Food
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

How Do I Choose the Best Flank Steak Marinade?

Erik J.J. Goserud
Erik J.J. Goserud

The art of a flank steak marinade is as important as the Mona Lisa to carnivorous men and women around the world. This cut of meat comes from the abdominal muscles of cows and is used in a variety of foods throughout many cultures. Prepared properly, a flank steak marinade can create a flavor none of your dinner guests will soon forget. If prepared in haste with a lack of experience, you may embarrass yourself in front of close friends and relatives. The best way to create the perfect flank steak marinade is to try out a few different established recipes and give yourself time to improvise upon these.

A flank steak cut is characteristically tougher than many other kinds of meat. For this reason, many cooking methods attempt to moisturize this dish through different methods. A marinade is a mixture of herbs, spices, and other flavorful elements that sit with the meat for a designated amount of time before preparation, and depending on the ingredients used, it can tenderize the meat.

Woman posing
Woman posing

Try to browse a few reputable cooking websites or food blogs for your initial ideas. Keep in mind the preferences of those you are cooking for when choosing a few recipes to start with. Also, be mindful of your personal budget and time restrictions as some recipes can be more expensive and time-consuming than others.

Once you have selected three or four marinades that sound reasonable in time and price and appetizing in flavor, let the experimenting begin. Try to cook each of these in succession or simultaneously, picking out what you like and do not like about each flank steak marinade. Being aware of which flavors are present will help you know which ingredients to add or omit when improvising.

After you have chosen your ideal marinade, go back to the drawing board. Prepare it, and attempt to modify it until you have created a flank steak marinade you are proud of. Don't overdo it though as a trademark of a good beef dish is indeed beef flavor shining through.

This dish can be used too as an appetizer, as part of other dishes like fajitas, or as an entree itself. The cut of meat is not enough to please; its flavor depends heavily on the flank steak marinade that you have prepared. Taking the time to develop your secret recipe can benefit you as a lifelong culinary skill. Having a great flank steak marinade is a great go-to crowd pleaser for your friends and family.

Discussion Comments

Grivusangel

I'd want to make sure I used some pineapple juice, for sure. That's one of the best tenderizing agents anywhere. Papaya tenderizes meat, too.

I think any kind of pineapple/tomatillo marinade would definitely work. Use a little vinegar, some cilantro and oregano, and it should tenderize the meat, as well as make it taste great on the grill.

Chances are, if the marinade tastes pretty good just as a sauce, it will taste good in the meat, too.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Woman posing
      Woman posing