Food Musings

In my last post I mentioned that I’m not a big fan of liquid marinades.  They seem to break down the meat a bit too much and make it soggy (and tasting like vinegar).  That’s why a paste or rub is perfect for meat that needs a bit of a flavor boost and this paste marinade is such a great idea.  Plus, Greg likes the fact that most of the paste is wiped off before grilling so you don’t have such a mess on the grill.

This recipe from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine is definitely more of a “weekend bbq warrior” type of recipe because it does require some marinating time.  It’s perfect for entertaining especially with the warm spring and summer weather here and grilling a weekend activity.  I only marinated my meat in the paste for a few hours and it came out juicy and tasty.

I’m looking forward to trying the other paste marinades listed below from Cook’s Illustrated soon!

The flank steak is a beef steak cut from the abdominal muscles of the cow. A relatively long and flat cut of meat, it is significantly tougher than other beef cuts; and you need to cut it on the bias.  Here’s a video that explains how to do that.   http://www.kitchendaily.com/2010/12/24/how-to-slice-flank-steak/

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

Serves 4 to 6

 Remember to cut your steak against the grain and on a bias so it’s tender and juicy.   I prefer flank steak cooked rare or medium rare. If the steak is to retain its juices, it must be allowed to rest before being sliced.

•  1 whole flank steak (about 2 pounds), patted dry with paper towels
•  2 tsp kosher salt
•  1 recipe wet paste marinade (recipes follow – I used Garlic Shallot Rosemary)
•  1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Place steak on rimmed baking sheet or in large baking dish. Using dinner fork, poke the steak about 20 times on each side. Rub both sides of steak evenly with salt and then with paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. Using paper towels, wipe paste off steak; season both sides with pepper.

If on coals: Grill steak directly over coals until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip steak; grill until second side is well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Using paring knife, make small cut into thickest part of meat; if meat is slightly less done than desired, transfer steak to cutting board (meat will continue to cook as it rests). If steak is significantly underdone, position so that thinner side is over cooler side of grill and thicker side is over hot side; continue to cook until thickest part is slightly less done than desired, then transfer steak to cutting board.

If using a gas grill, cook the steak over high heat, following the times in step 3, but keep the cover down. If the meat is significantly underdone when tested with a paring knife, turn off one burner and position the steak so that the thinner side is over the cooler part of the grill and the thicker side is over the hot part of the grill.

3. Loosely tent steak with foil; let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Using sharp chef’s knife or carving knife, slice steak about 1/4 inch thick against grain and on bias. Serve immediately.

Garlic-Shallot-Rosemary Wet Paste Marinade

6 tbsp olive oil
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (2 tbsp)
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tbsp)
2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down blender jar as needed.

Garlic-Ginger-Sesame Wet Paste Marinade

4 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 piece (about 3 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 3 tbsp)
2 medium scallions, minced (about 3 tbsp)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (1 tbsp)

Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down blender jar as needed.

Garlic-Chile Wet Paste Marinade

6 tbsp corn or vegetable oil
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (2 tbsp)
2 medium scallions, minced (about 3 tbsp)
1 medium chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (about 1 tbsp)
1 medium jalapeno chile, minced (about 1 tbsp)

Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down blender jar as needed.