The marinade in this Grilled Asian-style Soy Marinated Flank Steak takes an uninteresting piece of steak and turns it into a mouthwatering dish!
Soy-Marinated Flank Steak
Soy-Marinated Flank Steak is a delicious and flavorful dish that combines the tenderness of flank steak with the savory taste of soy sauce. This recipe infuses the meat with a rich marinade, resulting in a mouthwatering steak that is perfect for grilling. Flank steak is a lean primal cut with wonderful beefy flavor which is perfect for grilling. Some of my other flank steak recipes you may love are this simple Flank Steak with Tomatoes, Balsamic and Red Onion, Flank Steak with Chimichurri, and Flank Steak with Black Bean Corn Salsa.
I met Culinary Scientist Jessica Gavin at a dinner in Salt Lake City. We got to talking about food science and the conversation was fascinating understanding how ingredients function together. This recipe is from her cookbook Easy Culinary Science (affil link) which is filled with easy to follow recipes, helpful cooks notes and the recipe science for each. I modified her recipe slightly to lower the sodium and fat, but keep in mind most of the marinade gets tossed which has been reflected in the nutritional analysis.
How To Make Soy Marinated Flank Steak
- To prepare the marinade, simply combine the soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, honey, sesame oil, and the additional ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients together.
- Place the flank steak in a resealable plastic bag or a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the meat, ensuring it is completely coated. Allow the steak to marinate for at least 60 minutes, but for optimal flavor, marinate it for several hours or even overnight in the refrigerator.
- When it’s time to cook the flank steak, you have a few options. Grilling is a popular choice as it adds a smoky char to the meat and enhances the flavors of the marinade. Preheat your grill to high heat and coat the grates with oil to prevent sticking.
- Remove the steak from the marinade, allowing any excess marinade to drip off, and place it directly on the grill. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare, adjusting the cooking time based on your desired level of doneness. Once cooked, transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing against the grain.
- Let the steak rest before slicing.
No Grill, No Problem
If grilling isn’t an option, you can also cook the marinated flank steak on a stovetop. Heat a grill pan over high heat and add a bit of oil to prevent sticking. Remove the steak from the marinade, allowing any excess marinade to drip off, and place it in the hot skillet. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, again adjusting the cooking time to achieve your desired level of doneness.
Recipe Science
The marinade adds flavor to the surface and inside of the meat, while salt makes the meat juicier. Water-soluble flavor compounds come from the garlic, ginger and green onion. Soy sauce provides an unami flavor which penetrates the meat with flavor. The oil allows the fat-soluble flavors from the pepper flakes to infuse the oil and stick to the meats surface for tremendous flavor. The honey aids in providing quicker browning and caramelizing for an intense smoky charred flavor.
Marinating Notes
When marinating meat, the aromatic compounds in the marinade will never fully penetrate the center. 8 hours is plenty of time to marinate so you can do this in the morning, then cook it in the evening. Any longer than 12 hours won’t add much benefit.
More Grilled Steak Recipes:
- Flank Steak with Chimichurri
- Flank Steak with Tomatoes, Balsamic and Red Onion
- Flank Steak with Black Bean Corn Salsa
Soy Marinated Flank Steak
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 120 ml reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free option)
- 1/4 cup 60 ml honey
- 2 tablespoons 30 ml vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp 10 g minced ginger
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp 6 g thinly sliced green onion, plus more for garnish
- 3/4 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 lb 907 g flank steak
Instructions
- In a medium-size bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, black pepper, red chili pepper and green onions.
- Remove 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the marinade and combine with the rice vinegar in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
- Place the remaining marinade and steak in a 1-gallon (3.6-L) resealable bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour by laying the steak flat, and flipping the bag after 30 minutes. The steak can be marinated in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
- Remove the steak from the marinade, drain any excess liquid and transfer to a pan. Discard the marinating bag.
- Set the grill to high. Add a small amount of oil on a folded piece of paper towel, carefully greasing the grill with the oil.
- Allow the grill to preheat for 15 minutes, and once the grill is very hot, add the steak.
- Cover and cook the steak until well browned, about 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook until desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes. For medium rare, cook the steak until the internal temperature reaches between 120 and 125°F (49 and 52°C). For medium, cook between 130 and 135°F (54 and 57°C).
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice the steak against the grain into 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick slices. Pour the reserved marinade on top and serve hot.
