The Easy Way To Cook Delicious, Crispy Flank Steak In Your Oven

Flank steak is the perfect base for any weeknight meal; it's a hearty, filling dish, and as far as steak goes, it won't break the bank. Plus, it can easily be marinated because it's so thin, meaning you can give it any kind of flavor you want. Flank steak is a little on the chewier side, but it's perfect for slicing and adding to steak tacos or marinating in some chimichurri and serving over greens. To get the right texture, you don't even need to sear it on the stovetop or grill. Instead, all you have to do is broil it in the oven.

Unlike typical oven cooking, broiling only cooks a dish on one side. When you grill, for example, you cook food over an open flame and flip it halfway through. Broiling is essentially the same thing, except the direct heat source is on the top instead of the bottom. The heat source can be electric or gas, depending on your stove hookup, and this will affect the meat's cooking time.

A cut of flank steak is usually no more than one inch thick, meaning it cooks quicker than something like a thicker filet mignon or ribeye. Before broiling the steak, you should marinate it in a sauce that complements whatever flavors you're pairing it with. Then, place it on a sheet pan (or some kind of oven-safe dish with low edges that won't get too close to the heat source), along with the marinade.

The steak will only need a few minutes per side, and its exterior will brown quickly. If you want to keep it as rare as possible, broil it on high and check it after about three minutes to make sure the surface has completely browned; then, flip it and cook it for another three minutes. To heat the steak through entirely, broil it for around five minutes per side. The marinade will help prevent the steak from drying out. After letting it rest for a few minutes, slice it against or across the grain, not with it. That's because flank steak is naturally a little tougher, so cutting against the grain will help break down some of the harder fibers.