Grilled Flank Steak

Much as I hate to admit it...Summer's over, folks.

Not that I'd ever let that stop me from grilling; as long as I can SEE the grill, I can use it. The grill (or the smoker, for that matter) doesn't care what the outside temperature is. But I've begun preparing alot more "in-house" stuff lately, as well.

This is a very easy recipe for Grilled Flank Steak. It doesn't take much time, or effort, and the results are absolutely delicious. A little later, I'll post a recipe for Pineapple-Apple Pie. It, too, is simple, and the results are great!

Grilled Flank Steak

1 flank steak, about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup whiskey (I used Jim Beam)

1/4 cup lime juice

1-1/2 teaspoons (about 2 cloves) minced fresh garlic

about 10 whole peppercorns

3 or 4 large bay leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon smoke flavoring (optional)

Combine all the ingredients, except for the flank steak, in a bowl. Mix until everything's well-incorporated.

Place the flank steak into a gallon-size "zipper" bag. Pour the marinate mixture into the bag, and zip it shut.

Store the bagged steak (use a shallow container, or a roasting pan, in case the bag leaks) in the refrigerator for anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.

After marinating, remove the steak and discard the marinate. If necessary, the steak may be quickly rinsed under cool, running water, to remove any large "bits" of the marinate. Put the flank steak on a large plate or platter, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the steak to rest in a safe place (like a cool oven) for at least 30 minutes, so it'll come to room temperature. In the meantime, fire up the grill.

After thirty minutes (or longer; there's no rush at this point), grill the flank steak over medium (NOT TOO HOT!) heat, for about 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, flip the steak, and grill for another 4 minutes.

At this point, you'll have to determine just how "done" the flank steak is. There's no way to insert a thermometer into a flank steak, so you'll have to use the Touch Method. Simply put, the Touch Method involves pushing against a piece of meat with the tip of your finger. Depending on the texture/resilience of the meat, you can tell the degree of doneness (yes, it does require a little practice. Remember, you can always throw the meat back onto the grill, if necessary, so it's best to err on the side of too rare, rather than too well-done).

If you press against a flank steak, and your finger leaves a dent (in other words, it doesn't spring back), the steak is very rare. If you press the steak and the meat gives easily, but springs back quickly, it's probably rare-to-medium-rare. This is the ideal degree of doneness for a flank steak.

Remove the steak from the grill, and place it on a platter. Alllow the meat to rest for about 15-20 minutes before carving. Always slice a flank steak (and most other of the "tough" cuts of meat) at a 90-degree angle to the grain; this helps to further break down the tough fibers, resulting in a very tender, delicious dish.

Serve alongside traditional "picnic fare", such as potato salad, baked beans, or whatever you like. The leftover flank steak (sliced super-thin) also makes an excellent addition to a chef's salad!