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…
- Add the liquid ingredients into the bag with the steaks already inside.
- Seal.
- Squeeze the bag in different areas to mix it all up and combine.
- Open & add the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix it all up.
- 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.
Print
Greek Marinated Flank Steak
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 flank steaks (about 1 lb. each)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pineapple juice
4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3-4 thinly sliced lemon wheels
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped & rounded
8 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, chopped & rounded (for garnish)
salt
black pepper
Instructions
For the marinade:
- Unpack steaks and lay on large cutting board. Sprinkle each side very lightly with salt. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk 8 tablespoons EVOO, pineapple juice, low-sodium soy sauce, & red wine together. If you’re making it the “lazy” way, then follow those directions instead.
- Add garlic, thyme, dried oregano, paprika, onion powder, chopped fresh parsley, black pepper, & a dash of salt to the mixture. Stir. Add lemon wheels, squeezing as you drop them in. Whisk together.
- Place one steak in large resealable plastic bag. Pour half of marinade into bag. Add 4 fresh cilantro sprigs. Gently squeeze the bottom and sides of bag to spread marinade around steak. Add second steak to bag and repeat the squeezing process, adding the rest of marinade and remaining cilantro sprigs.
- Seal bag and lay steaks as flat as possible. If necessary, use two separate bags and divide marinade equally.
- Set marinating steak in refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Marinating steaks with this recipe shouldn’t be done for longer than 4 hours (depending on the cut used), as the steak can toughen due to the high acidity instead of tenderize.
Cooking the steaks:
- Remove marinating steaks from refrigerator 5-10 minutes before cooking. Do not remove steaks from resealable bag just yet. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
- Heat remaining EVOO in a large skillet (like this one) over medium-high heat until shimmering, but not smoking.
- Place first steak in heated skillet. If any cilantro sprigs are attached, remove and discard. Cook for a little over 3 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes for medium-rare. If a different level of doneness is desired, refer to the suggested cooking times above.
- When all steaks are out of bag, force air to escape, seal completely, and discard.
- Transfer cooked steak to wooden tray. Let rest for at least 6 minutes. Steaks MUST rest for several minutes in order to retain flavorful juices. Only slice into steak once resting time is up.
- Once rested, garnish steak with a pinch of chopped fresh cilantro. Serve steak whole or pre-sliced along with your favorite side dish. If slicing before serving, cut steak diagonally in ½-inch slices.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 6 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
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