A Great Marinade for Flank Steak

If you've read this food blog for a while, you know that I'm a fan of grilled flank steak. I've tested several different marinades to use for flank steak, and I think the one I used on Sunday was the best yet. Here's the recipe:

One 2-lb. flank steak, scored slightly with a knife

Marinade:

1/2 cup of soy sauce

1/2 cup of dry red wine (not "cooking wine")

3 T. of tomato paste

2 T. of brown sugar

1 T. and 1 teaspoon of minced or chopped garlic

1 T. of freshly cracked pepper

Juice of half a lime

Directions:

1. Whisk all marinade ingredients into a medium bowl until smooth.

2. Unroll the flank steak and slide it into a large ziplock storage bag. Carefully pour the marinade into the bag and then seal the bag closed.

3. Place the bag in the refrigerator on its side, resting on a large plate. After an hour, turn the bag over and let it marinate for another full hour.

4. Light the grill and remove the steak from the marinade/bag. Place the steak on a hot grill and cook for about 8 minutes on each side for medium-rare, 6 minutes per side for rare.

5. Remove the steak and let it rest on a platter or cutting board for 5 minutes. Then slice the flank steak against the grain. Serve with a salad or grilled veggies.

The soy sauce adds enough saltiness that you probably won't need or want to add more salt. Taste it first -- then decide.

Grilled Flank Steak: Lots of Options

Flank steak is one of my favorites on the grill. Marinated beforehand, the meat comes off the grill tender, and it makes for very good eating.

This recipe from Delish looks tasty: it's a sandwich of grilled flank steak and grilled onion, plus tomato and arugula. The marinade they suggest is similar to the one I use, except mine includes red wine and does not include balsamic vinegar.

Here is another good-looking recipe for grilled flank steak. Want a more exotic recipe for grilled flank steak? Try this one with Moroccan spices.

Veggies on the Grill

This past weekend, a friend fired up the grill, which basically kicks off (in my mind) the summer-grill season. Asparagus may be the most popular vegetable for grilling, mostly because it hits groceries and markets in summer. But I also enjoy throwing other veggies on the grill.

When someone first suggested grilling sweet potatoes, it sounded strange. But I'm glad I gave it a try. Just slice the sweet potatoes relatively thin or microwave them a little (after piercing them) and then put them on a medium-hot grill. Grill them for about 8 minutes on each side. Do be worried if they get slightly charred -- that's flavor, my friend. Then brush or drizzle the marinade below over them and serve.

Zucchini is also a good veggie to grill. Cut them lengthwise so they aren't as prone to slide through the grill slits when you flip them. Zucchini will cook faster than sweet potatoes, probably taking only 4 minutes per side. Then remove them from the grill and immediately drizzle or spread the marinade over them. The recipes below are for 3 zucchinis and 3 sweet potatoes. Just combine all ingredients in a small ball and whisk until relatively smooth.

Marinade for Sweet Potatoes:

• 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil


• 2 tablespoons of molasses


• Salt to taste

Marinade for Zucchini:

• 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil


• 2 teaspoons of fresh, minced basil leaves (or 1-1/2 tsp. of dried basil)


• 1 clove of garlic, crushed or minced


• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice


• Salt to taste

Grilled Orange-Barbecue Chicken

A few days ago, I had written this post about trying to find the recipe ingredients for Grilled Orange Barbecue Chicken. Well, I wasn't able to find the original recipe, but I reconstructed a recipe for the sauce, and it all turned out marvelously. The orange gives the barbecue sauce a nice but subtle citrusy flavor.

Best of all, it's very simple. Here's what we did.

We bought 5 lbs. of chicken with both skin and bone -- a mixture of breasts, thighs and drumsticks. We salted and peppered them a little, and then we fired up the gas grill.

Below is the recipe I used to make the Orange Barbecue sauce:

• An entire 18 oz. bottle of KC Masterpiece Honey Smoke Barbecue Sauce
• 4 oz. of frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed and not diluted)*
• Zest of one navel orange
• 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice, squeezed from the navel orange
• 3 tablespoons of molasses

* - Orange juice concentrate usually comes in a 6-oz. can so just use 2/3 of a can.

Directions:

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well integrated. Pour 2 cups of the Orange Barbecue Sauce in a separate, smaller bowl and set aside. (This will be used at the table by those who want to add more sauce to their chicken.)

2. Start the grill and then add the pieces of chicken, starting with the breasts (which will take longer to cook). Brush the surface of all chicken pieces with the Orange Barbecue Sauce.

3. Once you flip the chicken pieces, brush the other sides with sauce. Consult a grilling guide for details on cooking time.

4. Serve chicken with the reserved bowl of Orange Barbecue Sauce.