Making the Most of Flank Steak Tasty cut is tough customer BY LISSA DOUMANI & HIROYOSHI SONE Copyright © 1994 - 2007 The Taunton Press or years, flank steak was just about the cheapest serves tells us what the meat is like. Those lower belly Fcut of beef you could buy, and in those days it was muscles were used every time the animal took a step or commonly braised and stewed. You’d never have found even breathed. The stronger the muscle, the it on a restaurant menu, although when we were chefs tougher—but often the more flavorful—the meat. A at Spago in Los Angeles, we ate flank steak at staff din- cut from the flank will be tougher than, say, the filet, ners. Now it’s accepted and popular among home which hangs out up on the back and doesn’t work very cooks and chefs alike. hard. It will also be a lot more tender than the shank or Once restaurants discovered it, demand drove the lower leg, which not only gets heavy use but also has a price up. Now that flank steak can cost as much as lot of connective tissue, or gristle. more tender steak from the loin, it makes sense to treat Flank has very little internal fat, so it’s a good choice it like a choicer cut. But since it’s expensive and not so for people who are concerned about fat intake but who tender, why buy it in the first place? The answer is that want to eat beef. Most of the fat in this cut is on the out- Slicing meat across it’s simply one of the most flavorful cuts a steer has to side and can be easily removed. Marbling, the term for the grain gives the offer. tiny pockets of fat distributed throughout meat, is char- tenderest results. For acteristic of the tenderest cuts of beef, like a New York flank steak with its FLANK STEAK PRIMER steak. Connoisseurs prize marbling for the flavor it lengthwise grain, this The flank of a steer is the lower belly behind the ribs. gives. In the rush toward health, however, everyone means cutting straight Each side of beef yields just one flank steak—a flat mus- wants leaner meat. As the industry responds to public across. Here, Hiro cle, oval in shape, between one and three pounds and demand, the fat percentage in meats will continue to Sone slices seared about two inches thick. Flank steak go down. But as meat gets leaner, we sacrifice flavor flank steak ever so thin has very little fat and a noticeably coarse grain that runs and tenderness. for his version of the length of the piece (see il- carpaccio. lustration), a very important STRATEGIES FOR characteristic, as we’ll explain Grain ACHIEVING TENDERNESS later. First, though, we want to There are several strategies for mention a cut of beef similar to dealing with flank steak to en- flank in appearance and char- sure that it’s as tender as possi- acter, and that is skirt steak. ble when it comes to the table. Skirt steak also comes from In our kitchen, two are non-ne- the underside of the steer, from Skirt steak gotiable: we never overcook a section of the belly known as the meat, and we always cut it the plate, which lies just for- into thin slices across the grain. ward of the flank. The skirt is Beyond that, there’s the option up to two feet long, about six to of marinating for a few hours. seven inches wide and about Cut A fourth is to pound the steak an inch and a half thick. Like Flank steak Grain with a meat hammer. We al- flank steak, skirt has a thin, ways use the first two strategies; For tenderest results, slice across the grain. patchy covering of fat and a sometimes we use all four. well-defined grain. Unlike flank’s lengthwise grain, the Slice across the grain—Whether you’re slicing the For better eye appeal, grain in skirt steak runs across the cut. It’s important to flank steak before it’s cooked or after, always cut across cut larger pieces of be able to tell flank and skirt apart: we’ve seen skirt the grain. This is true of any meat product. Cutting meat by slicing the steak sold as flank steak in some markets. Skirt usually across the grain results in short meat fibers that are easy steak into scallops. is—and should be—less expensive because it’s even to chew. Because the grain runs lengthwise on a flank Hold the knife at stringier and tougher than flank, although you can use steak, all you have to do is cut straight across and about a 30° angle and the two in much the same way. you’ve got it. cut slices a quarter The term grain describes the direction in which the Some people like to cut flank steak at an angle as inch thick. Then muscle fibers lie. Muscles work in one direction only, well as across the grain. Instead of little thin slices you pound the scallops and the more work they have to do, the more defined get something that looks more like a slice of a roast. briefly if desired, and the grain will be. Look at most pieces of meat and you’ll This idea may have started in restaurants to give the marinate. actually see the lines of muscle fibers going in one di- servings better eye appeal. To slice this way, hold your rection, unless it’s a cut such as a round steak that slices knife at a 30° angle to the top of the steak and slice through the muscle longitudinally (across the grain, across the grain. To get a smooth slice without ragged rather than along it). edges, try not to saw and use only a couple of strokes of Knowing what part of an animal’s body the muscle the knife to cut each slice. Pound lightly to break fibers—Pounding slices For a classic bistro meal, serve a paillard of flank steak with a of flank steak with a meat mallet helps break up the Photos: Faith Echtermeyer Illustration: Leigh Rondano shallot sauce and french fries (see recipe, p. 59). FEBRUARY/MARCH 1994 57 Copyright © 1994 - 2007 The Taunton Press GRILLED MISO-MARINATED fibers and also flattens the meat, allowing it to cook FLANK STEAK SALAD faster. You can use either the flat or the toothed face Miso—fermented soybean paste—is available at Asian mar- of your meat mallet. Be careful not to pound too kets. There are several types, with different colors, flavors, much because the meat will start to break apart and and textures. We suggest that you marinate the meat for develop holes, and it will lose all its juices when three hours, but you can leave it for a lot longer without ill cooking. Once over the surface of the meat using effects. Miso won’t break down the meat quickly, so if you need extra time, prepare the marinated meat and the vinai- the toothed face is enough. grette the day before. We garnish this salad with a Japanese Marinate for flavor and tenderness—Flank is rice noodle, deep fried for less than a minute until puffy. the perfect candidate for marinating. Typically a We would serve the salad with a bottle of Caymus Conun- marinade flavors and tenderizes. Most marinade drum, a blend of four grape varietals. The muscat provides recipes combine herbs, spices, and something acidic, sweetness for the miso, but this wine still has a good acid balance to go with the vinaigrette. Serves four. To make a paillard such as wine, vinegar, or lemon juice. The acid (meat pounded for breaks down the proteins in the muscle, and so ten- STEAK AND MARINADE: 1 Tbs. dark miso grilling), hold the derizes the meat. We’ve always argued that meat 1 Tbs. sugar knife at a very low an- should not be left in strong marinades for a long 1 Tbs. mirin (sweet Japanese gle, but not horizon- cooking wine) time. Some recipes say it’s okay to leave the meat in 1 ⁄2 tsp. grated ginger tal, and cut slices a 1 overnight, but we think all you get out of that is a ⁄2 tsp. grated garlic quarter inch thick. The steak with no meat flavor left in it and with a texture 1⁄2 tsp. sesame oil meat fibers are longer that’s out of balance—too tender on the outside Pinch cayenne pepper 3⁄4 lb. flank steak, trimmed when sliced at this while still solid inside. Usually, three hours is plenty to impart flavor and to tenderize the meat. To find SALAD: 1⁄2 stalk celery, trimmed out if a marinade is the right strength, taste it. If it 1⁄2 Japanese cucumber makes your mouth pucker, it’s too strong. 1⁄4 carrot, peeled When we want just flavor but not the tenderizing 1 medium tomato 11⁄2 tsp. cilantro leaves effect of a marinade, we do a dry rub of spices and 11⁄2 tsp. mint leaves herbs. This is simply a mixture of ingredients, such VINAIGRETTE: as salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, chili powder, or 1⁄2 tsp. peeled and chopped ginger cumin, rubbed on the meat. Because a dry rub 1⁄2 tsp. minced garlic doesn’t affect the meat’s texture, it can be left on for Pinch red-chile flakes 1⁄2 cup rice-wine vinegar any length of time.