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Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak

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By: Nicole 9 Comments
Posted: 05/16/23

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

If you’re looking for a go-to Marinated Flank Steak recipe for summer grilling, then obviously, you’ve come to the right place. Using pantry staples such as punchy balsamic vinegar, hints of sweet brown sugar, garlic and tangy dijon, also make this an easy fuss-free recipe you’ll keep for years to come.

If you’re looking for a go-to Marinated Flank Steak recipe for summer grilling, then obviously, you’ve come to the right place. Using pantry staples such as punchy balsamic vinegar, hints of sweet brown sugar, garlic and tangy dijon, also make this an easy fuss-free recipe you’ll keep for years to come.

Marinated Flank Steak

With summer just around the corner, it’s time to gather up some of our favorite grilling recipes to have in our back pocket. And because like us you’ve likely had your fair share of burgers and dogs already, I want to give you some easy dishes a little outside the normal grilling repertoire.

While I’m not the grilling aficionado of the family, even I can expertly grill our Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak. Simply assemble a marinade of balsamic vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar and mustard, pour it over the steak, let sit for a couple of hours, and then it’s good to go on the grill.

If you’re looking for a go-to Marinated Flank Steak recipe for summer grilling, then obviously, you’ve come to the right place. Using pantry staples such as punchy balsamic vinegar, hints of sweet brown sugar, garlic and tangy dijon, also make this an easy fuss-free recipe you’ll keep for years to come.

Flank Steak

Let’s talk about flank steak. Normally I’m a filet mignon type of girl but recently for fiscal purposes I’ve been trying to buy cuts of meat a little less expensive than the traditional beef tenderloin, strip, or ribeye. Flank steak is a lovely cut of meat taken from the abdominal muscles of the cow so even though it has a wonderful flavor it’s quite a bit tougher than some other cuts so it needs a little bit of extra love.

There are three key factors in creating a winning piece of flank or skirt steak. They are as follows:

  • Marinate flank steak for a significant period time. This is going to break down the fat and tendons and ensure a tender bite.
  • Cook very quickly. The longer you cook flank steak, the tougher it will be. It should be quickly seared on each side and serve medium rare.
  • Slice thinly against the grain. Do you see those vertical lines on the steak? You will want to slice AGAINST those lines.
Balsamic and garlic marinade

Ingredients for the marinade

  • balsamic vinegar
  • lime juice
  • brown sugar
  • garlic
  • dijon
  • steak seasoning. I use McCormick’s Montreal but you can use whatever brand you prefer.
Beef flank steak in balsamic marinade

Let’s make Marinated flank steak

Make the marinade. Add the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, brown sugar, steak seasoning and dijon mustard to a large ziplock bag or shallow dish. stir to combine.

Marinate. Add the steak to the marinade at least two hours and up to five (or overnight).

Grill. Preheat the grill to 450 degrees. Clean the grill as best you can. Brush the grates with canola oil. Remove the steak from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Season both sides generously will salt. Place on the grill. Cook, without moving for 4-5 minutes. Flip over and cook another 1-2 minutes until an instant read thermometer reaches 130 degrees.

Flank steak resting after grilling

Rest. Remove the steak from the grill and transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes.

Slice. Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Slice the steak in very thin pieces against grain. You’ll want to place the steak in front of you horizontally (long ends left to right). Use a sharp knife to cut the steak vertically. (See photo.)

Serve. I like to serve with blue cheese and tomato marmalade but it’s wonderful over salads, served with pasta or really anything.

Slicing flank steak against the grain

Can I use skirt steak?

Yes is the short answer. Skirt steak and flank steak often get lumped together and while they do have similar qualities (tough, flavorful meat that needs to be marinated and cooked properly) they are different. Skirt steak has more fat and comes from the diaphragm so it’s a little more flavorful but tougher. If you can only find skirt steak that works great.

Substitutions

s

  • swap out brown sugar for honey or agave
  • use any steak seasoning
  • for a more asian influence swap out the vinegar for soy sauce and add a few teaspoons of sesame oil
  • add on crushed red pepper flakes for spice
Marinated Flank Steak

Serve with

Lemon Orzo Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Goat Cheese (5 Ingredients!)

Fattoush Salad Recipe

Homemade Rice-a-Roni

Tips and Tricks for Success

  • Don’t marinate or less than two hours
  • Don’t overcook. It’s really important the steak in medium at most.
  • Use a meat thermometer to ensure a consistent temperature
  • Season generously. You want to season with plenty of salt and pepper to get nice char on the outside
Marinated Flank Steak
If you’re looking for a go-to Marinated Flank Steak recipe for summer grilling, then obviously, you’ve come to the right place. Using pantry staples such as punchy balsamic vinegar, hints of sweet brown sugar, garlic and tangy dijon, also make this an easy fuss-free recipe you’ll keep for years to come.
5 from 2 votes

Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak

Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 7 minutes minutes
Marinating time: 5 hours hours
Total: 5 hours hours 12 minutes minutes
Print Rate Email
If you're looking for a go-to Marinated Flank Steak recipe for summer grilling, then obviously, you've come to the right place. Using pantry staples such as punchy balsamic vinegar, hints of sweet brown sugar, garlic and tangy dijon, also make this an easy fuss-free recipe you'll keep for years to come.
Prevent your screen from going dark
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 2 lb flank steak
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp favorite steak seasoning (preferably one with black pepper, salt, garlic and onion)
  • 2 tsp dijon 
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2 large garlic cloves, grated

Tomato Marmalade

  • 5 roma tomatoes seeded cored and roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 small red onion, diced
  • 1 large garlic clove,, minced
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 Grill

Instructions

  • Add the vinegar, orange juice, garlic, brown sugar, steak seasoning and dijon mustard to a large ziplock bag or shallow dish. Stir to combine.
  • Add the steak to the marinade. Marinate for at least two hours and up to five (or overnight).
  • Preheat the grill to 450 degrees. Clean the grill as best you can. Brush the grates with canola oil. Remove the steak from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Season both sides of the steak generously will salt. I tend to do one teaspoon of salt for every pound of meat.
  • Cook, without moving for 4-5 minutes. Flip over and cook another 1-2 minutes until an instant read thermometer reaches 135 degrees.
  • Remove the steak from the grill and transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Slice the steak in very thin pieces against grain. You'll want to place the steak in front of you horizontally (long ends left to right). Use a sharp knife to cut the steak vertically. (See photo.)
  • I like to serve with blue cheese and tomato marmalade but it's wonderful over salads, served with pasta or really anything.

Tomato Marmalade

  • Heat a small saucepan to a medium heat. Add oil. Sauté tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, and garlic for five minutes until slightly softened and fragrant.  Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook on medium low heat for about 20 minutes until marmalade consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 126kcal (6%), Carbohydrates: 15g (5%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 7g (11%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 0.1mg, Sodium: 929mg (40%), Potassium: 103mg (3%), Fiber: 0.3g (1%), Sugar: 13g (14%), Vitamin A: 79IU (2%), Vitamin C: 11mg (13%), Calcium: 15mg (2%), Iron: 0.4mg (2%)
© Author: Nicole

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Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved over time into an equal love of showing you an elevated meal can be easy, approachable and most importantly, tasty. Dive in and find something perfect for you and your family!

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  1. Elena says

    Posted on 8/24/12 at 4:31 am

    That looks awesome! I’m a filet mignon girl too, but have been grilling flank steak for a quick, cheap steak fix. What is the difference between the flank and skirt steaks? They seem similar. Also, where did you get your tube of tomato paste?

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 8/24/12 at 3:49 pm

      There are very similar to eachother, they are just cut from different area of the cow. Flank steak is a little leaner than skirt steak so if you are watching your diet, I would definitely go with the flank. You can use either in this recipe, I actually usually use flank steak but there wasn’t any at the grocery store at the time. I’m going to go change the recipe to put either flank or skirt. The tomato paste is just from the regular grocery store. They usually have it next to the anchovy paste, I think where the olives and condiments are.

      Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 8/24/12 at 3:52 pm

      And actually I just looked at my recipe and it looks like I did use Flank steak in this preperation. Oops! Changing that now. But still you could also use the skirt cut. I swear I don’t know where my mind is lately.

      Reply
  2. Janine says

    Posted on 1/12/14 at 6:03 pm

    How much tomato paste and parsley did you use for the marmalade? They aren’t listed on the ingredient list for the marmalade.

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 1/13/14 at 2:39 am

      Recipe updated! Sorry about that, this was posted back in the early days of Cooking for Keeps. Glad you found it! Just two teaspoons and one tablespoon chopped parsley (mostly for color).

      Reply
  3. Michele says

    Posted on 4/24/19 at 11:32 pm

    Excellent !! Just made it tonight!! Very easy!!

    Reply
  4. Halim D. says

    Posted on 5/20/23 at 5:47 am

    5 stars
    I finally found this perfect Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak Tutorial, and it’s so easy to make.it tastes so good!https://choptool.com/

    Reply
  5. Marlene Reagan says

    Posted on 5/20/23 at 8:30 am

    5 stars
    This is the best steak I have ever seen, Would it taste better if honey was added? https://choptool.com/

    Reply

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Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved into an equal love of showing you easy elevated meals can be approachable and most importantly, tasty.

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