Grilled Flank Steak
Marinated in a healthy, easy-to-make, and flavor-packed pineapple and cilantro marinade, this Grilled Flank Steak is so incredibly delicious and ready for any way you want to serve it.
We love a recipe that can be cooked once and enjoyed multiple ways, and that’s exactly what our new tender, juicy Grilled Flank Steak is! This lean cut of beef is marinated in a tenderizing pineapple marinade that is bursting with flavor. Serve it sliced thinly on its own with your favorite side, in fajitas or tacos, on a crostini, or in sliders; it’s delicious no matter how it’s enjoyed!
Ingredients Needed
- Flank Steak – We love this cut of meat because it’s lean, it’s often more affordable than other cuts of beef, and it lends well to a long marinade to help tenderize it.
- Canned Pineapple – Pineapple is a great addition to marinades, especially for leaner cuts of meat, because it contains bromelain that breaks down connective tissues and tough protein fibers. Plus, it adds a great kick of sweet acidity!
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro adds some fresh herbal flavor to the marinade.
- Olive Oil – The base of this marinade that helps tenderize while also infusing the flavors of the other ingredients of the marinade into the meat.
- Onion and Garlic – Savory components of this marinade.
- Spices – Salt, Cumin, and Red Pepper Flakes all complement these flavors and tie them all together.
- Lime Juice – The final complementary acid.
The marinade is incredibly easy to make. Simply toss all the ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend well until everything, including the red pepper flakes, is well incorporated into a smooth pineapple herb marinade.
Add the beef and the marinade to a ziplock bag and let it marinate overnight, or for the best results, at least 24 hrs.
Once ready, grill to delicious perfection for a beautiful Grilled Flank Steak!
Grilling Tips
For the best results, high heat is key for this Grilled Flank Steak! To get those beautiful crosshatched grill marks, turn 90 degrees and onto other spots on the grill to achieve beautiful grill marks.
Grilled Flank Steak, done! Technically medium rare, but see our recipe notes for cooking temps based on how you like your beef cooked. This juicy, tender beef is now ready for however you’d like to serve it!
Serving Ideas
- As a crostini on Baguette slices. Swap it in for our Chimichurri Steak Crostini!
- In Tacos, Burritos, or Fajitas with our Roasted Tomato Salsa, Roasted Poblano Sauce, and in our Corn Tortillas From Scratch.
- With our Easy Homemade Mexican Rice or Mexican Street Corn Salad.
- On our Homemade Hawaiian Rolls or Easy Dinner Rolls From Scratch for delightful little sliders!
Slice against the grain
For the ultimate tender beef slices, slice against the grain because this will shorten the muscle fibers and make this lean cut of beef much easier to chew and much more tender. Also, be sure to let the beef rest at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute, which also contributes to the tenderness of the beef.
You Also Might Like
- Grilled Boneless Pork Chops
- Balsamic Shiitake Mushroom Steaks
- Chimichurri Steak Crostini
- Homemade Bibimbap
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Grilled Flank Steak
Equipment
- High powered blender or Vitamix
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb flank steak
- 1 bunch cilantro stems removed
- 1 can pineapple 14 oz with juice
- 1 small red onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2/3 cup olive oil or other neutral oil
- 1 lime, juice from
Instructions
- Prep Steak: Add the steak (untrimmed – keep that fat!) to a large ziplop bag.
- Make Marinade: Add pineapple and the juice, lime juice, red onion, olive oil, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, garlic, and cilantro to a high powered blender and blend on high until very smooth and all of the ingredients are well blended.
- Marinate: Add the marinade to the steak, seal, mix with your hands, and then add to the fridge and let marinate for at least 24 hrs.
- Grill: Preheat the grill on high for 10 to 15 minutes. Before grilling, gently shake the meat out, removing some of the marinade. Place the meat on the grill, and after 2 minutes, rotate the steak 90 degrees and move it to a different spot on the grill (This is what will give those clear grill marks, but not necessary). Allow to cook 2 minutes and then flip again and place on a different spot on the grill. If after these 2 minutes the internal temperature is still below 130, rotate 90 degrees and place on a different spot on the grill for another minute. For medium rare, pull the meat from the grill at 130 degrees internal for medium rare as it will continue to rise another 5 degrees while it rests. The timing will vary based on the thickness of your steak and the amount of marinade still on the meat before grilling.*
- Rest: Once the flank steak has cooked to the desired doneness, remove from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute in the beef.
- Slice: With a sharp knife, slice the beef thinly against the grain.
- Serve and Enjoy!
This steak came out perfectly! I always have a hard time getting the flavors and the sear just right but I followed the directions and it came out great.
Wonderful to hear, Jen! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I was so happy with this recipe. The marinade was delicious and made the steak so tender. My husband said it was one of the best steaks I’ve ever cooked him. We had it with some green beans and french fries. Delicious!
That makes me so happy to hear, Claire! Thanks so much for sharing!