Flank Steak with a Kick

I recently received the July Fine Cooking in the mail and it is filled with lots of yummy looking recipes including many for the grill. Since today is Memorial Day we decided to try out one of the grill recipes. It for a Argentine Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Salsa Criolla. As a confession I had this on the menu for last week and didn't realize it needed lots of marinating time, so that is part of why we ended up using it as our Memorial Day dinner.

For this recipe you create a spice rub that you rub on the flank steak. It includes mashed garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and fresh thyme. You then rub the steak with it and let is sit in the fridge for several hours. The recipe calls for over 4 lbs of meat and I did one smaller steak since it was just for the two of us. You then prepare the salsa which includes a chopped tomato, onion, half a red bell pepper, spices, olive oil, and white wine vinegar. This also needs to marinate in the fridge for several hours. After the marinating is complete you grill the steak for just a few minutes on each side. Russ did a great job with it and ended up with a perfectly grilled steak. After it rests you thinly slice it against the grain and top it with the salsa.

The rub gives the flank steak a very spicy kick. I should have used less of the rub to compensate for the smaller steak and I think this still would have given it the spicy flavor without being a little overpowering. The salsa accompanies it well and helps to cool off some of the heat from the chili powder while adding a fresh flavor and good texture. We served ours with corn and leftover green bean and tomato salad (that Jess made as a side for the rib cook off). We really enjoyed it, but I think if I had cut down on the rub it would have been even better. There was plenty of steak leftover that I think we will use in tacos tomorrow. Russ rates the steak and salsa a 8.

Argentine Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Salsa Criolla

Fine Cooking, July 2007

Serves 12

3 cloves garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt

2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbs. chili powder

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 and 1/2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. kosher salt

4 and 1/2 lb. flank steak (about 3 medium steaks), trimmed of excess fat

1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and finely diced (about 1 and 1/4 cup)

1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 and 1/3 cups)

1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup white-wine vinegar

In a small bowl, mix about two-thirds of the garlic paste with 1 Tbs. of the thyme, 2 tsp. of the black pepper, the chili powder, brown sugar, and 1 and 1/2 Tbs. of the salt. Arrange the steaks on the rimmed baking sheet and pat the spice rub all over them. Cover and let sit for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day in the refrigerator.

In a 1 quart sealable container, combine the tomato, onion, red pepper, oil, and vinegar with 1/4 cup of water, and the remaining garlic paste, 1 Tbs. thyme, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. black pepper. Shake well. Refrigerate for up to 1 day before serving.

Heat a gas grill to medium high or prepare a hot charcoal fire. Grill the steak (covered on a gas grill) until it has good grill marks on the first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the steak; if using a gas grill, reduce the heat to medium and cover the grill. Continue to cook until done to your liking (make a slit in the steak to take a peek), 4 to 5 minutes more for medium rare; 6 to 7 minutes more for medium.

Let the steak rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes and then slice thinly across the grain. Stir or shake the salsa criolla and serve with the steak.