Sesame-Soy Flank Steak with Cilantro-Sesame Garnish

This recipe is designed to make delicious, juicy, flank steak. The flavors are Asian-inspired, and heavily rely on the use of sesame and soy (hence: the name of the recipe). I served this steak – with a simple garnish of cilantro and sesame seeds (instructions below) – beside a generous helping of Patti’s sesame noodle salad (click the link for the recipe), and some grilled zucchini spears (also marinated in a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil).

Are you sensing a theme?

Faithfully following this recipe should yield the following deliciousness:

 

Marinade:

• 4-lb flank steak
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup sake
• 1 shallot – diced
• 2 inches ginger root – diced
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 3 green onions – rough chopped
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• pinch of salt and pepper

Garnish:

• 1/4 cup toasted Sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Prepare all marinade ingredients, and mix them together.

Remove the steak from it’s packaging, and score each side four or five times.

Scoring a steak is easy. Using a sharp knife, lightly cut against the grain of the meat. Apply just enough pressure to make a shallow slices in the flesh. This process allows for better diffusion of the marinade, and a more uniform cook on your steak!

Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper, and place it in a large ziploc bag or large shallow dish, and pour the mixed marinade on top. I prefer a plastic bag for this step, because it makes it easier to squish the marinade around, to make sure that the steak is completely covered.

Marinate the steak for at least 30 minutes (but no more than a few hours) before grilling.

Preheat your grill over medium-high heat, and grill the steak for 5-6 minutes per side.

Allow the steak to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, preferably in a conspicuous location, which will not only allow the juices to uniformly diffuse through the cut of meat (it’s science, here’s a good explanation), it will also cause the hungry diners to begin salivating like Pavlov’s dogs.

The 10 minutes of resting time is perfect for grilling up some veggies to serve on the side for a little color and the perception of health.

Slice the steak against the grain. A properly cooked and rested flank steak should slice easily, and have a succulent juiciness to the point where it should nearly melt in your mouth.

The other nice thing about this cut of meat is that a properly cooked flank steak will cater to a range of preferences regarding the cook of the meat. The tapered nature of the cut means that the outer edges will be more well-cooked (but still juicy), while the thicker, inner-portion will be nice and bloody (like a steak should be).

For the garnish, chop the cilantro, and then toss it into the sesame seeds. Using a pestle, muddler or some other utensil appropriate for crushing things, mash together the seeds and cilantro leaves. Sprinkle the garnish atop the sliced steak for a savory addition.

Slice, consume and enjoy!