Grilled Flank Steak with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4

To learn more, read:
Cook Once/Eat Twice: Flank Steak
by Kate Hays
from Fine Cooking
Issue 105
Last Edit Date: 5/23/2012 12:43:53 PM

Since flank steak is relatively inexpensive, why not grill two at once? After a long soak in a bold, garlicky marinade, the first makes a great fast and easy meal. The leftover steak is great in Open-Face Steak Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheese and Tomatoes, Grilled Steak and Arugula Salad with White Beans and Shiitake, and Red Onions Stuffed with Grilled Steak, Spinach, and Feta. This do-ahead sauce is an easy take on tzatziki, the Greek yogurt dip.

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For the flank steaks

1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
8 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 medium lemons)
1/4 cup soy sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 flank steaks (about 3 lb. total), trimmed of excess fat

For the sauce

1 English cucumber (about 3/4 lb.)
Kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt, preferably Greek
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Pinch cayenne
1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Marinate the flank steaks

Set aside 2 Tbs. of the parsley. Combine the remaining parsley with the mint, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream.

Put the steaks in a nonreactive baking dish large enough to hold them both. Pour the marinade over them and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Make the sauce

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seed core. Cut each half crosswise into 1/8-inch-thinck half moons and toss with 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes to release excess liquid. Rinse, drain, and pat dry.

In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber with the yogurt, garlic, cumin, lemon zest and juice, and cayenne. Stir in the olive oil and the reserved chopped parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. (The sauce can be made up to a day ahead.)

Grill the steaks

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking.

Prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal grill fire. Clean and oil the grill grates.

Remove the flank steak from the marinade, wipe off any excess, and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks, covered, until grill marks form and the steaks have a nice brown sear, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the steaks and continue grilling until grill marks form on the other side and the steak is cooked to medium rare (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a steak should read 135°F), 3 to 5 minutes more. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut the flank steak across the grain and serve with the cucumber-yogurt sauce on the side. Store the leftover steak in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with grilled peppers, red onions, and portabello mushrooms, or in keeping with the flavors in the sauce, try Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta on the side.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 390; Fat (g): 22; Fat Calories (kcal): 200; Saturated Fat (g): 10; Protein (g): 40; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): 7; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 490; Cholesterol (mg): 85; Fiber (g): 1;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by LadyBeautour, 6/16/2011Steak marinade was great! Cooking time was much shorter than prescribed. For the yogurt sauce, used one large garlic clove, put everything in the food processor and loved the outcome.

by editor10, 6/4/2011Where do you live, that “... flank steak is relatively inexpensive“?? Here in southern Oregon, we rarely see it under $11.99 per pound. Our butcher says the Chinese and Japanese are bidding up the beef prices.

by Patti81, 9/16/2010Have made this many times this Summer. Steak is a big hit each time - my aunt from Florida just asked for the recipe. Have never made sauce but have made it with grilled panzanella.

by ssteege1, 7/22/2010Everything was delicious, the marinade for the steak was first rate. I will agree the cucumber salad was a bit bland. I used 3 peeled regular cucumbers, double the listed ingredient proportions and added 2 tablespoons lemon juice an 2 tablespoons fresh dill. Came out wonderful. look out for it on my blog... ifyougiveagrillapizza.com

by MaryG, 6/20/2010I agree with the first reviewer that the marinade is very good but the cucumber relish 'so so'; right idea but I think the recipe is 'off'. Also, I would recommend marinating the steak overnight to tenderize and increase the flavour quotient. Rosemary pan-roasted potatoes made a great side dish.

by TheMomChef, 6/14/2010Mixed review. We loved the marinade for the flank steak but weren't wild about the cucumber-yogurt sauce. Read my full review at: http://themomchef.blogspot.com/2010/06/grilled-flank-steak-with-cucumber.html

by ceeceecwood, 6/7/2010Fantastic, flavourful, delicious grilled recipe. The cucumber yogurt sauce was delightful and refreshing. Served with rosemary grilled potatoes and grilled corn salad.

by krose0307, 6/5/2010I loved this, the meat was so flavorful! Made the pita bread from the same issue and served the sliced steak and sauce in a pita. It was fantastic!

by carolcook, 5/24/2010Marinated overnight. Little flavor and steak was not in the least tenderized. Will not make again

by Pielove, 5/17/2010Outstanding marinade-- the soy sauce really adds a great savor and the garlic and herbs further pump up the flavor.

by UpperQueenAnneRunner, 5/10/2010Easy to prepare and great flavor. The marinade really compliments the flank steak.