Our go-to Grilled Flank Steak recipe involves marinating the steak in a specially crafted blend to boost flavor and tenderness, followed by a quick spice rub before grilling it just right. For an extra touch, we love adding the simple chimichurri herb sauce from this recipe.
Keep the grill going and pair Grilled Flank Steak with our favorite grilled Corn Salad.
The Best Grilled Flank Steak
I’ve been making Grilled Flank Steak all summer for years, and it’s become a family favorite, always impressing anyone who tries it.
The process begins with a simple six-ingredient marinade. After marinating, we enhance the flavor with a four-ingredient spice rub. While this grilled flank steak is fantastic on its own, it reaches new heights when paired with an easy herb sauce, my personal twist on chimichurri. Since many ingredients are common between the marinade and the herb sauce, it’s a breeze to make both!
Quick Tip
What is flank steak? Flank steak, from the cow’s lower abdominal area, is lean and contains tough fibers. It’s thicker and wider than skirt steak. Sometimes labeled as London Broil, Flank Steak Fillet, or Jiffy Steak, ask the butcher if in doubt. Substitute with flat iron, hanger, or skirt steak if flank steak is unavailable.
Ingredients
Steak & Marinade
- Flank Steak: The main protein, offering a rich, beefy flavor.
- Olive Oil: Helps to tenderize and add moisture to the grilled flank steak.
- Garlic: Adds a robust, aromatic flavor to the marinade.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Introduces acidity, balancing flavors and tenderizing the meat.
- Honey and Soy Sauce: Honey adds sweetness while soy sauce brings saltiness and umami, creating a balanced marinade.
- Pepper and Italian Parsley: Enhance the overall flavor profile of the marinade.
Quick Spices
- Sea Salt, Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander Seed, Pepper: These spices create a flavorful crust on the steak, enhancing its taste and aroma.
Chimichurri
- Garlic, Red Wine Vinegar, Lime Juice: Form the acidic and flavorful base of the sauce.
- Cilantro and Parsley: These herbs add freshness and depth to the chimichurri.
- Olive Oil: Balances the acidity and binds the sauce ingredients.
- Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes, Honey: Add complexity, a bit of heat, and a touch of sweetness.
How To Grill Flank Steak
- Marinate: Combine olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, pepper, and parsley. Marinate the steak in this mixture for 1-6 hours.
- Prepare Chimichurri: Mix chopped garlic, red wine vinegar, lime juice, cilantro, parsley, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and honey. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate.
- Grill Steak: Preheat the grill to high. Apply a quick spice mix of salt, cumin, coriander, and pepper to the steak. Grill each side for 4-5 minutes or to desired doneness.
- Rest and Slice: Let the grilled flank steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain at a 45-degree angle.
Quick Tip
How do you cook flank steak so it’s not tough? To cook tender flank steak: Preheat the grill for high-heat searing. Cut the steak against the grain at a steep diagonal after cooking for easier chewing. Slice at a 45-degree angle using a sharp knife. Monitor doneness with a meat thermometer.
How Long To Grill Flank Steak
Grill flank steak quickly at a high temperature (450 degrees F) for tender results. Cooking times vary by desired doneness:
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium-Rare: 135°F (about 8-10 minutes total)
- Medium: 140°F (about 8-12 minutes total)
- Medium-Well: 150°F (about 11-15 minutes total)
- Well-Done: 160-175°F
Note: Remove the grilled flank steak from the grill about 5 degrees before the target temperature and let it rest under foil for carryover cooking. Adjust times for steak thickness and grill specifics.
More Recipes To Grill
Grilled Flank Steak
Ingredients
Steak & Marinade
- 1.5 - 2 pounds (907g) flank steak
- 1/4 cup (52g) olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup EACH: honey (84g) and soy sauce (65g)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
Quick Spices
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin, ground coriander seed
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Chimmichurri
- 3-4 cloves finely chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 large lime (2 tablespoons juice)
- 1/2 cup (30g) finely chopped cilantro (~1 full bunch)
- 1/2 cup (33g) finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (~1 full bunch)
- 1/2 cup (104g) good-quality olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon honey
- fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- PREP: Remove flank steak from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large resealable bag.
- MARINADE: Combine the olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, pepper, and 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped Italian parsley in a bowl. Whisk together and pour over the flank steak. Seal and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour and preferably 4-6 hours. Flip the steak in the bag halfway through the marinating time.
- CHIMICHURRI SAUCE: I like to make the sauce at the same time I'm marinating the meat, because it gets more flavorful as it sits. In a large jar, add the finely chopped garlic cloves (2-3 cloves if sensitive to garlic, or 4 cloves for garlic lover!), red wine vinegar and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir and set aside. Finely chop a bunch of parsley to get a full 1/2 cup, gently packed (you should use most, if not all of a good sized bunch; some stems are fine -- I just remove the bulk of large stems and then chop the rest). Chop the cilantro and measure to get a lightly packed 1/2 cup. Add the parsley and cilantro to the jar along with the olive oil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Stir thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate while the meat marinates.
- GRILL PREP: Preheat the grill to 450 degrees F. Once heated, clean the grill grates with a wire brush. Liberally oil the grill (I do this by drenching a paper towel in canola or vegetable oil and, holding tongs, rub the paper towel over the grill). This will ensure the meat doesn't stick to the grates and gets a great char (char = flavor!).
- QUICK SPICES: Stir together 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- STEAK: Remove from marinade and discard remaining marinade. Sprinkle half the rub on top of the steak. Place on fully heated grill (rub side down) and quickly sprinkle the rub on top. Close grill lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is 130-135 degrees F for medium rare or 145 degrees for medium. (I use a meat thermometer here. My grill takes exactly 4 minutes per side at 450 degrees F.) Remove the steak from the grill to a cutting board. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Once the steak has rested, slice it very thinly against the grain (See Note 1). Serve with chimichurri herb sauce.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is absolutely delicious!
I’m soo glad you enjoyed this!! Thanks so much! 🙂
This was amazing! I’m so happy I found your pin! I changed it a bit to accommodate my diet restrictions and wanted to share. I had 3 chicken breasts so I divided accordingly. Instead of beans and corn I put fresh spinach under the chicken and I seared the chicken a bit on the stove before placing on the rice and spinach. Sealed them with 2 pieces of foil to ensure seal that you talk about and put on indirect heat on the BBQ. AMAZING! Happy husband here 🙂
To die for!
Thank you so much April! 🙂
I love a good steak!! And the chimichurri puts it over the top! Beautiful pictures too!!
This steak looks so juicy, I know what I’m having for dinner!!
Thanks so much Christina! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!