We are lucky enough to have some of our very close friends, Peter and Carly, living only three units down the hall from us. We joke about how our friendship has turned into something very much like the t.v. show “Friends” with the frequency we pile into each others apartments or show up to borrow this or that. Stopping by for a glass of wine on their balcony easily turns into hours spent talking, chasing around (or being chased by) their bull dog Hank, and debating where we should go out to dinner.
A few weeks ago, Carly put together the most delicious dinner party on our roof top. There was lots of laughter, lots of rosé, and lots of delicious food. I brought my elote corn guacamole and watermelon caprese salad and Carly made an orzo pasta salad, corn succotash salad, and the most delicious marinated grilled flank steak. I am always looking for great easy marinades that I can share with all of you and this one is nothing short of amazing. It made the most flavorful tender steak.
Carly’s steak recipe is a family favorite. As soon as I tried it I told her that she would have to give me the recipe so that I could share it with all of you. The photo of the printed recipe she sent me had all the signs of being a good one, with little drippings of this and that, it had survived many a countertop cooking session. All of my favorite and most frequented recipes tend to look this way and I always see at it as a stamp of approval. The more stained and tattered a recipe is, the better.
This marinade gets the delicious flavor from the pineapple juice, brown sugar, and vinegar used to marinade it. While the pineapple juice gives the meat a ton of flavor, it also helps to tenderize the meat. The enzyme in pineapple, bromelain, digests protein, softening the tissues in meat before cooking it. It only takes about 4 hours for the pineapple and acid form the soy and vinegar to do some serious work on this steak.
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Make that marinade. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then allow to cool.
Step 2: Let it sink in. Place steak in a large zip lock bag and add marinade. Marinate steak for 4 hours, turning the meat every hour. In the last hour, remove steak from fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before grilling.
Step 3: Let me see ya grill. Remove meat from marinade; discard marinade. Grill steak to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to work surface. Cut against the grain.
Raisin’ The Steaks {the best flank steak marinade ever}
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs flank steak
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup wine vinegar
- Two cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then allow to cool. Place steak in a large zip lock bag and add marinade. Marinate steak for 4 hours, turning the meat every hour. In the last hour, remove steak from fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before grilling.
- Remove meat from marinade; discard marinade. Grill steak to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to work surface. Cut against the grain.
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