Sandra This tender, marinated Alton Brown London Broil is made with a savory soy-honey glaze and ready in just over 20 minutes of active cooking. The secret lies in a quick, high-heat broil that creates a caramelized crust while keeping the inside perfectly medium-rare. I’ve found this method transforms a budget-friendly flank steak into a steakhouse-quality dinner.
What I Learned Making This
I used to think London broil was a specific cut of beef, but Alton Brown taught me it is actually a method of cooking lean, tough cuts like flank or top round. My biggest mistake early on was ignoring the marinade time; you really need that overnight soak to let the salt and acid break down the muscle fibers.
Another lesson was the rack position. If you place the meat too low, it steams instead of sears, but if you put it too high, the honey in the marinade burns before the center cooks. I found that positioning the rack exactly 3 to 4 inches from the element is the sweet spot for that signature char.
Alton Brown London Broil Ingredients
- 1.5 to 2 lbs flank steak (or top round steak)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey (or brown sugar)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
How To Make Alton Brown London Broil
- Prepare the Marinade: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, honey, minced garlic, black pepper, smoked paprika, and salt until the honey is fully dissolved.
- Marinate the Steak: Place the flank steak inside a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over the meat, squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal. Massage the bag to coat the steak evenly and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the Broiler: When ready to cook, move your oven rack to the second-highest position (about 3 to 4 inches from the heating element). Preheat the broiler on high for at least 5 minutes.
- Broil the Steak: Remove the steak from the bag and pat it slightly dry with paper towels to ensure a good sear. Place it on a broiler pan or a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Broil for 6 minutes on the first side.
- Flip and Finish: Flip the steak over and broil for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 130°F for medium-rare.
- Rest and Serve: Transfer the steak to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
Recipe Tips
- Slice Against the Grain: This is non-negotiable for flank steak. Look for the parallel lines of muscle fiber and cut perpendicular to them to shorten the fibers and ensure every bite is tender.
- Don’t Skip the Pat Down: After removing the meat from the marinade, patting it dry helps the surface caramelize immediately under the broiler instead of steaming in excess liquid.
- Watch the Sugar: The honey in this marinade loves to burn. Keep a close eye on the meat during the last few minutes of broiling and move the rack down if it gets too dark too quickly.
What To Serve With London Broil
A classic baked potato or garlic mashed potatoes works perfectly to soak up the savory juices from the steak. For a green side, try garlicky sautéed green beans or a crisp wedge salad with blue cheese dressing to cut through the richness of the meat.
How To Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sliced steak is fantastic cold in sandwiches or salads. You can also freeze the cooked meat for up to 2 months, though the texture is best when fresh.
FAQs
- Can I use a different cut of beef? Yes, top round is often sold as “London Broil” in stores and works well, though it may require a slightly longer marinade time than flank steak due to its thickness.
- Do I have to use a broiler pan? A broiler pan allows air to circulate, but if you don’t have one, use a wire cooling rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet to achieve a similar effect.
- What if I don’t have smoked paprika? Regular paprika works fine, but you will miss that subtle outdoor-grill flavor; you can add a drop of liquid smoke to the marinade as a substitute.
Nutrition
- Calories: 280
- Total Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
- Sodium: 800mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 8g
- Protein: 30g
Try More Recipes:
Alton Brown London Broil Recipe
Description
A masterclass in transforming a tough, fibrous flank steak into a tender, succulent main course using a high-sodium marinade for protein denaturation and intense radiant heat for a superior crust.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Emulsify the soy sauce, olive oil, honey, garlic, pepper, paprika, and salt in a small bowl; the honey acts as a surfactant while providing the sugars necessary for rapid caramelization.
- Marinate the flank steak in a zip-top bag, ensuring maximum surface contact by removing all air. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours (up to 24) to allow the salt and acid to begin the process of denaturation.
- Preheat the broiler on high for at least 5 minutes and position the oven rack 3 to 4 inches away from the heating element to ensure intense radiant heat.
- Dehydrate the surface of the meat by patting it dry with paper towels; any residual surface moisture will cause steam and inhibit the Maillard reaction.
- Broil the steak on a wire rack set over a baking sheet for 6 minutes on the first side to develop a dark, charred crust.
- Flip and finish for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches exactly 130°F for medium-rare.
- Rest the meat for 10 minutes under a loose foil tent; this allows the pressure within the muscle fibers to equalize and the internal temperature to rise via carry-over cooking to 135°F.
- Slice the steak thinly at a 45-degree angle against the grain for maximum mechanical tenderness.
Notes
- The long marination period isn’t just for flavor; the salt in the soy sauce penetrates the meat via osmosis, causing the tightly wound protein filaments to swell and hold more moisture during the high-heat cooking phase.
- Patting the meat dry is a critical technical step. The energy required to evaporate surface water is significantly higher than the energy required to trigger the Maillard reaction; by removing that moisture, the heat of the broiler goes immediately toward browning the meat.
- Slicing “against the grain” is a form of mechanical tenderization. By cutting across the long, tough muscle fibers (fascicles), you are essentially doing the “chewing” with your knife, resulting in a much shorter fiber length that feels significantly more tender on the palate.
