Once upon time, flank steak was considered a lowly cut of beef, often discarded or ground into hamburger. While flank steak top sirloin steak tough a loyal fan base in Tex-Mex and Southwest cooking styles, home chefs in other parts of the United States were puzzled over how to prepare it.
Toss it on the grill and you’d end up with a tasteless, chewy hunk of meat. Make the mistake of cutting it with the grain and you may as well be serving shoe leather. In the case of flank steak, we learned how to marinate and slice the bargain-priced cut of meat to make sizzling fajitas and overstuffed burritos. Fast forward a few decades and that once lowly cut of meat with an equally low price point is now one of the most popular beef cuts in the United States. In most major markets, you’ll find it priced at, or near, the cost per pound for grill-favorite sirloin strip steak. It’s good to know you have options when it comes to buying meat that’s affordable and tastes great. And in a pinch you can follow this guide with 10 worthy swaps for flank steak that cook up and taste just as good.
It comes from the plate of the cow, which, as Texas Monthly says, is located in the center of the steer just below the ribeye. Although it has a higher fat content, skirt steak still has a tendency to get tough when it’s prepared. For best results, marinate it before cooking, be careful not to overcook it, and always slice against the grain. When done right, it’s a great replacement for flank steak in dishes like fajitas and stir fries. That’s because London broil isn’t a specific cut of meat. So, it can be surmised that flank steak and top round are interchangeable in many preparations — especially any recipe involving a marinade.
Interesting side note: London broil is actually not from London. Early references suggest it originated in the 1930s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Another good substitute for flank steak is hanger steak. This style is usually cut thin, like flank steak, but it has a higher fat content making it just a little bit more tender. If you decide to grill it, be careful not to go over about two minutes per side, unless you like your steak served tough.
United States over the past decade or so. Tri-tip steak is another suitable and affordable swap for flank steak. 20th century when a local grocer, Bob Schutz, decided to showcase the cut as steak. Before that, it was commonly ground or used as stew beef. According to Santa Maria Valley, the cut was long considered a throw-away for a few reasons including the fact that, because there is only one tri-tip per side of beef, grocers thought it would be a waste of space in the display case.
Thankfully that opinion has changed over time and this cut is now more readily available. Gourmet Sleuth suggests switching in flat iron steak — a top blade cut — for flank steak when you need a good substitute. According to Food Fire Friends, top blade steaks come from the chuck primal, or shoulder, of the cow. Food Fire Friends further explains butchers remove that connective tissue to reveal two separate cuts of meat — the top blade steak and the flat iron steak. The average flat iron steak is about one-inch thick and weighs about eight ounces.
It gets its name from its resemblance to old-fashioned flat irons that were heated on a stove and used to press clothes. Flank steak and flap steak are interchangeable in many recipes, according to Gourmet Sleuth. A flap steak is a thin, somewhat lean cut of meat that, like flank steak, comes from the belly of the cow. Another note: Flap meat cut into cubes instead of steaks is called sirloin tip.
While it’s a good choice for marinades, flap steak also works well on the grill where high heat is the key to its success. It cooks quickly, but some grill masters like it for that very reason, intentionally charring the edges to get crispy bits of beef that border the soft inside. If you choose to experiment with charring, keep a close eye on the internal temperature of the steak. If it’s undercooked, it tends to be too chewy. When you’re ready to serve, slice the steak across the grain into thin strips. Weber Grill Review gives a nod to sirloin steak as a suitable substitute for flank steak, but reminds its audience there are two kinds of sirloin — top sirloin and bottom sirloin.
It’s recommended to choose top sirloin when you’re replacing flank steak. It works well in recipes calling for rubs or marinades. Gourmet Sleuth says top sirloin steak ranks among the most affordable cuts of meat. It holds up well for grilling, even without a marinade, but be careful not to overdo it. Once done, let the cooked steak rest, then cut into slices on the diagonal. Loving the recipe, but not feeling like beef?