This flank steak recipe was developed together with Harry Soo at Slap Yo’ Daddy BBQ. It is a Japanese-style steak that is absolutely tender, juicy and packed full of flavour.
What is flank steak?
Flank steak is a cut of beef at the bottom section of a cow. It is part of the abdominal muscles or lower chest of the steer. It is beefy and great for barbecuing.
Ingredients:
- 1kg flank steak, cut into four 250g pieces
- Ponzu and miso butter glaze
- 1 tablespoon ponzu
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons white miso (Shiro miso)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons Japanese cooking sake
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 dashes black pepper
Salad:
- 1 pack fresh herb salad
- 3 tablespoons ponzu
Method:
- Mix all the ingredients for the ponzu and miso butter glaze in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, remove it from the heat immediately and let cool.
- In a plastic bag, marinate the steak for one hour with half of the glaze. Fire up the barbecue, scrape off the excess glaze and then grill. If the grill flares up, move the steak to the cooler spot to prevent burning. Return the steak to the heat when the flame dies down.
- Barbecue the flank steak for three to four minutes, then gently pick it up with a pair of tongs and grill the other side for another three to four minutes, or until the surface becomes nicely charred or to your desired doneness.
- Brush some glaze on the surface of the meat and let set on the barbecue for another one minute on each side.
- Remove the steak and let rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the juice inside the steak to redistribute so it will not leak out when you slice it.
- While the steak is resting, toss the fresh herb salad with ponzu.
- On a plate, place about one tablespoon of the ponzu and miso butter glaze and place the steak on top. Drizzle a little more glaze on the steak. Serve immediately with some fresh herb salad.
Tips:
- For the best results use a charcoal barbecue, but a gas one will work just fine.
- High heat and quick grilling are the best way to cook the steak.
- You can also use the grill function of the oven or pan-fry a flank steak.
How to slice a flank steak:
Cut and slice the flank steak against the grain. Carefully identify the direction of the grain on the steak, which runs in one direction.
Using a sharp chef knife, slice the steak crosswise or against the grain.
This recipe first appeared in Rasa Malaysia.
Low Bee Yinn is a food blogger and cookbook author.