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Grilled Moroccan Flank Steak

Cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, turmeric, garlic and fresh ginger all add to the big, exotic flavor of these quickly grilled, tender steaks.
Course Grilling, Main Course, Meat
Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons sherry (dry)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 1-1/2 pounds flank steak, 3/4 to 1 inch thick (see Kitchen Notes)

Instructions

  • Marinate the steak. Combine all ingredients except steak in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Trim any excess fat from steak and place in a large plastic zipper food storage bag. (To get 1-1/2 pounds of flank steak, I actually bought two 3/4-pound pieces; this worked out well for grilling.) Pour the marinade over the steak, seal the bag and turn to coat meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1-1/2 hours and up to 3 hours.
  • Grill the steak. Prepare your grill for direct grilling. About 1/2 hour before you're ready to put the steak on the grill, take it out of the fridge (but leave it in the bag of marinade) to let it come to room temperature. When you're ready to grill, remove the steak from the marinade, scraping off any excess. Discard marinade. Grill steak over direct heat, turning it a few times during the process.
  • We grilled the steaks above for about 8 minutes, leaving them nice and rare in the center, just the way we like them. Most flank steak recipes call for grilling them about 10 minutes, which will make them closer to medium or medium rare. Do not overcook flank steak, unless you like your steak tough, dry and chewy. Transfer steak to platter, tent with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.
  • Slice steak thinly across the grain. Fan three or four slices on individual plates and serve.

Kitchen Notes

About flank steak. First, looking back over Blue Kitchen's archives, we must really like flank steak. This is the sixth recipe to use it. That's because it's one of the most flavorful cuts of beef around, and it responds well to marinating and quick cooking. And despite its tough guy reputation, as long as you don't overcook it and do slice it thin, across the grain, it's wonderfully tender.
Flank steak is also much less fatty than most other cuts of beef. That means fewer flare-ups when you're grilling right over the coals—I had none while cooking these steaks.
To see just how versatile flank steak can be, check out these recipes for Flank Steak with Watercress Salad, Cumin/Chili Powder Flank Steak with Spicy Sesame Cilantro Noodle and Flank Steak Tacos.