I recently had a flank steak. I don’t have it too often but I thought it was delicious. So, I decided to learn more about it.
Flank steak is a lean piece of meat that comes from the abdominal muscle of the cow. It has a lot of collagen (connective tissue) that can make the steak chewy if it’s not cooked right.
Don’t sweat the amount of collagen that is in flank steak because it is very good for you. I go over this very well in my post about bone broth here.
Because flank steak is lean, it can easily be overcooked. I did a post on this topic as well which you can check out here.
I cooked a flank steak less than a week ago while writing this post in a pan and it turned out pretty tender and was quite tasty.
What is another name for flank steak?
Flank steak goes by the names beef flank, flank steak filet, jiffy steak, and plank steak. The flank is a fleshy area between the hip and the ribs, hence the name flank steak.
The quote below is from a dictionary for what the word flank is on an animal.
Flank
the fleshy part of the side between the ribs and the hip
merriam-webster.com
What is flank steak called at the grocery store?
Flank steak usually goes by the name flank steak at the grocery store. It can go by other names for the steak as well, but the most popular name is the original flanks steak name.
It depends on the store that you go to but it will most likely be called flank steak at the store. When I bought it the name for it was flank steak.
What is flank steak best used for?
Flank steak is best used for cutting into strips for stir-frying or fajitas. It is best used this way because it is a lean cut and can be a little tough.
Is flank steak a good steak?
Flank steak is a cheaper steak that can be quite tough. If you want to cook it up as a steak instead of using it in a stir fry or fajitas then it is best to marinate it to make it tender.
The best way to marinate steak is with certain types of fruit because they have enzymes that break down proteins and make steak tender. I talk about that in a post here.
How should flank steak be cooked?
You can cook flank steak in a pan or on a grill. It is best to not overcook the steak because with it being a lean steak with a lot of connective tissue it can become very chewy.
I talk about how to not overcook steak in this post here.
How do I make flank steak tender?
Marinating the steak in fruit such as pineapple, mango, or kiwi can make steak tender. The enzymes in these fruit break down the proteins.
You do not want to marinate steak like this for more than an hour because it will make the steak mushy.
Does flank steak have to be marinated?
Flank steak does not have to be marinated. Marinating it will make it more tender because it is a tough steak. It is one of them steaks that are better off marinated.
Do you rinse flank steak before cooking?
There is no reason to rinse flank steak off before cooking unless you are marinating it in fruit. You do want to rinse the fruit off the steak after marinating.
If you don’t rinse the fruit off then the steak will have a really weird aftertaste but it will be tender.
Should flank steak be cooked well?
Flank steak should not be cooked well because cooking a steak well will make it chewy. You want to cook flank steak a little less done than you usually like it so it’s chewy.
Steak will continue to cook inside once you stop cooking it so it is best to pull it off early.
Is flank steak like filet mignon?
Flank steak is not like filet mignon because it is tougher and leaner. Flank steak has a lot more connective tissue than filet mignon does and it is also cheaper.
Is flank steak the cheapest steak?
Flank steak is not the cheapest steak, some of the cheapest are Chuck steak, flat iron, and tri-tip. Flank steak is in the middle for steak prices.
According to the USDA in the national retail report for beef, the average cost for flank steak is $9.72 per pound.
How tough is flank steak?
Flank steak is one of the tougher steaks because it has a lot of connective tissue and is quite lean. If it is overcooked then it will become more tough and chewy.
Is London broil the same as flank steak?
Flank steak can be identified as London broil but London broil is not a steak. London broil is a cooking method where the meat is marinated overnight usually and then broiled.
London broil is used on many different cuts that are lean such as top round or sirloin tip. Once they are cooked they are cut into thin strips against the grain.
How long does flank steak take to cook?
Flank steak is best cooked according to temperature and the doneness you like your steak. The best way is to take the temperature of the steak with a meat thermometer.
How do you not overcook flank steak?
If you stop cooking the steak a little early you will prevent flank steak from being overcooked. Once you pull the steak off it continues to cook inside. Flank steak is tougher than most steaks and cooking it a little less it will prevent it from getting chewy.
Does flank steak get more tender the longer you cook it?
Flank steak does not get tender the longer you cook it. This is only true for cuts that are roasts that are cooked low and slow. Flank steak is a steak and is meant for grilling, broiling, or pan-frying.
What happens if you marinate flank steak too long?
If you marinate flank steak too long then it can get mushy. It depends on what you are using to marinate the steak. Fruit marinade can make the steak get mushy without much time at all.
Conclusion
Flank steak can be a tough steak and you may want to marinate it to make it tender or tenderize it a different way. It can be a great steak if cooked correctly and it is more affordable.
Another great and inexpensive steak is the flat iron and I wrote a post about it here.
