to serve this with a tropical inspired rice like this Pineapple Lime Rice or this amazingly simple Toasted Coconut Rice 🥥.
- This Easy Asian Slaw takes less than 10 minutes to throw together.
📖 Other Grilling Recipes
- Try this Grilled Honey Chicken (un)Kabobs. All the flavor of kabobs without the hassle of skewers.
- The Best Ever Grilled Chicken Marinade really lives up to its name. Yum! Yum!
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Marinate overnight for the best flavor.
- Make sure your fire isn’t too hot. The outside will burn before the inside is ready.
- Be sure to thinly slice against the grain.
👋 Connect with us!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it is! We’d also love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag @borrowedbites or hashtag #borrowedbites to show us your food!
📋 Recipe
Grilled Sweet and Savory Flank Steak
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup canola oil or any neutral flavored oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated* see note
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 3 lbs flank steak approximately 2 medium
Instructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place flank steak in a zipper bag and pour the marinade on top, ensuring it is thoroughly covered. Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- 30 minutes before grilling, place flank steak on counter (it does not need to be room temperature, but it shouldn't be straight from the fridge).
- Bring grill to medium heat for at least 10 minutes. Once the grill is hot place the flank steak directly over the flame. Allow to cook for 10 minutes before flipping. After flipping allow to cook for approximately 10 more minutes. If at any point it begins to burn move to a cooler spot on the grill, close the lid, and allow to finish cooking. Pull meat off the grill once the internal temperature of the meat has reached your preferred doneness level.
- Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the meat across the grain. See picture in post for details.
Notes
- Marinate overnight for the best flavor.
- Make sure your fire isn’t too hot. The outside will burn before the inside is ready.
- Thinly slice against the grain.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Aspen says
Whoa! I’m so impressed by this recipe! I love chicken, but I think flank steak might be one of my favorite alternative protein options... and this is an amazing way to make it!
Misty says
There is NEVER a complaint about this recipe. I'm sure your family will love it!