There is no more clutch cut of steak than flank—it’s inexpensive, readily available in the meat department, and provides a laudable protein-to-fat ratio of 3-to-1. Pair it with beer, and now it’s a real winner. Like round steak, the flank cut, which hails from the abdominal muscles of the cow, is best treated with a marinade before grilling.

Chef’s tip: To achieve the aesthetically pleasing crosshatch pattern of criss-crossing grill marks, be sure to turn your steaks halfway on the same side before flipping over—your friends will be impressed. Also, once you’ve nailed the grilling part, and the meat is rested, don’t forget to slice thinly across the grain to guarantee a more tender bite.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grilling
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 lbs flank steak
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup cup dark beer (like a stout or porter)
  • 2 tsp whole-grain Dijon mustard

Directions

  1. In a shallow dish, whisk together 1⁄4 cup olive oil, soy sauce, orange juice, garlic, and chili powder. Add steak, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours, flipping once.
  2. Remove steak from marinade, and pat dry with a paper towel. Build a hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Grease grill grate with oil. Grill steak for 2 minutes, then rotate 45° to make diamond grill marks. Grill 2 minutes more, and then flip steaks. Grill 2 minutes, rotate steaks 45°, and continue cooking until an internal temperature of 130° is reached (for medium-rare). Remove from grill, and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until onions are soft and darkened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beer, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until most of the beer has been boiled off. Stir in mustard, and remove from heat.
  4. Arrange steak slices on a platter, and top with onions or serve on the side.
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