Flank Steak
Flank steak is a lean, flavorful cut taken from the abdominal muscles of the cow. It has a pronounced grain (long muscle fibers) and relatively little fat, which makes it both very tasty and easy to overcook if handled incorrectly.
Flank steak is widely used in dishes where the meat is sliced thinly, such as stir-fries, fajitas, and dishes like Mongolian Beef. Because it is lean and has strong muscle fibers, the key to tenderness is cutting it properly.
How to Slice
Flank steak should almost always be sliced across the grain. The grain runs in long lines along the length of the steak; cutting perpendicular to those lines shortens the fibers and makes the meat much more tender.
For stir-fries and similar dishes:
- Chill the meat briefly to make slicing easier
- Slice thinly across the grain
- Slightly diagonal slices can produce wider, more tender pieces
Cooking Uses
Flank steak works particularly well for:
- Stir-fries
- Chinese-American dishes like Mongolian Beef
- Fajitas
- Quick grilling followed by thin slicing
Because it is lean, flank steak cooks quickly and benefits from high heat and short cooking times.
Substitutes
If flank steak is unavailable, similar cuts include:
- Skirt steak – slightly fattier and often more flavorful
- Flat iron steak – more tender but slightly different texture
- Sirloin – milder flavor but acceptable in many recipes