Flank steak is technically not a steak at all. Instead, this popular cut of beef comes from the cow's belly muscles. It’s a flavorful piece of meat, but is very lean, containing almost no fat. Despite its toughness, it can be a tasty and tender if you learn how to prepare it properly. Flank steak benefits from marinating and is best enjoyed grilled over high heat or slow-braised.
Flank steak comes from the cow’s lower chest or abdominal muscle, and is an inexpensive, flavorful, and versatile cut of beef. It’s about a foot long and one inch thick, and cooked whole rather than divided into smaller individual steaks. The cut is also known as jiffy steak, bavette (in French), and in some regions, London broil. Flank steak can be identified by the visible direction of the meat’s cross-grain.
Due to flank steak’s low-fat content, it does not need to be trimmed. It can be seasoned simply with salt and pepper or your favorite meat rub and typically requires additional tenderizing in order to achieve the best flavor. This can be done by hand with a meat tenderizing mallet, chemically using an acidic marinade, or by cooking the steak “low and slow” to gradually break down its dense connective tissue.
Flank steak is ideal for fajitas, stir-fries, and other applications that call for beef strips. Rest cooked steak for at least five minutes before serving, and slice thinly against the grain, preferably at a 45-degree angle, for the best texture. Slicing with the grain will result in an unpleasantly chewy steak.