This Easy Grilled Flank Steak starts with a flavorful marinade made with pantry ingredients before grilling it to perfection!

A simple, 6 ingredient marinade makes this one of the tastiest and best flank steak recipes. The complexity of the flavor palate cannot be rivaled!

Easy Grilled Flank Steak slices on a white dinner plate with aspargus.

Why You Must Make

  • This is a quick, delicious, flavorful marinade.
  • It’s perfect for marinating flank steak before grilling.
  • It’s made with kitchen staples, so you may already have everything on hand!

Have you ever had a marinade in mind, but were short just one ingredient? Like the ginger root that’s shriveled in your vegetable drawer? The green onions that were on your shopping list but you forgot to purchase? That’s why I am a huge fan of this Easy Grilled Flank Steak Recipe.

I’m never without one of the essential components of this recipe, so as long as there’s a flank steak in my fridge or freezer, this dinner will happen! Soy sauce? Check. Red wine vinegar, ground ginger, fresh garlic, and vegetable oil? More checks. And it’s one of the best ways to enjoy a flank steak—I guarantee!

Easy Grilled Flank Steak

Besides being chocoholics, the hubby and sons are beefaholics. When one of the boys had a birthday or was heading back to college, I prepared “steak.” They became beef lovers as tots, and always lumped flank steak in with filet mignon, strip steaks, and ribeyes when discussing our entree.

It was another steak–and they enjoyed it as much as those latter options as long as it was cooked rare. Or just short of mooing as Bill would phrase it. We grill all year long, and there was the time I was out of town and the boys and their dad lugged the Big Green Egg into the house because the lid was frozen on and it needed to defrost! Or the times a golf umbrella was secured with duct tape to allow grilling during a summer monsoon.

If you’re like us, try this old favorite flank steak marinade recipe, and let your beef steep in the flavorful mixture overnight before grilling. I hope you’ll give one of my favorite flank steak recipes a shot before your grilling season is over!

Overhead view of Easy Grilled Flank Steak on a dinner plate with a green salad.

Expert Tips

Once I started grilling flank steak for the family, it became a regular on our menu rotation. I varied the marinades, but otherwise used the same technique for cooking. Here are a few pointers if you’re new to grilling this cut of meat.

  • Before you marinate your flank steak, “score” or carefully cut into the meat against the grain (perpendicular to the lines you see running across the meat). I make shallow cuts about an inch and a half apart from one long side to the other, on a slight diagonal. Or you can have your butcher score your beef for you.
  • PRO-Tip: Besides helping prevent the beef from curling while on the BBQ, scoring also helps the marinade permeate the beef.
  • Beef can take a longer marinating time than chicken or seafood. Marinate overnight or place the flank steak in the marinade early in the day you’re planning to grill for the best results.
  • I like to marinate in a well-sealed Ziploc bag to avoid spilling marinade into the fridge. Been there, done that! It also makes it super easy to flip the bag a few times throughout the day for even marinade distribution.
  • PRO-Tip: Flank steak is best grilled to medium-rare. If it’s overcooked, it could be tough and/or chewy. My family prefers rare, but I prefer it a little more done.
  • PRO-Tip: Slice the meat thinly across the grain (this is from one long side to the other). This makes for tender slices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Flank Steak?


Flank steak is a cut of beef from the abdominal or “flank” region of the steer. It’s also known as London Broil. It’s a thin, long cut of beef that is well-exercised, so can be tough if not cooked or sliced properly.

What Are the Temperatures for Beef Doneness?

I recommend grilling your flank steak to medium-rare, but my husband prefers rare and my dad always liked it medium or more well done. So cook to your desired doneness.
Here are some guidelines:
When grilling, pull your beef off the grill when it’s 5-10º less than the desired doneness. Cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes. The juices will redistribute and the temperature will increase up to the desired temperature.
RARE beef will have a Cool Red Center. The goal is 125º but pull the meat off at 120º.
MEDIUM RARE beef will have a Warm Red Center. The goal is 135º but pull the meat off at 130º.
MEDIUM beef will have a Warm Pink Center. The goal is 145º but pull the meat off at 140º.
MEDIUM WELL beef will have a Slightly Pink Center. The goal temperature is 150º but pull the meat off at 145º.
WELL DONE beef will have a Little or No Pink in the Center. The goal temperature is 160º but pull the meat off at 155º.

Can a Flank Steak Be Marinated Too Long?

Yes. Most marinades contain an acid like lemon juice or vinegar that tenderizes by denaturing or breaking down the protein in the meat. If left in the marinade too long, too much of the protein will break down, making the meat mushy.

What’s the Best Way to Cook Flank Steak?

We prefer grilling as the heat creates the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction that gives browned food its delicious, distinctive flavor. But broiling works well. Cook to medium rare for the best results.

You May Also Like:

What’s your favorite cut of beef to grill? Let me know in the comments!

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Easy Grilled Flank Steak slices on a white dinner plate with aspargus

Easy Grilled Flank Steak

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Yield 4 servings

An easy, flavorful marinade for your flank or tri-tip. Adapted from my friend, Becky.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds flank steak, scored if desired*

Instructions

  1. Score both sides of your flank steak by making shallow diagonal slashes over the surface. This will allow the marinade to penetrate a little deeper.
  2. Combine all marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add flank steak, seal, and chill for 6-8 hours (turning occasionally) or overnight.
  3. Bring to room temp before grilling to the desired doneness.

Notes

* Cut very shallow slits perpendicular to the grain the whole length of the steak, flip and repeat. This helps the marinade permeate the meat.

Total time does not include marinating time.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 530Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 179mgSodium: 1285mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 65g

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