Grilled Flank Steak with Garlic-Shallot-Rosemary Marinade

I grew up in the Midwest where we ate meat and potatoes for dinner most nights. While my family now has significantly different eating habits, we still appreciate a classic meat and potatoes meal. It is comfort food for me, especially in the summer.

One of my favorite cuts of steak is flank steak. It is easy to marinade, easy to grill, and easy to slice and serve. The outcome is an enjoyable steak each and every time. The cooking instructions here are for a medium to medium-rare steak. Increase the grilling time if you prefer yours more well done.

INGREDIENTS:

For Marinade:
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

For Steak:
1 flank steak (about 2 pounds), patted dry with paper towels
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Puree all marinade ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down blender jar as needed.

2. Place steak on rimmed baking sheet or in large baking dish. Using dinner fork, prick steak about 20 times on each side. Rub both sides of steak evenly with salt and then with paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

3. Using paper towels, wipe paste off steak; season both sides with pepper. Grill steak directly over coals until well browned, 4-6 minutes. Using tongs, flip steak; grill until second side is well browned, 4-6 minutes. (Note from Holli: Notice the color of the steak after wiping off the marinade, but before grilling. This pale grayish color, although unappetizing, is normal.)

4. Using paring knife, make small cut into thickest part of meat; if meat is slightly less done than desired, transfer steak to cutting board (meat will continue to cook as it rests). If steak is significantly underdone, continue to cook until thickest part is slightly less done than desired, then transfer steak to cutting board.

Let steak rest 5 to 10 minutes. Loosely tent steak with foil when resting, if desired. (If the steak is to retain its juices, it must be allowed to rest before being sliced.)

5. Using sharp chef's knife or carving knife, slice steak about 1/4 inch thick against grain and on bias. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated

Yields: 4-6 servings. Each serving contains: Calories 305; Fat 12.8g; Saturated Fat 5.3g; Cholesterol 83mg; Sodium 861mg; Carbohydrates 2.5g; Dietary Fiber 0.6g; Protein 42.4g; Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 3%; Calcium 4%; Iron 18%

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