Greek Marinated Flank Steak

30 Days of Greek Cooking: Day 15 of 30

My Greek marinated flank steak recipe is designed for meat lovers, so beware if you’re on a specific diet! If you need to watch your intake, adjust the servings of meat accordingly. The recipe below can be made as-is, but divided among four to six people for smaller portions. A single serving of red meat is 3 ounces, but many people eat more than one “serving” in a portion. To learn about heart-healthy serving amounts, read how to get started with the Mediterranean Diet.

If you want to marinate steaks the night before, you could use my Greek marinated flank steak recipe to make a hearty breakfast with some eggs, whole grain English muffins, & potatoes. To marinate flank steaks over night, I suggest adding 3 additional tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the recipe in order to prevent the meat from getting tough.

I have two secret ingredients in this marinade, the first one being pineapple juice. Interestingly, pineapples were originally grown in Greece for ornamental purposes and not for consumption. The second secret ingredient is soy sauce. Some people have an issue with using soy sauce in recipes labeled as “traditional Greek” food, but I don’t. There isn’t really a substitution for soy sauce in marinades, with the exception of Worcestershire sauce, and that’s still not even “Greek.” To me, the soy sauce is what sets this marinade apart. Be sure to use a low-sodium bottle (like this one), though. My philosophy is pretty straightforward: “if it tastes great & it’s still healthy, I’m all for it!”

To be completely honest, I made this recipe a little more “professionally” than usual for the sake of photography for this post. It’s actually funny because I didn’t end up using any of the pictures I took with the marinade in the stupid bowl! I prefer to make my marinades directly in the plastic bag instead of whisking in a mixing bowl. It’s completely up to you, but you won’t be leaving any spices behind in the bowl if you just throw it all in the bag to begin with!

To marinate my “lazy” way…

1. Add the liquid ingredients into the bag with the steaks already inside.
2. Seal.
3. Squeeze the bag in different areas to mix it all up and combine.
4. Open & add the rest of the ingredients.
5. Mix it all up.
6. Flatten & refrigerate.

Simple!

What makes flank steaks different than other cuts?

Flank steak does very well with any marinade that contains vinegar or other acidic ingredients. This Greek-inspired marinade will add surface flavor, but won’t penetrate deeply enough to make the meat tough.

Try my marinade on an American Wagyu Black Grade Flank Steak and throw that baby on the grill if you have one! When it’s cooked to your preferred temperature, let it rest for a few minutes to really soak up all those juices inside. When you’re ready, slice it up and serve it!

The most important tip of all: don’t slice the steak until AFTER it’s cooked and had time to rest!

Pan-searing flank steak: degrees of doneness

Doneness	Description	Internal Temp	Searing Time (on each side)
Rare/Bleu	Seared on outside, cold on inside	110-115°F	1 minute, 10 seconds
Rare	Warm, red center	120 – 130°F	2 minutes
Medium Rare	Standard level of doneness; Red center with ring of pink between center & crust	130 – 135°F	3 minutes
Medium	Pink throughout middle	135 – 145°F	4 minutes
Medium Well	Little to no pinkness in center	145 – 155°F	6 minutes, 30 seconds
Well Done	Brown, tough center	155 – 170°F	10 minutes
Overcooked	Just throw the whole steak away	170°F +	12+ minutes

The above cooking times are approximate because every stove and pan heats differently. The internal temperature will continue to rise (about 5°F more) once the steak is removed from the pan. Keep this in mind when checking the internal temperature & deciding whether or not your steak is ready to be pulled from heat.

Note: this table is based on steaks with about 1″ thickness, assuming that each steak began its cooking time after resting at room temperature.

Items you’ll need for the marinade:

• Large resealable plastic bag
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cup
• Medium mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Cutting board & knife

Items you’ll need to pan-fry the steak:

• Large skillet (this one is my favorite for searing steaks)
• Heat-resistant tongs (try these tongs with silicone tips. They won’t scratch the enamel of your pots and pans!)
• Large serving tray or wooden board
• Chef’s knife

Pair this Greek marinated flank steak with one or two of these side dishes

• Spanakorizo
• Greek lemon & herb rice pilaf
• Fasolakia lathera (traditional Greek green beans in an olive oil & tomato sauce)
• Arakas latheros (traditional Greek peas & potatoes in an olive oil & tomato sauce)
• Greek pot-roasted potatoes in red sauce

If none of these strike your fancy, take some time to browse through some other side dishes.

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