Flank steak is quickly becoming one of my favorite steak cuts, and it’s taken me this long to really fall in love with it because I normally opt for the skirt steak when shopping flatter cuts for grilling, tacos, fajitas, etc.
It wasn’t until the price of skirt steak skyrocketed at my market (skirt steak shortage? skirt steak price gouging?) that I started buying flank steak regularly. Thinly sliced flank steak are ribbons of steak that’s as tender as a good filet mignon but with the power-beef flavor.
This Asian-inspired marinade works so well – fresh squeeze orange juice (for the tang and to help tenderize), grated fresh ginger (for the zing) and ground coriander (for a warm flavor note). Pair the steak with a simple salad and brown rice to complete the meal.
Normally, when I’m cooking steak (errr….when my husband cooks the steak) I let the steak rest on the counter for 30 minutes or so to take the chill off the meat. However, because the flank steak (and skirt steak) is so thin, I’ve found that if I keep the steak in the refrigerator to until just before we want to grill, it’s easier to achieve the perfect medium-rare.
Also, you want to make sure you’re slicing across the grain for the most tender steak.
The grain in the photo to the left is going from left to right (the fibers of the meat, not the grill marks) so you want to slice across.
If you slice with the grain, you’ll end up with stringy, tough, hard to chew meat.
I prefer to slice flank steak before serving to guests, it’s easier to get very thin ribbons with a big chef’s knife and then you also don’t have to lecture your guests on how to cut their steak. 🙂
Orange Ginger Flank Steak Marinade
About Coriander
I’m part of the McCormick Gourmet team, bringing you in-depth information about everyday spices. From McCormick Gourmet’s Enspicelopedia:
Coriander Seed, an ancient plant, is said to be the color of manna, the bread from heaven. From the Mediterranean basin, it has a slight lemon flavor. Use with sweet or savory dishes.
BOTANICALLY SPEAKING
Coriander is the dried, ripe fruit of the herb Coriandum sativum, which also produces leaves known as cilantro. The tannish brown seeds add a subtle note of citrus, with hints of sage in the background. Coriander is available as whole seed and ground.
YUM FACTOR
Valued as much for their aroma as for their flavor, coriander seeds lend a lemony flavor to European pastries, sweet breads and cakes. That same profile adds citrusy flair to such Southeast Asian and North African spice blends as Indian garam masala and Ethiopian berbere. A gentle dusting brightens simply steamed and buttered vegetables, and vegetable and chicken soups, as well as home-made curry and chili powders.
GLOBETROTTER’S GUIDE
Coriander is indigenous to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, although Canada is now a primary source.
BELIEVE IT…OR NOT
The ancient Greeks and Romans may have used coriander to create love potions, but it was the fragrance of this Persian delight that attracted visitors at the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in 600 B.C. As civilization spread, so did its popularity as both a condiment and a medicinal ingredient. Introduced in the state of Massachusetts in 1670, it was one of the first herbs grown by colonists in America.
Orange Ginger Flank Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- sea salt (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds flank steak
Instructions
- In a large resealable bag, add all of the ingredients. Squeeze out all of the air and seal. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat grill on high heat. Grill the flank steak (discard the marinade) 3-5 minutes each side, depending on thickness. Let rest of cutting board for 10 minutes.
- Slice across the grain into thin slices and serve immediately.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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Can’t wait to try this, I love the flavor of orange and ginger. I know this will be a favorite already.
If you dont have a grill would it hurt the flavor any to saute it in a wok?
Made this last night – it was SOOO Yummy! And easy! Thank you so much for this recipe.
I used to make a marinated flank steak but as you say it is hard to find and started to get very expensive so what I do is buy round steak roast, freeze for about 3 hours and then slice lengthwise to what thickness you want. Works great and if you see it on sale stock up.
We made this over the weekend. Gave the flank steak a full overnight marinade. Served with rice and arugula salad. Utterly delicious! Thanks, steamykitchen!
I love flank steak and just had it Thursday night too. You are right about slicing it super thin. I also like to score mine on both sides to get more surface area contacting marinade and it looks nice too.
I have to fight my husband all the time: he loves filet mignon, I prefer flank steak and ribeye. He loves to marinate his (non filet) beef in Worcestershire, mustard, and whatnot, I go with simplicity (usually reaching for Asian ingredients).
Thanks for the lesson on coriander:) My mother used it in pickling, but otherwise, I was a complete newbie until I moved from Serbia to the US. And I am a newly converted cilantro lover:)
BTW, my go-to method for ribeye is your “million dollar steak” – I am always amazed at the wonders of the salt:)
For some reason I’ve avoided flank steak but will now give it a shot. One trick I use to make tough cuts (such as sirloin) more tender for stir fries and the like is to add a pinch of baking soda to water and marinate the meat in it for about twenty minutes, then dry thoroughly (if longer it can change the texture of the meat and is not as good). As for coriander, it’s my favorite spice — goes into nearly everything!
Love this recipe. I think this is dinner tonight. As much as I love coriander with meat, I use it on potatoes when I roast them, in any Latin dish and even on roasted vegetables. Love the flavor and the “smokyness” it gives food. Great post!
LOL~ I’m with you on telling dinner guests how to slice their meat. 🙂 Interesting facts on the coriander, I would have never thought to add it in the 1st place. Yay for opening my eyes and mouth to using it with steak.
Of course, that pic is divine…
Okay, now I’m off to read the s’mores with peeps.
a ‘must’ this weekend! i’ll be sure to go to the open market tomorrow for some fresh rucola as well. thanks!
Mmm, reminds me of one of my favorite beef stir-fry marinades: ginger, fresh OJ, a little kick of spicy wasabi, a splash of mirin and a dash of soy sauce. Truth be told, I could pour it on almost anything…or drink it straight. This looks fabulous!
Very rarely does a photo on a food blog actually make me salivate. But yours just did! These photos are so amazing!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
It looks like your flank steaks come in a nice shape all trimmed. The ones out here are often folded over in the package with a fat end and a thin end, making them hard to cook.
Love coriander. We use it a lot in Indian cooking. So smoky and flavorful 🙂
I *love* flank steak. I rarely eat steak, and when I do, it’s usually flank. I love the crispy outer part, mmmmm.
And … I know what I’m making tonight 😀
One of my favorite cuts of meat but admit, I most often marinate mine in a pretty standard mix of garlic, vinegars, oil and herbs so am going to try this. I just bought some fresh ginger, oranges are on the counter and meat will be defrosting in moments!
Yours looks perfect.
Flank steak is a favorite slice. This looks great, thanks for the insight. Great weeknight food.
OMG, so hungry now. Why did I read this an hour before lunch?
Jaden, this steak looks delicious. I love the photo on how to cut the steak! Flank steak is one of my favorites and now I want to try it your way.
Your recipe post has perfect timing. My daughter, who had her 1st chemo treatment last week, FINALLY got her appetite back and asked for steak, of all things! I’ll be making this tonight but without ginger … ironically she doesn’t like its flavor.
I like flank steak. It is so versatile, cooks up very quickly, and is affordable to most everyone. I slice it thin, marinate, and stir fry. Your recipe sounds very good and has a little acid to break down the connective tissue in the beef.
-Brenda
Looks tasty! I love a simple way to prepare steak. Would be great over brown rice!
I love flank steak for fajitas. It’s also my go to if I’m going to make jerky, which I don’t do enough (store bought jerky is so expensive). I live in Pennsylvania and almost never see cuts labelled “flank” so I usually try and find a thin London Broil.