Welcome to the ultimate guide for mastering the grill with a truly sensational dish: our **Red Wine, Soy, Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak**. This recipe is a guaranteed hit, transforming a versatile cut of beef into an unforgettable culinary experience that’s perfect for any occasion, especially those cherished summer evenings and weekend gatherings. If you’re looking to elevate your grilling game with minimal effort and maximum flavor, you’ve found your new go-to recipe.
The magic of this dish lies in its exquisite marinade – a harmonious blend of rich red wine, savory soy sauce, tangy balsamic vinegar, bright lemon juice, and aromatic garlic. This powerful concoction deeply penetrates the flank steak overnight, creating a flavor profile so profound and tenderizing that it will linger delightfully in your memory. Every bite delivers a juicy, robust taste that’s simply irresistible. When I last served this for dinner, the rave reviews were immediate and enthusiastic. It’s more than just a meal; it’s an experience that brings smiles and satisfaction around the table.
Why This Red Wine, Soy, Balsamic Flank Steak Will Be Your New Favorite
There are countless reasons why this Red Wine, Soy, Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak deserves a permanent spot in your recipe repertoire. It’s not just a meal; it’s a celebration of flavor, convenience, and culinary delight. Here’s why you absolutely must try it:
- Unrivaled Flavor and Tenderness: We are passionate about flank steak, and this marinade stands out as one of the very best. While we have many excellent beef marinade recipes, from simple orange juice and soy to more complex concoctions, this specific blend of red wine, soy, and balsamic vinegar creates a uniquely rich, savory, and slightly sweet profile that is simply divine. The long marinating time ensures that every fiber of the meat is infused with this incredible taste, resulting in exceptionally tender and juicy slices.
- Effortless Entertaining: This recipe is a host’s dream! Whether you’re planning a lively summer barbecue, a spirited tailgating party, or a cozy game day gathering, this marinated flank steak is guaranteed to impress your guests without requiring you to spend hours in the kitchen. The bulk of the work – marinating – happens overnight, freeing you up to enjoy your company on the day of your event. It’s a crowd-pleaser that allows you to relax and socialize.
- A Versatile Culinary Star: Flank steak is renowned for its ability to absorb flavors beautifully, making it an incredibly versatile cut. This marinated version can be the star of your dinner plate, served alongside your favorite sides like roasted vegetables, a fresh garden salad, or creamy mashed potatoes. Beyond that, leftovers (if there are any!) are fantastic in tacos, sandwiches, salads, or even stir-fries, offering endless possibilities for delicious meals throughout the week.
- Perfect for Any Grilling Enthusiast: Whether you’re a seasoned grill master or just starting out, this recipe is straightforward and forgiving. The marinade not only flavors but also tenderizes the meat, making it easier to achieve perfect results on the grill. We initially chose this beloved recipe for a special dinner party, marinating it overnight to allow the robust flavors to truly permeate the meat, and it was a resounding success. We are confident you’ll adore it just as much as we do!
- Budget-Friendly Elegance: Flank steak is often a more economical cut compared to other premium steaks, yet with this marinade, it transforms into a dish that tastes incredibly gourmet. It’s a smart way to enjoy a luxurious meal without breaking the bank, offering exceptional value for its profound flavor and versatility.
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Flank Steak Marinade
The secret to an incredibly flavorful and tender grilled flank steak lies in the quality and balance of its marinade ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in tenderizing the meat and imparting that irresistible taste. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why:
- Pantry Staples:
- Vegetable Oil: Acts as a carrier for the fat-soluble flavors in the marinade and helps to prevent the meat from sticking to the grill. It also aids in achieving a beautiful sear.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a subtle tang and depth of flavor, helping to emulsify the marinade and tenderize the meat through its mild acidity.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A cornerstone of many beef marinades, it brings umami, savory depth, and a hint of sweetness and spice that complements the beef beautifully.
- Soy Sauce: The backbone of the savory profile, soy sauce provides essential saltiness and umami, enhancing the beef’s natural flavors and contributing to tenderization.
- Balsamic Vinegar: This is a star ingredient. For the best flavor, reach for a good quality, aged balsamic vinegar. A truly fine balsamic will be somewhat syrupy in consistency and boast a complex balance of sweet, tangy, and rich notes. It’s essential for both tenderizing the steak and adding a gourmet depth to the marinade.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is absolutely preferred. The bright acidity not only helps to tenderize the flank steak but also cuts through the richness of the other ingredients, adding a vibrant zest that elevates the overall flavor profile. Avoid bottled lemon juice if possible, as it often lacks the fresh, pungent notes that make a difference.
- Garlic: Minced fresh garlic is indispensable. Its pungent, aromatic qualities infuse the meat with a robust, earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with beef. While garlic powder can be a substitute in a pinch, fresh garlic offers unparalleled depth and aroma.
- Red Wine: Choose a dry red wine that you enjoy drinking, such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir. The wine adds a rich, fruity, and slightly acidic dimension to the marinade, further tenderizing the meat and contributing a sophisticated flavor. You don’t need an expensive bottle, but avoid “cooking wines” that often contain added salt and preservatives.
- Flank Steak: The star of the show. When selecting, look for a piece that is relatively uniform in thickness to ensure even cooking. Before marinating, it’s highly recommended to score the flank steak. Scoring involves making shallow, diagonal cuts across the surface of the meat with a sharp knife, no deeper than ¼-inch. This technique increases the surface area, allowing the marinade to penetrate deeper and more effectively, which results in a more flavorful and tender final product. It also helps prevent the steak from curling during grilling.
Gathering these high-quality ingredients is the first step toward creating a flank steak that will impress everyone at your table.
Grilling Perfection: Step-by-Step Instructions for Marinated Flank Steak
Achieving a perfectly grilled, tender, and flavorful flank steak is easier than you might think. Follow these straightforward steps to prepare a memorable meal that will have everyone asking for seconds. Remember, the key to success lies in the marination!
Expert Tips for Grilling Flawless Flank Steak
Achieving grill master status with flank steak is all about understanding the nuances of selection, preparation, and cooking. These expert tips will help you consistently create tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful results every time.
Buying and Prepping Your Beef Properly:
- Choose the Best Quality Flank Steak: While flank steak is a more affordable cut, quality still matters. Look for fresh beef with a vibrant red color and minimal connective tissue. Opt for a cut that is relatively uniform in thickness, as this will promote more even cooking. If one end is much thinner than the other, you can fold it over and tie it with kitchen twine for more consistent thickness.
- The Power of Long Marinating Time: Unlike more delicate proteins like chicken or seafood, beef can (and often benefits from) a longer marinating time. For this Red Wine, Soy, Balsamic Flank Steak, aim for at least 8 hours, with overnight marination (12-24 hours) being ideal. The longer the steak bathes in this flavorful mixture, the more effectively the acidic components (balsamic, lemon, red wine) and enzymes will break down muscle fibers, resulting in superior tenderness. Furthermore, osmosis allows the rich flavors to deeply infuse the meat, creating a more robust taste. Always keep the steak refrigerated during marination.
- The Art of Scoring the Steak: To maximize flavor penetration and tenderness, and to prevent the steak from curling on the grill, lightly score the flank steak on both sides with a sharp knife. Make shallow cuts, approximately ⅛ to ¼-inch deep, about 1-inch apart, cutting against the natural grain of the meat. This technique increases the surface area, allowing the marinade to work its magic more efficiently and ensures an even cook, contributing to a more tender final product.
Cooking Your Flank Steak to Perfection:
- Mastering the Grill Marks and Doneness: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. For those coveted hash marks, place the steak on the grill for a few minutes, then rotate it about 45 degrees to create a diamond pattern. Flip and repeat on the other side. Cooking times will vary significantly based on the thickness of your flank steak and your desired level of doneness.
- Rare: 125-130°F (52-54°C)
- Medium-Rare: 130-135°F (54-57°C) – Often considered ideal for flank steak
- Medium: 135-140°F (57-60°C)
- Medium-Well: 140-145°F (60-63°C)
Always use an instant-read meat thermometer to accurately check the internal temperature with each turn or flip, adjusting grilling time accordingly.
- The Crucial Resting Period: This step is non-negotiable for juicy steak. Remove your beef from the heat when it reaches about 5-10°F below your target final temperature (e.g., pull at 120-125°F for medium-rare). Transfer it to a cutting board, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 5-10 minutes before carving. During this resting period, the muscle fibers relax, allowing the juices to redistribute throughout the steak. This carryover cooking will also gently raise the internal temperature to your desired doneness, ensuring a supremely juicy and tender result.
The Art of Slicing Your Flank Steak:
- PRO-Tip: Always Slice Against the Grain! This is arguably the single most important tip for ensuring a tender flank steak. Flank steak has long, visible muscle fibers, known as the “grain.” If you slice with the grain, you’ll end up with chewy, tough pieces of meat, even if perfectly cooked. To cut against the grain, observe the direction of these muscle fibers running through the steak. Then, orient your knife perpendicular to these lines and slice the steak into thin pieces (about ¼-inch thick). For flank steak, this usually means cutting from one long side to the other, making shorter slices rather than very long ones. This technique shortens the muscle fibers, making each bite much more tender and enjoyable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flank Steak
Flank steak is a lean, flavorful cut of beef that comes from the abdominal muscles of the cow, situated near the hind legs. It’s identifiable by its long, flat shape and distinct, coarse grain. While sometimes confusingly labeled as “London Broil” (which is actually a preparation method that can use various cuts like top round or sirloin), true flank steak has a unique texture and flavor profile. Always ask your butcher if their “London Broil” is indeed a flank steak to ensure you’re getting the right cut for this recipe. Its robust beefy flavor and ability to absorb marinades make it a favorite for grilling, and I’ve shared numerous flank steak recipes over the years to showcase its versatility!
If flank steak isn’t available, several other cuts can make excellent substitutes in this marinade recipe, though each will have its own subtle characteristics as they come from different regions of the cow:
- Skirt Steak: Similar in shape but usually thinner and longer, skirt steak has an even more pronounced grain and fantastic beefy flavor. It cooks very quickly, so watch it closely on the grill.
- Hanger Steak: Known as the “butcher’s cut” because butchers often kept it for themselves, hanger steak is incredibly tender and flavorful, with a rich, almost liver-like taste. It’s thicker than flank or skirt, so adjust grilling time accordingly.
- Flat Iron Steak: Cut from the shoulder, flat iron steak is known for being remarkably tender and well-marbled, offering a buttery texture and rich flavor. It’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for something particularly tender.
Regardless of the substitute, remember to slice against the grain for maximum tenderness!
For optimal flavor infusion and tenderization, we recommend marinating your flank steak for at least 8 hours, and ideally overnight (12-24 hours) in the refrigerator. While a minimum of 2 hours will impart some flavor, the longer marination period allows the red wine, soy, and balsamic mixture to truly work its magic, resulting in a deeper flavor profile and a more tender steak. Do not marinate for more than 24 hours, as the acids can start to break down the meat too much, making it mushy.
Absolutely! While grilling imparts that wonderful smoky char, you can certainly cook this marinated flank steak indoors. You have a few great options:
- Cast Iron Skillet: Heat a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil until smoking hot. Sear the steak for 3-5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.
- Broiler: Place the steak on a broiler pan and broil 4-6 inches from the heat source for 4-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness and desired doneness.
- Grill Pan: A grill pan can simulate some of the char and grill marks you’d get outdoors. Heat it well and cook similarly to a cast iron skillet.
Regardless of the method, remember to let the steak rest before slicing against the grain!
This flavorful Red Wine, Soy, Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides. Here are some popular choices:
- Starches: Garlic mashed potatoes, roasted new potatoes, wild rice pilaf, or a simple baguette.
- Vegetables: Grilled asparagus, sautéed spinach, corn on the cob, green bean almondine, or a vibrant medley of roasted seasonal vegetables.
- Salads: A fresh garden salad with a light vinaigrette, a hearty potato salad, or a refreshing coleslaw.
For a complete meal, consider adding a fresh salsa or a dollop of chimichurri for an extra burst of flavor!
More Delicious Beef Recipes to Explore
- Fig Balsamic Glazed Grilled Beef from Belly Full
- Carne Asada Tacos {Grilled Beef Tacos} from Foodie with Family
- Grilled Korean Beef Steaks
- BLT Burgers with Spicy Mayonnaise
- Grilled Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Butter
- Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Discover more of my Best Beef Recipes for every occasion.
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Red Wine, Soy, Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak
10 minutes
10 minutes
2-12 hours
25 minutes + marinating
6 servings
A deeply flavorful marinade that will transform your flank steak into an incredibly tender and juicy dish, taking your grilling to the next level!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dry red wine (such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
- ⅔ cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed is best
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 ½-3 pounds flank steak
Instructions
- Combine Marinade Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, combine the red wine, soy sauce, vegetable oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Whisk thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Prepare the Flank Steak: Score your flank steak by making shallow cuts, about ⅛-inch deep and 1 to 1 ½-inch apart, across the grain on both sides. This technique helps the marinade penetrate deeper and tenderizes the meat.
- Marinate the Steak: Add the scored flank steak to the prepared marinade (either in the bowl or the resealable bag). Ensure the steak is fully coated. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or for best results, marinate overnight (8-12 hours), turning occasionally.
- Grill and Serve: About an hour before grilling, remove the steak from the refrigerator. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade, discarding any remaining marinade. Grill the flank steak to your desired doneness, typically 4-7 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature 130-135°F). Let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes under foil before carving thin slices against the grain. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
This Red Wine, Soy, Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak recipe is adapted from a classic method featured in Sunset Magazine, with enhancements for even greater flavor and tenderness.
Nutrition Information (estimated per serving):
Yield:
6 servings
Serving Size:
1 serving
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 559
Total Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 16g
Cholesterol: 179mg
Sodium: 212mg
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 63g
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