Flank steak

What is a Flank Steak?

Flank steak is often confused with skirt steak or bavette, while it is actually a significantly different piece of meat. What the different types of steak have in common is that they are all working meats. For example, flank steak is cut from the flank of the cow – you guessed it. Flank steaks are priced by various chefs. It has a somewhat coarser texture than a biefstuk or an entrecote, but you get the increased flavor intensity in return.

Why the Name Flank Steak?

We already hinted at it above, the name flank steak refers to the part from which it is cut. The flank steak is therefore cut from the flank of the cow. Perhaps an interesting fact, flank steak is also known as London Broil, flank steak fillet, or Jiffy steak. The name London Broil primarily refers to a cooking method. This involves grilling or roasting a relatively thick piece of meat, often using flank steak. The meat is usually marinated before cooking and then sliced thinly against the grain of the fibers. This cooking method became popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. Although "London Broil" has become a popular term for this dish, it actually has nothing to do with London or Great Britain. The origin of the name is somewhat mysterious, and there are various theories about how it was named. One possible explanation is that it was a marketing term created to make the dish more appealing to American consumers.

Flank Steak vs Skirt Steak

Yes, it remains tricky with all these different types of meat. The difference between flank steak and skirt steak is not only the part of the cow from which they are cut but also the coarseness of the grain. They are indeed both somewhat coarser, but skirt steak has a significantly coarser grain than flank steak. Moreover, both steaks are a good choice if you enjoy a good bite. Always ensure that you slice steaks with a coarser grain against the grain, otherwise, the steak will quickly turn into a shoe sole, and you simply don’t want that.

How Many Grams of Flank Steak per Person?

Flank steak is wonderful to prepare as a whole piece. Per person, you can follow the approximate weights below.

Flank Steak as a Main Course
Normal eater: 150-200 grams
Big eater: 250-400 grams
Carnivore: 400+ grams

Flank Steak to Share for 2
Normal eater: 400 grams
Big eater: 500+ grams
Carnivore: No Share

BBQ with Multiple Types of Meat [Share]
Small eater: 75 grams
Big eater: 150 grams
Carnivore: 200 grams

How to Cook Flank Steak?

There are various ways to cook flank steak. Do you have a thick steak? Then we recommend using the reverse sear or sous vide method. A thinner steak can be grilled in the 'classic' way. This means that you first grill it and then let it finish cooking based on the core temperature. Preparing step-by-step? Check below!

1. Plan ahead, thaw the meat a few days in advance (or a few hours in cold water) and take it out of the refrigerator 5 hours before cooking to reach room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 120°C for even cooking and heat the pan or grill to maximum heat.
3. Sear or grill the meat all around brown in a large pan with butter or on the grill until it is completely brown and any fat edges are nicely crunchy.
4. Move the meat to the preheated oven or BBQ, place the seared steak in an oven dish, and add the rendered fat (oven).
5. Remove the flank steak from the oven or BBQ once the core temperature of 52°C for rare, 54°C for medium rare, or 57°C for medium is reached.
6. Resting: let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing/serving.
7. Season the meat after searing or afterwards with salt and pepper or a rub of your choice.

What is Delicious to Eat with Flank Steak?

Of course, you could just eat flank steak by itself, but we always find it nice to have something on the side. Naturally, we have a few ideas about what you could eat with flank steak. You could serve it deliciously Dutch with potatoes and vegetables. For example, with rose potatoes, a good gratin, roasted potatoes, or a nice puree. Additionally, grilled vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, or asparagus pair very well with flank steak. You could also think of a sauce, such as pepper cream sauce, mushroom cream sauce, béarnaise sauce, or chimichurri. Want to make a complementary sauce yourself? Here you can find some great recipes for homemade sauces.

Buying Flank Steak Online

When buying flank steak, online or in-store, you should always ensure that it comes from a quality breed. And with a quality breed, we mean in the case of working meat, grain-fed or well-marbled meat. If you buy flank steak online from a dual-purpose or a grass-fed cow, it might just be that the steak does not meet your expectations. Such a steak can quickly become dry, and you'll be chewing on a disaster. So don't be disappointed. With breeds like Black Angus or Australian Wagyu, you are always in good hands. The meat is beautifully marbled and exceptionally flavorful.

Flank Steak Quickfrozen Delivered

As you might have already read, all the meat you order from The Butchery is delivered frozen to your home and is fresher than fresh. Our butchers freeze it immediately after production in a special way, ensuring that nutritional values and quality are preserved. For the best results, you can let the meat thaw slowly upon receipt or before you need it. Keep in mind that a heavier piece of meat takes longer to thaw. The best method to thaw is to place the rack in the refrigerator. In a hurry? Then you could also choose to place the meat in cold water. Just make sure that the vacuum packaging remains completely intact.

Ordering Flank Steak Online

Black Angus USA or Australian Wagyu: we sell flank steak from the finest meat breeds. Not entirely unimportant, because for a good flank steak, it is important that the steak is cut from a quality breed AND that it is well prepared. When you order flank steak online from The Butchery, you are assured of a beautiful steak. Our Master Butcher has already removed the membrane, so it is grill-ready.