Monday, October 10, 2005
Marinating turns steak into London broil
London broil is not a cut of meat; rather, it is a method of marinating an inexpensive cut of beef, broiling or grilling it, and then thinly slicing it. Although top round steak and chuck shoulder can be used, flank steak is most commonly used in London broil recipes.
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Easy London Broil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 pounds flank steak
In a small bowl, mix together garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil, black pepper and oregano. Score steak in diagonal lines on both sides, being careful not to cut more than 1/8 inch into each side of steak. Rub garlic mixture into both sides of the meat. Place meat in a sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours or overnight. Flip meat every few hours.
Preheat broiler. Remove steak from marinade; discard any excess marinade. Broil, 2 to 3 inches from heat, until steak reaches desired doneness, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Allow steak to rest 10 minutes before slicing across the grain into thin slices. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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Quick London Broil
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds flank steak
Mix salad dressing mix, wine and oil. Score steak in diagonal lines on both sides, being careful not to cut more than 1/8 inch into each side of steak. Rub both sides of steak evenly with the salad dressing mixture. Place steak in a sealable plastic bag; refrigerate 30 minutes to marinate.
Preheat broiler. Remove steak from marinade; discard any excess marinade. Broil, 2 to 3 inches from heat, until steak reaches desired doneness, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Allow steak to rest 10 minutes before slicing across the grain into thin slices. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Adapted from kraftfoods.com.
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Pantry Pointers
For best results, use a meat thermometer to check steak for doneness. The reading for a rare steak is 145 degrees, medium is 160 degrees, and well done is 170 degrees. Remember that overcooking toughens the meat.
Recipes using flank steak often call for it to be sliced across the grain. This makes the meat easier to chew because it is cut across the fibers of the meat. For most flank steaks, slicing across the grain means slicing across the width instead of the length.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com