Fundon Broil

Steak is great but it can be expensive. For those who want greatness w/o the expense there is the London broil. Here is a blurry picture of it:

Blurry is delicious and don't your forget it!

Here's what you need:
2-3 lbs flank or round steak cut such that the muscle fibers run the length of the cut of meat
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
black pepper
butter

The cut of meat is absolutely critical. It is a cheap cut. It is naturally tough and as such it needs to be cut correctly. You want the grain of the meat running the length of it. This allows you to cut diagonally across the grains when you serve it, which severs the fibers, and makes the meat come across as much more tender than it actually is. A lot of times grocery stores will label just any old round or flank steak as London broil or sometimes even flattish pot roasts. Don't go by the label, go by what you see.

First step for this guy is to marinade. Go for four hours at least of overnight. It use a simple mix of soy sauce and red wine. Lots of people would add herbs or maybe some garlic here but I think this marinade overrides just about everything but black pepper. It is plenty salty so don't worry about adding more. I do this in a shallow casserole.

I don't worry about covering the whole thing, just flip in the middle. I sprinkle the top w/ black pepper and after I sprinkle the other side, I sprinkle it. You will want to leave this out for an hour or two before you cook it to bring to room temperature. Starting w/ your meat at room temperature is extra important for a recipe like this that is a rather thick cut of meat being cooked over high heat. You don't want the outsides burning while the inside is still cold.

Cook this on a cast iron pan or otherwise the thickest pan you have. You want a pan that retains heat well. Let it heat up for a good five or ten minutes before starting. Take the meat out of the marinade and pat it dry. Once the pan is hot, throw some butter in there.

And once that's melted, you throw the meat in. Cook on both sides at super high heat for three minutes. After that, reduce heat to medium and cook and additional six to ten minutes, flipping halfway. It is kind of a judgment call at this point depending on the thickness of your London broil. You really, really only want it medium rare or it gets tough fast. You might think you like your steak well done but you are wrong. Alternatively, if it bothers you to pan fry something called a broil, you can throw it in your broiler for ten to fifteen minutes or however long it takes to get to medium rare.

Here's what it looks like when all is said and done:

This wasn't the best cut for this dish. I had to separate it into sections before carving and serving.

Still worked though. Goes great with duck fries or your favorite potato dish. Slice up for sandwiches or serve cold in a salad the next day. This stuff is no good to reheat. You will overcook the heck out of it.

If you like your steak well done or otherwise wish to let us know something about you, let us know in comments!