Red wine marinated beef flank steak
- Preparation 15 min
- Refrigeration 3 h
- Cooking 12 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🔥 The summer classic I stole from my neighborhood butcher shop
I’ve always had a weakness for grilled flank steak on the BBQ. Every time I went to my butcher, there was this same red wine marinade in the meat counter, already prepared, ready to go. One day I thought: sweet jesus, why don’t I make it myself my way? God knows I love making my own versions. I tested, I adjusted, I added herbes salées from the Lower St. Lawrence for the Quebec touch, a bit of honey for caramelization, lime for acidity, and voilà. The homemade version that beats the original hands down. It became THE summer recipe at our place, the one I make when family drops by and we want to eat outside. When I serve it to my kids, their first sentence is always the same: “Wow dad, you’re the best cook in the whole world.” I’m not even exaggerating.
🌡️ The thermometer is life. And everything else flows from that
If you remember one thing from this recipe, remember this: flank steak, you HAVE to cook it with a thermometer. Not by guess, not by sight, not by touch. A meat thermometer. Flank steak is naturally uneven in thickness, so one area will cook faster than the other, and without a thermometer, you’ll either undercook it too rare, or turn it into shoe leather. I cook it medium-well (never pink, it’s not the right cut for that), I aim for about 65°C at the core, and I let it rest 5 minutes under foil. It’s during this rest that the juices redistribute and the magic happens. The other non-negotiable rule: I always separate my marinade in two. Half to marinate the raw meat, half (untouched) to baste during cooking. Never, ever, marinade that has touched raw meat on meat that’s cooking.
🏡 Perfect for entertaining on a Saturday night with friends
If you’re looking for entertaining recipes that look complicated but ask for 15 minutes of actual prep, you just found it. It’s exactly the kind of Saturday night recipe that turns heads when you bring the plate out of the house. The flank steak sliced thin against the grain, sprinkled with fleur de sel, with roasted baby potatoes and a nice potato salad on the side. It’s my go-to recipe for friends during the beautiful season, and it’s part of my impressive recipes that never fail to wow. You prepare the marinade in the morning, you forget the meat in the fridge for 3 hours, you light the BBQ at the right time, and you spend the evening on the patio drinking the rest of your bottle of merlot.
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🌡️ The meat thermometer is life
I say it, I repeat it: flank steak WITHOUT a thermometer is a stupid bet. The piece is naturally uneven in thickness, and the only way to get perfect cooking every time is to aim for a precise internal temperature. 65°C for medium-well, which is the ideal cooking for this cut. Get yourself an instant thermometer, period.
🥩 Ask your butcher for uniform thickness
When you go to the butcher (neighborhood butcher or big box store, both work), explicitly ask for a piece of flank steak with the most uniform thickness possible. It’s not always obvious because flank steak is naturally uneven, but a good butcher will find you the nice piece. The more uniform it is, the more even the cooking will be everywhere.
🍷 A good wine to drink = a good wine in the recipe
Ingredients make the magic. If you use a $3 wine from the grocery store that you wouldn’t drink, your marinade will taste like $3 grocery store wine. Take a merlot you feel like drinking (no need to buy a $70 one), put some in the marinade, and finish the rest in your glass while the meat marinates. Everyone’s happy.
🔀 ALWAYS separate your marinade in two
Food safety rule that lots of people forget: NEVER baste cooked meat with marinade that has touched raw meat. Separation into two equal parts from the start: one half for marinating, the other half untouched for basting during cooking. This method gives you all the flavor without the risk.
🔪 Slicing against the grain isn’t rocket science
Lots of people mess up this step, and it’s the difference between tender flank steak and rubber flank steak. You look at the meat, you see the fiber lines going in one direction. You slice perpendicular to those lines, in thin slices. That’s it. No need for fancy knife angles, just thin slices in the right direction.
🧂 Fleur de sel at the end, no exceptions
Just before serving, I sprinkle generously with fleur de sel. The little crunchy side of the salt that pops under your teeth with the meat juices is insane. It makes all the difference between “good flank steak” and “legendary flank steak”. Yum yum, I love salt.
🔥 The air fryer option when it’s raining
If you don’t have a BBQ or it’s raining, the air fryer does a surprisingly good job: max power for 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness, for a medium to medium-well result. For the pan, use a hot cast iron, sear 2-3 minutes per side then finish in the oven at 200°C (400°F) until desired internal temperature.
✅ What to serve with my red wine marinated beef flank steak?
My flank steak is already incredible on its own, but to make it a real legendary summer BBQ dinner, serve it with my patates grelots rôties au four for the comforting side or my salade de pommes de terre classique that turns everyone’s head. To balance with some green, add my Creamy brocoli salad or my légumes grillés au BBQ. And if you have leftover flank steak the next day, rush to my grilled cheese à la bavette with sautéed mushrooms and peppers. A completely crazy second life for your leftovers.
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Flank steak
- 1 kg (2 lb) beef flank steak, most uniform thickness possible
- Fleur de sel (for serving)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Marinade
- 1 cup (250 ml) good red wine (like a merlot you’d like to drink)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
- 1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
- 2 green onions, sliced (reserve a few slices for serving)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Juice of ½ lime
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Preparation
Marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Set aside.
Flank steak
- Place the flank steak in a large airtight container.
- Pour half the marinade over the meat, close the container and shake well. Refrigerate the meat and the remaining marinade for 3 hours.
- Preheat the barbecue to maximum power, then reduce to medium. Oil the grill.
- Place the flank steak on the barbecue grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Give the meat a 45-degree rotation and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes to obtain a crosshatch pattern. Baste the meat with the reserved marinade.
- Flip the meat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Give it a 45-degree rotation and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Baste generously with marinade. (Depending on the thickness of the meat, it should be medium-rare. If needed, cook a few more minutes to reach desired doneness.)
- Transfer the meat to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the meat against the grain, garnish with green onions and sprinkle with fleur de sel before serving.
A well-made flank steak is cooked medium-rare as stated in the recipe, but if you prefer it more cooked, it holds up fine to medium-well. I always use a meat thermometer. It’s the only way to get even cooking on a piece that’s naturally uneven in thickness. Pull it off the BBQ a few degrees before your target temperature and let it rest 5 minutes under foil so the juices redistribute.
Absolutely. In the air fryer, max power for 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness, for medium to medium-well. On the stovetop, use a well-heated cast iron pan, sear 2-3 minutes per side for a great crust, then finish in a 200°C (400°F) oven until your desired doneness. In both cases, the 5-minute rest remains mandatory.
3 hours is the sweet spot per the recipe. Less than that, the marinade doesn’t have time to penetrate. More than 6 hours, the acids from the wine and lime start breaking down the fibers and the texture gets grainy. If you’re in a rush, 90 minutes does an acceptable job, but aim for 3 hours when you can plan ahead.
Yes, it’s versatile. It works great with hanger steak, a sliced rib roast, or even beef cubes for skewers. I’ve also tested it with thick pork chops. Surprisingly good. For chicken, I find the marinade becomes a bit too bold, I prefer to adjust by reducing the soy sauce and increasing the honey.
For a complete summer BBQ dinner that impresses without three hours in the kitchen, pair my flank steak with my perfectly crispy baby potatoes and my creamy potato salad with cheese and prosciutto. Add my creamy broccoli salad for freshness and my BBQ grilled veggies for a winning combo with friends. And if you have leftover steak the next day, jump straight to my flank steak grilled cheese.
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