Carved from the abdominal muscles or buttocks of a cow. This cutting method is common in Colombia, where it is known as sobrebarriga (literally meaning "over the belly").

Flank steak - what is it?

It is a relatively long and flat cut of meat and is used in a variety of dishes, including as an alternative to traditional steak in fajitas. Flank steak can be grilled, fried, baked or stewed. The meat fibers are very noticeable in these cuts of meat, and many cooks pierce them to make the dish more tender. The highest quality flank has a bright red color.

It's hard to think of a cut of meat that is more appetizing than flank steak. It has a pronounced taste and a pleasant delicate texture with a slight hardness. Additionally, the cuts of meat are usually large and regularly shaped, making slicing, processing and cooking very easy tasks. These steaks are usually thin enough to be ready in minutes, yet firm enough to experiment with different levels of doneness.

There are several options for preparing meat such as flank steak. There are many different cooking methods, but the best method is definitely grilling. Because these cuts of meat have a large surface area, they look very appetizing when cooked and are imbued with an amazing aroma of smoke and fresh air.

Purchase

At one time, flank steak was relatively difficult to cut, making it difficult to find for sale. Typically, these ended up being reserved for professional butchers or preserved for industrial use. These days, purchasing any cut of meat is not a problem, and flank steak has become the standard steak.

When purchasing it, you need to make sure that the piece is dark red in color with a fair amount of fine fat running along the muscles. A poorly cut flank steak will either have a thin membrane still attached to part of it, or the membrane will be removed so carelessly that the surface of the meat will be damaged. Look for smoothly textured pieces without nicks or gouges.

The standard weight of a flank steak is from 1 to 2 kg. When cooking it, you should calculate 0.5 kg of meat per person, i.e. One steak makes approximately 3 servings.

Pickling

Contrary to popular belief, the marinade does not actually penetrate particularly deeply into the meat even over a few days, most of the aromatic compounds are absorbed only a few millimeters (with the exception of salt and fine sugar molecules, as well as some acids). Any mixture basically treats the surface of the product, so there is absolutely no benefit in marinating for a long time - more than half a day. If you want the meat to acquire the taste of the marinade, it is better to leave some of it separately and pour it over the already cooked flank steak. Below are a few ingredients you should use when making your marinade.

Salt is absolutely necessary. This is one of the few ingredients that penetrates and changes the taste of meat deeper than on the surface. It is advisable to add it in the form of soy or fish sauce, which impart a unique pleasant flavor.

Sugar, when used in moderation, will help the meat brown and will also enhance the smoky flavor when grilled.

The aromatics mostly remain on the surface, but they can be quite strong. Garlic, shallots, dried spices, herbs or chili peppers are all good things to experiment with.

Oil is often the main ingredient in marinades. Many aromatic compounds (for example, garlic) are highly soluble in oil and not in water. Olive or sunflower oil will help distribute these flavors evenly throughout the meat and also protect it from burning in the first seconds on the grill.

Acidic ingredients can balance out the flavors, but should be used with caution. The acid helps denature the proteins in the meat, softening it.

Flank steak: how to cook

The main secret to proper cooking is to use a modified two-tier grill, where all the coals are pushed to one side (in a gas grill, one side should be left off). This gives you more control over the cooking process and allows you to start searing meat at a very high temperature and finish on the cool side.

Before placing marinated steak on the grill, it is very important to dry it off with a paper towel. Wet meat can cause problems. If the marinade is oil-based, it will drip onto the fire, causing sparks and your steak may partially burn. If a piece of meat contains too much water, it will end up steamed instead of seared.

Slicing and serving

Like any grilled steak, flank steak should be set aside to rest before slicing and serving. Premature cutting always results in loss of juices and flavor. A good rule of thumb is to let the meat's internal temperature drop a few degrees below its maximum cooking temperature. Typically for flank steak this time takes 5 to 10 minutes.

As for cutting it, steak has pronounced fibers, which make the task much easier. You should always cut pieces perpendicularly to minimize the length of each muscle fiber - this will allow the meat to remain tender.

It's not every day that we can treat ourselves to Tomahawk steaks, Wagyu ribeye, and Kobe fillet. An inexpensive, affordable alternative to expensive steaks is flank steak. Flank steak is a cut from the muscular part of the cow's belly and is great for grilling. Since this is quite tough meat, you need to know a few rules to cook it. Read the following tips and get started cooking steak!

Ingredients

For flank steak

  • High quality flank steak approximately 450 grams for 3 servings
  • Pepper
  • Cooking meat thermometer (optional)

Marinade

  • Approximately 80 grams of olive oil 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 80 ml soy sauce
  • 60 grams of honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Another marinade option

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons (45 grams) olive oil
  • 60 ml wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons 30 grams of Worcestershire sauce (sweet and sour sauce prepared from vinegar, sugar and fish)
  • 60 grams of honey
  • Hot sauce or chili mixture (optional)

Meat rub

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ground dried garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Steps

Part 1

Preparing meat for grilling

  1. Score the surface of the steak. Whether you season the steak or not, start by making slits in the surface of the steak. The cuts will help the heat and seasonings penetrate deeper into the meat. Place the flank steak on a cutting board and use the tip of a sharp knife to make diamond-shaped cuts on both sides of the steak. The depth of the cut should be about 50-60 millimeters.

    • Try to make cuts across the grain of the meat, this will make it more tender.

  2. Choose a marinade or dry rub for your meat. When cooked correctly, flank steak is delicious without any seasoning. However, seasonings will give the steak a spicy flavor and make it incomparable. You can marinate the steak in a marinade or rub it with dry seasonings. When you marinate meat, the aromas and flavors of the marinade permeate the steak, inside and out. A meat rub works on the outside where a piece of steak is rubbed with a mixture of aromatic seasonings. Both methods can make flank steak very tasty. Remember that both methods cannot be used at the same time, so you need to decide which method to choose.

    • Examples of marinade and meat rub recipes are provided in the Ingredients section.
    • If you choose to marinate, start early to give the meat enough time to soak in the marinade. On average, the meat is marinated for 2-3 hours, but you can leave it overnight to give the meat a stronger taste and aroma.

  3. Mix seasonings. Whether you use a marinade or a meat rub, the process is the same. Simply combine the selected ingredients in a bowl and mix them until they turn into a homogeneous mixture. When the mixture is ready, place the flank steak in it.

    • If you don't like the recipes above, you can come up with your own. To prepare the marinade, first select an oil (olive or vegetable), add seasonings and a liquid and acidic ingredient (for example, lemon juice or vinegar). To make a meat rub, combine the dry and ground seasonings you like. Salty, sweet, spicy and aromatic ingredients will be great for rubbing meat.

  4. If you choose to marinate, soak the steak in the marinade. To begin, pour the marinade into a sealable Zip-lock plastic bag, then place the flank steak in it. Release all air from the bag and seal it securely. Remember the bag so that the entire steak is covered in the marinade. Leave the bag of marinating steak in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Some people prefer to marinate the meat overnight. Remember, the longer the meat is marinated, the stronger its flavor will be.

    • If you don't have a Zip-lock bag, marinate the meat in a bowl with a lid, or Tupperware, or any other airtight container.

  5. If you choose the meat rub option. Dry rubbing meat gives the meat a crispier exterior. Place the seasoning mixture in a large bowl and place the flank steak in it. Using your hands, turn the meat around in the mixture until the entire piece of steak is coated in the seasonings. Sprinkle the seasonings generously over the meat so that every inch of the meat is infused with flavor.

    • Once the entire piece is coated with seasonings, leave it at room temperature for a while, and if you don't plan to grill it immediately, put it in the refrigerator.

    Part 2

    Perfect roasting

    1. Fire up the grill. Whether you use a gas or charcoal grill, it should be well heated by the time you plan to cook the steak. Follow these steps to achieve the ideal temperature for grilling flank steak:

      • For a gas grill: Light one burner and set it to high. Close the lid and let it warm up for a few minutes. If possible, leave the second burner off so that you can transfer the meat after "sealing" (a quick, strong sear to keep the juices inside the meat) to a slower sear setting.
      • For a charcoal grill: Place charcoal in the bottom of the grill until the bottom is covered in charcoal. If possible, move the charcoal to one side of the grill so that the other half is empty. This part of the grill will slow cook the meat after a quick initial sear. Light the coals and let them burn freely until the flames subside and the coals are ash-gray. The grill surface should be hot enough that you will not be able to hold your hand over the grill for more than 1 second.

    2. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Grilled meat has characteristic black-brown stripes, which are obtained by quick frying in the first minutes of cooking. To do this, the surface must be dry. To avoid wasting the power of the flame on evaporating moisture, you must dry the surface of the steak from excess liquid. Pat, but do not wring out, the meat.

      • If you are using the meat rub method, you can skip this step. Dry ingredients absorb moisture on their own. And paper towels can remove the seasoning from the meat, which is undesirable.

    3. Place steak on grill. When the grill is hot, use a brush to brush the grill grate with olive or vegetable oil. Then place the steak on the area that was oiled. You will hear a characteristic hissing sound that occurs when the meat and the grill come into contact. Leave the meat on the grill.

      • If you don't have a grill brush, you can use a paper towel dampened with oil. Wipe the grill grate with an oil towel, but be very careful not to burn your hands on the grill.

    4. The meat should “seal” in the first few minutes. Do not disturb the meat for 3-4 minutes, then turn it over with tongs. If the grill is heated correctly, the meat should have a brown crust with black stripes. If the meat is not sealed enough, turn it back over immediately. The initial deep frying of the meat will give it a delicious crispy crust and appetizing texture.

      • Contrary to popular belief, "sealing" does not keep the meat juices inside; the juices may leak out anyway. The main purpose of "sealing" is flavor and texture. Most people love a crispy, caramelized coating on the surface of the meat.

    5. Cook over low heat for the remaining time. Once each side of the meat is “sealed” and the surface is brown with black streaks, use tongs to transfer it to a cooler area. On a gas grill, this is where the second burner is turned off. On a charcoal grill, this is where there was no coal. High heat is required to “seal” the meat, but it is impossible to cook a steak in such heat; the meat may simply burn. For subsequent cooking, a place with constant, low heat is best. Cook steak an additional 3 minutes on each side.

      • When cooking meat on low heat, keep the grill lid closed to retain the heat and not dissipate.

    6. Remove the meat from the grill when it reaches approximately 54.5°C. After "sealing" and then frying the meat on low heat, it should be ready. Use a meat thermometer to check the meat. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the steak. Make sure the probe does not touch the surface of the grill, otherwise the readings will not be accurate. Typically, if the internal temperature of the meat reaches 54.5 o C, it means it is ready. Cook the meat to your liking. The minimum temperature is 49 o C; meat with a temperature below is considered raw and unsuitable for eating. Here are the approximate levels of meat doneness:

      • 49 o C: Rare - medium-rare (not cooked, almost raw inside; quickly fried on top and bottom)
      • 54.5 o C: Medium rare - medium-rare (medium raw, red juice)
      • 60 o C: Medium - medium-rare (medium depth of frying, when the pinkish meat steak stands out)
      • 65.5 o C: Medium well - medium-rare (medium-rare meat that exudes clear juice.)
      • 71.1 o C: Well done - well done (meat fried until fully cooked.)

    7. If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can tell if the steak is done by cutting off a piece. The basic rule is that the pinker the meat inside, the less it was cooked. As mentioned above, the color of meat and meat juice indicates the degree of roasting. The most healthy degree is Medium well - medium-roasted meat, brown in color, with a slight pink tint and clear juice. Remember, undercooked meat retains microbes.

      • As for flank steak, since this meat is initially quite tough, if you cook it until fully cooked (71.1 o C), it can become even tougher. It is recommended to cook it until it is uniformly brown in color with a slight pink inside.

Flank steak is one of the non-classic steaks. Not only does it have a cut that is not from the traditional steak parts of the carcass, but also the cooking method differs in many ways from normal steaks, and yet, this method of preparing this cut in cooking has earned just such a stable name.

Different countries have adopted slightly different carcass cutting schemes, so if we take Russian terminology, we can say that a flank steak is made from the peritoneum and flank. Well, you can imagine what kind of meat there is - very long fibers in a very thin layer. My formation area was about 25-30 by 35-40 cm, weight - more than 1.1 kg. This is already cut up, i.e. with the white membrane removed, it is of no use.

This piece is tasty and aromatic, but tough. Therefore, unlike traditional steaks, it is subjected to both intensive beating and long-term marinating.

The second cooking feature is that flank steak cannot be made completely cooked; this turns it into a tough sole; the meat must remain at least minimally pink.

I’ll tell you straight: for this method of cooking, flank is one of the most dangerous pieces of carcass! What's the catch here? The flank is made from a section located directly in the area of ​​the cow's belly, i.e. If there are any pests in the meat, then that’s where it will be. With unskilled butchering, it sometimes happens that the animal’s intestines are damaged. Accordingly, the meat gets intestinal contents with all the bacteria, helminthic eggs and other very unpleasant things. According to sanitary and epidemiological rules (in Germany, at least), such a carcass should be disposed of. Which, you know, often doesn’t happen. With high-quality heat treatment of meat, the risk of grabbing something unpleasant is reduced to a minimum, but you cannot make a flank steak this way (in the sense, you will only spoil good meat). So if you take flank meat, you must be completely confident in its quality!

As already mentioned, a solid “butcher” flank has a very impressive size and weight. I don’t think anyone is capable of cutting down more than a kilo of meat in one sitting. Therefore, for portion serving, I think it is better to cut this piece into 4 parts. However, the flank is very often used in one piece - for subsequent cutting into thin strips. In South American cuisine, for example, this is the kind of meat that goes into fajitas. In general, the function is something like meat in shawarma, only in longer pieces.

The flank steak is marinated, in general, as God pleases. But it is important that the marinade must contain some component that softens the meat and fat (any of the oils). Traditionally - something else spicy. In my case, for softening there will be tomato juice, for fats - olive oil, and for seasonings - a teaspoon of multi-colored peppers and about a tablespoon of coarse salt.

I remind you that the white film must be removed from the meat. My butcher just did it, but in general, if the butcher doesn’t know what the piece will be used for, then it will be there.

We beat the meat or even torment it with some needles or blades, if anyone has such devices. Deep mechanical processing is recommended for a short marinating time - an hour or two, beating - for a long one.

The meat should be completely immersed in the marinade (I haven’t poured all the juice in yet). It's a good idea to do this in a plastic bag. Marinating time - from 1 hour to 24. I had 20. In total, the marinade will contain 500 ml of juice and 2 tbsp. oils

Actually, I don’t really like spicy things, so I didn’t have pepper in the main marinade. I will apply it to the surface immediately before grilling. Before cooking the steak, you need to set the grill to heat up to maximum, and only then start preparing the meat for roasting. Pepper is of no use in a mortar.

The surface of the meat should be cleaned of excess liquid marinade so that it does not drip. I didn’t have enough oil in the marinade, so I grease the surface with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and “glue” coarse salt and crushed pepper onto it.

The cooking time and mode for flank steak are, in general, exactly the same as for regular steaks, you just need to remember that it should never be overcooked. So I would say on high heat for a total of ten minutes to get a crust on the surface. Flank steak is heavy, so stock up on some decent tongs, or better yet, two. Well, or help yourself with a large grill fork. After that, at medium temperature - no more than 10 minutes. As soon as the bloody juice stops coming out, remove it immediately; this piece should absolutely not be overdried. Well, and then another five to eight minutes to rest.

This is the maximum acceptable degree of doneness for a flank steak. Less is possible, more is no longer possible. It should be at least a little pink, but not gray.

They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. In some ways this expression is true. What man would refuse a juicy, tasty, aromatic steak? Moreover, beef steak is quite easy to cook. There are different types of steaks. The type of steak depends on the part of the animal carcass from which it is prepared. One of these steaks is Denver.

Denver steak

Kitchen utensils and equipment: grill, deep bowl or sealed plastic bag with a zipper, deep plate, spoon, paper towels.

Ingredients

How to choose the right ingredients

  • Steaks are prepared from different cuts; these do not always have to be expensive parts of the carcass. What part is Denver steak made from? Denver is a steak made from neck fillet. To put it simply, it is a piece of boneless beef cut from the neck-scapula part. If you cook a steak from this part, the dish acquires a special softness and a sweetish taste. This steak is called marbled meat. Experienced chefs believe that marbled meat must be allowed to mature. The minimum period for this process is 21 days, but it is better to leave the meat for 30 days.
  • If you cook from frozen beef, then let it defrost in the right conditions. Transfer the piece of meat from the freezer to the refrigerator in advance. Yes, defrosting in such conditions will take a sufficient amount of time, but in this way the steak will retain its properties.
  • Never defrost meat in the microwave., even in “defrost” mode. This will ruin it, and you can never dream of a juicy steak.
  • It is also worth knowing that to prepare the perfect Denver steak: you will need olive oil. It goes perfectly with spices and beef. But any other odorless vegetable oil will do.

Cooking sequence

  1. Pat the beef steak with a paper towel to remove excess liquid.
  2. In a deep bowl, mix 300 ml of dark beer, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. If you don't have sesame oil, you can safely use olive oil.
  3. Squeeze 3 cloves of garlic into the beer using a press, add 2 teaspoons of dried marjoram, ¼ teaspoon of chili pepper, ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix the entire marinade thoroughly.
  4. Place our steaks in a plastic bag or deep bowl and pour marinade over them. Place the meat in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours. But it will be better if the steaks are marinated for 4 hours.
  5. After the allotted time for marinating, remove the steaks from the marinade and blot them from excess moisture with a paper towel.

  6. We place our steaks on the heated grill grate and immediately close the grill lid so that the heat does not escape.
  7. Cook the meat for 3-4 minutes on each side.
  8. Transfer the finished dish to a plate and cover with foil. Let stand for 3-5 minutes and serve.

Video recipe

The video clearly and clearly shows how to properly cook Denver steak.

How to serve and how to complement the dish

  • Allow the meat to ripen before serving. Once grilled, transfer steak to a plate and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Grilled vegetables are ideal as a side dish for Denver steak. Or you can serve fresh vegetables.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with sauces. The following will sound good with beef: various berry sauces, white sauces, spicy tomato sauces.
  • If you are preparing dinner for a large number of people, then it would be useful to serve several options for sauces in gravy boats. This way, guests can try their steak in different flavor combinations.
  • Before cooking meat should never be washed.
  • You need to cut the steaks across the grain. The optimal thickness of one steak is 2.5-3 centimeters.
  • There is no need to season the meat with salt and pepper in advance.. Otherwise, the dish will not turn out as juicy as it could. Salt and pepper the meat only after cooking.
  • Before cooking, meat must be removed from the refrigerator in advance. It should come to room temperature.

  • Also remember that when cooking your steak is covered with a golden brown crust and remains juicy inside, You need to dry it with a paper towel before frying.. The meat should not be wet.
  • The pan must be very hot so that the crust instantly sets on the steaks. After its formation, the fire must be reduced.
  • If you have a food thermometer, then you will be interested to know that the finished Denver steak should be at a temperature of 58 degrees Celsius.
  • In general, steaks are quite simple dishes, but it is important to know the difference between them and how to prepare each correctly. Therefore, be sure to read the recipe. Also, don’t neglect this interesting cooking option. I am sure that you have not heard of it, and now you have the opportunity to get acquainted with the recipe for its preparation. – one of the most delicious, in my opinion, meat dishes. Well, it will not leave any representative of the stronger sex indifferent.

I learned how to cook Denver steak from a women's magazine. I have long wanted to find a recipe that will stick in my soul for a long time. And so it happened. Use this recipe for your health, cook and delight your family and friends. I'm sure they will be delighted. Write your reviews and recipes in the comments. Bon appetit!

So, I managed to get my hands on one of the most inexpensive beef cuts - skirt steak. This is a tough, completely “chewless” part on the plate of someone who doesn’t know how to cook or simply doesn’t know how. In front of you is already cleared of films. skirt steak. Looks different from arrogant prime marble steaks, doesn't it?

On the Tasty Notes website there is an article about it, with the name of the cuts and even with a diagram that I sketched myself. This is such a nice little bull: cutting beef carcass

The parts we need are marked No. 11 and No. 10. I recommend saving the picture in your phone gallery and immediately going to the butcher shop and showing the butcher the picture. If your butcher is not planning an evening dinner in the company of flank (flank) or skert (diaphragm) steak, he will be happy to cut the desired cut for you in the best possible way.

Thanks to the cowboys and Mexicans!

I love Mexican food! captivates with its simplicity and simplicity... apparent. If you want to try something real and Mexican hot, please visit my Mexican Cuisine section.

Mexicans and Texan cowboys respect the most delicious dish - fajitas. To prepare fajitas, they do not use pieces of legs, leftover pork from the middle shelf of the refrigerator and boiled sausage with mayonnaise. You won't make fajitas by going the extra mile and adding beans to the . Why? Real fajitas are made from flan and skirt steaks, cut into thin strips, juicy, concentrating all the taste of beef...

How to marinate steak?

Both flank steak and skirt steak must be marinated. Don't grab bottles of vinegar, take out bags of aromatic Provençal herbs, or take out kiwi (an atomic bomb for meat). Do not hurry! We will need olive oil, coarse sea salt and black pepper. These are the three main ingredients you can’t do without. Rub the meat with coarsely ground black pepper, olive oil, sprinkle with salt and let stand for 15-20 minutes.

Steaks are marinated in different ways: with and without salt, with lemon juice, with red wine, with aromatic herbs. Try an experiment and marinate a steak with a spoonful of Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins. I recommend using this brand. No import substitution!). Worcestershire sauce is a classic English sauce made from fish, sugar, vinegar and a dozen or so other secret ingredients through fermentation.

How to fry steak in a pan?

Meat should be at room temperature before frying. Everyone knows this, right? The frying process is simple, quick and uncomplicated. Heat up the cast iron grill. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Place the steak in the pan. Fry for 2.5 minutes, turn over and fry for 2.5 minutes; turn over, at the same time turning the meat 90 degrees to get a mesh, and fry for 2.5 minutes, turn over and fry for the last 2.5 minutes. Total: 4 coups.

During the frying process, do not touch the steak, do not move it, do not stab it with a fork, which we generally put away! Work optimally with tongs. We leave the heat under the frying pan at maximum and the hood on at full power. Once the steak is fried, it cannot be cut immediately! For at least 10 minutes, we leave the meat to rest under foil on a dry board or plate (not in a frying pan with a lid!). This time is calculated by trial and error on a cast iron grill pan and a gas hob (the largest diameter burner).

I warn you: you cannot fry the steaks shown in the diagram under No. 10 and No. 11 until fully cooked. A few minutes after removing from the pan, the temperature inside the piece rises, keep this in mind. You will end up with an inedible rubbery piece of meat.

Incredibly juicy, aromatic, richly flavored meat.