Backyard Flank Steak Teriyaki Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Susan Gordinier

Adapted by Jeff Gordinier

Backyard Flank Steak Teriyaki Recipe (1)

Total Time
20 minutes, plus several hours’ marinating
Rating
4(832)
Notes
Read community notes

This sweet-and-salty steak comes from the writer Jeff Gordinier’s mother, who cooked it on a grill on their patio in California, under the grapefruit tree, after having soaked for hours in her teriyaki marinade. But marinated flank steak is such a foolproof crowd-pleaser that it can translate to any American topography. Serve in high summer as the sun goes down and the temperature drops. —Jeff Gordinier

Featured in: Last Call for Summer Cooking

Learn: How to Make Steak

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1cup vegetable oil
  • cup soy sauce
  • cup brown sugar
  • 1garlic clove
  • 1teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • ½teaspoon pepper
  • 1flank steak, about 1½ pounds

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

557 calories; 47 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 31 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 842 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Backyard Flank Steak Teriyaki Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Whisk together the oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and pepper in a large bowl. With the tip of a knife, lightly score the surface of the steak in a crisscross pattern. Immerse the steak in the marinade and refrigerate for several hours, turning it over now and then.

  2. Step

    2

    Prepare a grill. When it is hot, place the steak on the grill, shaking off excess marinade first. Cook roughly 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. Let the steak rest for a few minutes, then slice it thinly, on the diagonal.

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Cooking Notes

Sharon R.

This reminds me of the recipe for "Flank Steak - U.S. Navy Style" : "...very versatile when you do not know when the ship is getting into port."
Marinade for 1 or 2 flank steaks:
1/4 C soy
2 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 sliced garlic cloves
3/4 cup oil
2 chopped scallions
Marinate in frig, turning occasionally.

Roni Jordan

A 1-1/2 lb flank steak or London broil or whatever cut you choose would be swimming in this amount of marinade. If I were to use this I'd cut back to 1/3 of the liquid, up the ginger, and keep the garlic and pepper as is.

Tom

A cup of oil is insane. Maybe a quarter cup, tops. Also, there is no acid in this marinade. I use a little Balsamic or, better yet, the juice of an orange and the zest. And you gotta marinade overnight.

Timothy CLARK

Proportions fine — except : 2 parts soy to 1 part red wine. The wine causes the marinade to "seize" the steak, a stunt effect. And : oil is unnecessary. Instead, consider adding a touch of (Caribbean) aromatics : rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice. Using a fork to pierce the flank steak all over works better and rapidly than the knife pattern.

Karen Terry

My Mom also did something very similar but she used pineapple juice instead of the brown sugar and did it with skirt steak. Then my Dad would grill it. 1950's in CA. We were originally from NY so they were living their CA dream.

Jenoir

In Texas, London Broil is also a cut of beef, it is usually what we used to call top sirloin.

falusco

Works just a s well with flatiron or skirt steak!

Paula Kuester

Can't believe I'm the first to comment. It's delicious and its my go to recipe when flank steak is on sale.

marklee

London Broil is a cooking method, not a cut of beef. Flank steak is often used to prepare a London Broil.

Jean Miller

We have made this several times and l recommend the following tweaks to the marinade, for 1 and 1/2 to 2 lbs of meat:1/3 cup vegetable oil1/3 cup soy sauce1/3 cup honey4 cloves garlic, chopped fine1 T fresh ginger, sameZest from a small orange1 t chili oil

Mariale

Followed recipe to the letter... it was delicious! Don't have a backyard, so used a stove-top grill pan and it was just perfect! the marinade seared to perfection and we only had 5 second of smoke alarm at the very end (thank you NYC apartments). Will definitely make again!

Sunondo Roy

I agree the amount of oil seems excessive, but it's because flank steak has very little fat. More importantly, it's missing some type of acid. I would suggest replacing the brown sugar with 4oz of co*ke. You get the sugar, but also the acid that is needed for any marinade. Try it before you knock it. Do not marinate more than an hour, otherwise the meat starts to get mushy as the acid in the co*ke breaks down too much of the connective tissue and you get a pasty mess.

Thom Griffin

At first reading, it implies that Jeff Gordinier's mother soaked in the marinade! I know I'm fussy but it could have been worded better.

neela johnston

Perfecto! Could have used more garlic more ginger- and more marinate time - but still perfect!

Rachel L.

Loved this easy recipe—used for Asian-inspired tacos. Cut the oil in half and used honey instead of sugar because I didn’t have any, but otherwise no tweaks. Marinated about 6 hours. Turned out lovely, great grill marks at 3-4 mins per side and rested about 5 before digging in.

Rick

My mom made this when I was a kid, and I imagine she got the recipe in California, where we lived when I was born. This was a staple of our weeknight meals, a single large flank steak, the kind you can’t find anymore, marinating in the corningware casserole pan that seemed custom made for it. It’s easy and perfectly delicious.

j

For the many, many people who don't have grills, could you give an alternate cooking method, please?

petals356

The combo of ingredients will tenderise well if left for a few hours,the salty soy and ginger will do their thing together for a wonderful meal,if in a rush I’d add a couple of slices of New Zealand Kiwi fruit(haha)but don’t leave too long or it will dissolve the meat fibres and you’ll be left with smoosh.I think I’ll hook a piece of Venison(he gave us a whole fallow)recently gifted to us by our hunter neighbour,and do this tonight!

Gina Ruben

What ingredient here is going to tenderize the meat? Flank needs tenderizing.

Collin S.

This seems eerily similar to our usual weekend steak marinade for the grill: Kikkoman Teriyaki.Our ribeye caps come out both perfectly salted and delightfully sweet -- store-bought instead of whisked together from scratch, but perhaps the lazy cook's version for a weeknight? :)

This Is Exactly My Grandmas Old Recipe

I've been making this for YEARS, only difference, I've always added equal parts oil(I've tried water also but do prefer the oil), organic soy sauce and a sugar(honey, coconut, or cane sugar. I've never measured the ginger, but add a fair amount along with garlic and pepper. This marinade does not need an acid and please don't ruin it with chemical laden co*ke. Grill on an open flame, keep it medium rare, tent and cut as thin as possible against the grain. Delicious.

Jilbers

Followed recipe but increased garlic and ginger. Marinated for 3 days d/t conflicting schedule. Grilled over coals...used meat thermometer to test for wellness. Perfection. This was a huge hit. Ive two more marinating now to bring for a cook out with friends on the lake. I know they will enjoy it too. Good recipe.

Lauren

Loved this! Juicy and flavorful and easy to prep with ingredients already in my house. Will make again for sure!!

lisa

Really surprised when I looked at the comments for this recipe. I have made it many times just as the recipe spells out, and everyone loves it. Many have asked for the recipe. It isn't fancy, but for an easy summer barbecue it works! Don't over think it!

Kay

For all those people saying there isn't any acid - sugar acts the same way on meat - it's a powerful tenderizer.

Ambrose

Go with 3 minutes per side

Diane

I reduced the by 2/3 and combined neutral oil and sesame oil, upped the garlic and ginger, added red pepper flakes and lime juice - delicious!!

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Backyard Flank Steak Teriyaki Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best method to cook flank steak? ›

Grilling is perhaps the best way to cook Flank steak, but you can also pan-sear it in a skillet, broil it in your oven, or even use a specialty cooking method like an instant pot. The real trick is to keep your Flank steak grill time to a minimum.

How long can you keep flank steak in marinade? ›

Pour marinade over flank steak in the baking dish; turn several times to coat thoroughly with marinade. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours, or up to 12 hours if you have time. When ready to cook, preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

Should flank steak be tenderized before marinating? ›

Flank steak is best grilled and you should have strict control over the cooking time. It is also advisable to tenderize the meat beforehand so that the flavor is much better. Tenderizing the flank steak can be done with the help of a kitchen mallet to pound the meat.

How do you cut flank steak so it's not chewy? ›

No matter the cooking method, with or without a marinade, you should always cut flank steak across the grain for the most delicious results. Slicing flank steak this way cuts through those tough fibers, shortening them to get an easier-to-chew, more tender bite of beef.

Does flank steak get tender the longer you cook it? ›

If you're looking for a tender and flavorful way to cook flank steak, consider slow cooking. Slow cooking allows the meat to break down and become melt-in-your-mouth tender while infusing it with rich flavors.

What is the best way to tenderize flank steak? ›

Acids like balsamic vinegar and lemon juice or lime juice are commonly used to tenderize flank steak, but a lesser-known tenderizer is soy sauce. Like acid, soy sauce will break down the proteins just enough to make for a tender steak. This flank steak marinade is made with low-sodium soy sauce.

Do you rinse marinade off steak before cooking? ›

It is suggested that after you have marinated meat for a length of time – you should wash it off prior to cooking. However, this is dependent on what oils and spices you use, often it is down to personal preference.

Is it better to marinate or dry rub flank steak? ›

The big advantage of dry rubs, and the reason we love using them so much, is that they don't add any additional moisture to the exterior of a piece of meat the way that a marinade does.

Should I rinse marinade off steak? ›

The last thing you want to do is rinse your meat after marinating it — this defeats the purpose and dilutes the flavor. The best way to grill a marinated steak is to pat the steak dry first with a paper towel, per Boss The Kitchen.

How do Chinese tenderize flank steak? ›

There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts. “People go for either egg white or baking soda as they are both alkaline ingredients.

Why is my flank steak always tough? ›

If you know what you're doing, flank steak can be just as delicious as any other, more expensive slab of meat. The name of the game is high heat and a short cooking time. Flank steak is lean and somewhat fibrous, so the longer you cook it, the tougher it's going to get.

What happens if you marinate flank steak too long? ›

As long as your marinade mixture includes at least one tenderizing ingredient, you should get good results from a 24 to 48-hour soak in it. Soaking the meat beyond 48 hours will just leave the surface too soft and mushy.

How to tenderize flank steak for stir fry? ›

One of the things I learned from this book is how to cook flank steak for a stir fry. Rather than just slicing it and throwing it in, take a little bit of time to marinade it and add a pinch of baking soda. Baking soda acts as a meat tenderizer by actually changing the composition of the meat fibers.

How do you fix a tough flank steak? ›

How to Tenderize a Tough Cut of Meat
  1. Pound it out. Pounding softens and tenderizes meat, making it easier to cut and eat. ...
  2. Use salt. ...
  3. Use an acidic marinade. ...
  4. Use kiwi, papaya, or pineapple. ...
  5. Score it. ...
  6. Slow cook it.
Jan 17, 2024

Does salt tenderize flank steak? ›

Salting. Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender. Liberally salt the steaks up to an hour before cooking, then proceed according to your recipe.

Is it better to broil or bake flank steak? ›

Flank steak is on the thinner side, so it doesn't take much time to cook. For medium-rare flank steak cooked under the broiler, it takes about 8-12 minutes, depending on the steak's thickness. If you like your steak cooked to medium or medium-well, use the oven instead of the broiler.

What are the cooking methods for flank? ›

Because flank steak is relatively thin, it's best to cook it over fairly high heat so that it can develop a flavorful crust on the outside before it's overcooked on the inside. This means a flank steak will do best with quick, high-heat cooking methods like grilling, broiling, and pan-searing.

What is flank steak best used for? ›

The flank steak is taken from below the loin of the cow. Since it is very lean, the lack of fat may make it tougher than other cuts. Thus, this steak is best used in dishes like stews or fajitas because it can soak up the marinades well, ensuring that flavour gets injected into the meat.

Should flank steak be cooked dry or moist? ›

Check for doneness. If you like your meat with a little bit of pink, cook it less. For the Juiciest Meat: The meat needs to rest for 5 minutes before cutting to help it stay moist and not get dry. Also, make sure the meat has some marbling of fat – this makes for a delicious grilled piece of steak with juicy results!

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