Beer B-B-Q'D Flank Steak

A flank steak earns its keep with a marinade, and this one stacks beer, beef stock, soy, and lime juice for a full 24 hours of soak. Long, lean, and grainy, flank can turn shoe-leather tough on the grill if you skip two steps: the bath and the slice. The bath breaks down surface fibers, and slicing across the grain shortens the fibers you bite into.

The brown sugar pulls double duty. It balances the soy’s salt and gives the outside something to caramelize when it hits hot grates. Cook over medium so the sugar bronzes instead of burns, and pull the steak when it still has give in the middle. Rest it five minutes before cutting, then angle the knife to slice as thinly as you can manage. Pile the strips onto a platter, spoon any pan juices back over, and serve with cold beer.

Pro Tips

• Score the surface lightly with a sharp knife before marinating so the flavors push deeper into the meat.
• Don’t skimp on the rest. Five minutes off heat lets the juices redistribute instead of running onto the cutting board.
• Slice on a hard angle across the visible grain. Wrong direction and even the most tender flank chews like rubber.
• A lager or pilsner gives a cleaner finish; a stout pushes the marinade toward a deeper, almost coffee-like edge.

Variations

• Swap tamari for soy sauce and the marinade is gluten-free.
• Add grated ginger and a teaspoon of sesame oil for a Korean-style bulgogi twist.
• Stuff the sliced steak into warm tortillas with charred peppers and onions for fajitas.