Flat Iron Steak from the BBQ
Ever tried a flat iron steak? Highly recommended! This cut is also known as a shoulder steak and comes from the shoulder clod, which in the Netherlands is mostly used for slow cooked dishes. In the United States, however, they make great use of this split cut and often prepare it as a steak. Once the connective tissue is removed, flat iron becomes a steak packed with flavor. As long as it comes from a quality breed, that is essential. Siebe Grijpma from @bbqmoods used Black Angus USDA Prime for this recipe, but Wagyu or Canadian Angus also work perfectly. And the good news: flat iron steak on the BBQ is very easy to make. In short:
- Direct cooking
- Dome temperature: 250 degrees Celsius
- Preparation time: 0 minutes
- Cooking time: 15 minutes
Preparing the BBQ
Prepare your BBQ for direct heat. A flat iron steak is usually no thicker than 2 cm, so take the meat out of the refrigerator just before cooking and use a high temperature. This allows you to cook it just a bit longer without overcooking it, while still achieving a nice crust. Set your BBQ to around 250 degrees. If you have a divider system, set it up with half a plancha and half a cast iron grate. This is optional, as it works perfectly with just a grate as well. Try to place your plancha or grate as close to the coals as possible, you want to sear the meat quickly.
Let your grate or plancha heat up thoroughly before placing the meat on it.
Cooking flat iron steak
Remove the flat iron steak from the packaging. Do not season the steak before placing it on the BBQ, just pat it dry with kitchen paper. If you are starting on a plancha, there is no need to oil the steak, simply use some fat on the plancha. If you are using only a grill grate, lightly coat the steak with vegetable oil. This prevents sticking and helps protect the meat from drying out.
When your BBQ, plancha or grate is properly heated to around 250 degrees Celsius, add some fat to the plancha, clarified butter works very well. As it melts quickly, place the flat iron steak directly on the hot surface. Press it down slightly to ensure maximum contact with the heat. If you are using a grill grate, simply place the oiled steak directly on the hot grate.
If you are using a plancha, flip the steak after about 2 minutes. It should have developed a nice, even brown crust due to the Maillard reaction and the large contact surface.
If you are using only a grill grate, turn the steak a quarter turn after about 1.5 minutes to create a crosshatch pattern. After another minute, flip the steak and repeat on the other side. Keep the steak moving slightly and monitor the internal temperature with a thermometer. Once it reaches 45 degrees, remove it from the BBQ for medium rare. For medium, cook until about 49 degrees.
Place the steak under aluminum foil and let it rest for about 8 minutes before slicing. During resting, the internal temperature will rise a few degrees to reach a perfect medium rare of 50 to 52 degrees.
When using the plancha method, move the steak to the (cast iron) grill grate after about 1.5 minutes on the second side. By grilling the meat briefly over direct heat, you add an extra flame grilled flavor and create those beautiful grill marks that every BBQ enthusiast loves. Keep your core thermometer ready and monitor the internal temperature. Once it reaches around 45 degrees, remove the steak from the BBQ for medium rare. If you prefer medium, cook it through to about 49 degrees. Once your flat iron steak has reached the desired temperature, let it rest for 8 minutes under aluminum foil.
Before slicing, season the steak with coarsely ground black pepper and salt flakes. The meat is so flavorful that you really do not need any additional seasoning. Personally, I would also skip any sauces with this steak.
I served the flat iron steak with a fresh salad of lamb’s lettuce, toasted pine nuts, boiled eggs, spring onion and a dressing made with honey, white wine vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil.
ENJOY!
Above you will find all flat iron steaks. I personally used the USDA Black Angus flat iron steak. Just look at that marbling!
