For this recipe, the coals are banked on one side of the grill to create an especially hot fire. Because flank steak is so thin, there's no need to use the cooler part of the grill for cooking the meat through. Also, the thinness of the meat means yo have to rely on timing, touch, and/or nick-and-pek, not an instant read thermometer, to determine doneness.
Ingredients
- 1 flank steak, about 2 1/2 pounds
- Salt and pepper
Directions
GAS GRILL:
1. Turn on all burners to high, close the lid, and heat the grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape the grill grate clean with a grill brush. Leave on all burners on high. Follow the recipe from step 2 and cook with the lid down.
CHARCOAL GRILL:
1. Light a large chimney starter filled with hardwood charcoal (about 6 quarts) and allow to burn until all the charcoal is covered with a layer of fine gray ash. Build a modified two-level fire by stacking all of the coals on one side of the grill. Set the cooking rack in place, cover the grill with the lid, and let the rack heat up, about 5 minutes. Use a wire brush to scrape clean the cooking rack. The grill is ready when you have a hot fire. (see hot to gauge heat level on page 568.)
2. Sprinkle both sides of the steak generously with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the steak over the coals until well seared and dark brown on one side, 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, flip the steak and grill until the interior of the meat when cut into is slightly less done than you want it to be when you eat it, 2 to 5 minutes more for rare or medium-rare (depending on the heat of the fire and the thickness of the steak).
3. Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steak thinly on the bias across the grain. Adjust the seasonings with additional salt and pepper and server immediately.
Grilled Flank Steak. To import, drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box.