Need Help from London Broil Experts

[Veiox]

I wanted to enjoy some London Broil tomorrow but have to admit the one time I tried to make it, it was not good.

My plan this year is to marinate it and then grill it. I will also use this based upon suggestion from my mom:

Do I have to marinate it 24 hrs or will less work? How long each side on a gas grill? Any other ideas on how to prevent a chewy mess?

 

[kjb32812]

Citrus marinade. I did oranges, lemon, onions and cilantro but still thought it was crap.

 

[MrsScrew]

Sous Vide. Seriously. the best $200 you will ever spend. you can get it at Sur la Table and have perfect beef this evening

http://sansaire.com/

 

[RU-BS]

I marinate in teriyaki. 10-15 minutes each side on the grill on medium.

 

[FanuSanu52]

I marinate for a couple days for the best results. Then grill, but be sure not to overcook.

If you don't want to use a marinade that the cook thinks is crap (citrus marinade wouldn't be my first choice), hunt down a good recipe on the Web. Don't half-ass it with salad dressing; find a recipe with fresh ingredients. My family has a great recipe with worcestershire, basil and other stuff, but I don't have the exact formula available at the moment.

 

[Veiox]

I marinate in teriyaki. 10-15 minutes each side on the grill on medium.

Teriyaki sounds good but 10 mins each side sounds well done to me. I like it rare to med-rare. How well done is it at 10 mins each side?

 

[Veiox]

I marinate for a couple days for the best results. Then grill, but be sure not to overcook.

If you don't want to use a marinade that the cook thinks is crap (citrus marinade wouldn't be my first choice), hunt down a good recipe on the Web. Don't half-ass it with salad dressing; find a recipe with fresh ingredients. My family has a great recipe with worcestershire, basil and other stuff, but I don't have the exact formula available at the moment.

I hope you can share the ingredients...basil and worcestershire sounds good.

 

[FanuSanu52]

Sounds like way too long, but you'll have to mention how thick it is.

Also, unless you really love teriyaki, find a recipe with fresh ingredients. It could be teriyaki-based, but don't just slop something out of a bottle if you want a really good result.

I'll try to hunt down the recipe when I'm back home, but it's one of those written on a scrap of paper buried in a cookbook type deals. It is the only reason I really like London broil.

Here's one that sounds similar:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-marinated-london-broil0.html

Fresh ingredients like the garlic and lemon juice will make it pop.

 

[Veiox]

Sounds like way too long, but you'll have to mention how thick it is.

Also, unless you really love teriyaki, find a recipe with fresh ingredients. It could be teriyaki-based, but don't just slop something out of a bottle if you want a really good result.

Thank you! My piece is from Shop Rite (lol) and about 1-1.25 inches thick.

 

[psengr82]

I'd use a French Dressing for 24 hours. The tenderizer shown above would be good before you marinate. Cook time depends on grill temp and thickness of meat. I always pre-heat my grill on medium and cook on low...for London Broil I'll assume 1.5" thick piece of meat so for med-rare I'd go with 9-10 minutes side one and check it at 7 minutes side two. It'll probably need another minute or so but better safe than sorry.

Now, VERY important...cut the meat across the grain about 1/4" (or less) thick for serving. This will break the muscle and give a tender steak.

 

[RUtix4me]

Cut a few slits in the sides and insert garlic cloves. cook it with garlic inside. Look up easy bordelaise recipe marinate in that. Then reduce the bordelaise marinade to a nice reduction. Serve as a gravy with it.

 

[RU-BS]

Teriyaki sounds good but 10 mins each side sounds well done to me. I like it rare to med-rare. How well done is it at 10 mins each side?

5 minutes each side should be good for rare to medium rare. I like it slightly pink in the middle.

 

[HeyHuey]

How thick is it? Is it the oyster cut? How hot will your grill get? Will it get as hot as your oven broiler? Put the meat between to pieces of wax paper and beat it with a meat tenderizer (sledgehammer) until there is no structure left to the meat....like it's hamburger. Take a sharp knife and cut away anything tough. Season generously with Goya Adobo with pepper....place it in an aluminum foil boat that you make yourself....incinerate it for 6 or 7 minutes on a side (assuming that it's at least and inch thick). The outside should sear almost crispy....the inside should be red/pink.

 

[RUMBA-JK]

while it might violate the rules of lots of experts - slice it on the bias - and thin - real thin - & do it pretty swiftly so it is fresh off the grill - have never had an issue with 'too tough' - and never have leftovers!

 

[RU4Real]

There's really only one thing to do with london broil...

 

[FanuSanu52]

I would think dog meat would require more of a low and slow approach.

 

[bac2therac]

too bad you are missing a delicious meal...im cooking deux tonight....yum

 

[ndecotii]

My mom marinates hers in Wishbone Italian dressing and it's spectacular. The key is how you cut the meat. I don't actually know how to do it (my dad always did it), but if you cut it a certain way with the grain, it makes it so the meat is super tender.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Just broil it with onions and spices. Don't try to make it like a normal steak or you will end up with shoe leather.

 

[mkollar]

while it might violate the rules of lots of experts - slice it on the bias - and thin - real thin - & do it pretty swiftly so it is fresh off the grill - have never had an issue with 'too tough' - and never have leftovers!

^^^ This! A thin bias cut gets you wonderful, flavorful meat that is not chewy. For those interested, below is my recipe.

1 2-to-2 1/2 pound London broil

For marinade
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2/3 cup olive oil

For spice, include
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon hot paprika

Preparation

Make the marinade by whisking together all the ingredients until combined well.

To tenderize the meat, I use a regular long-pronged fork. Quickly and firmly poke the London broil all over both sides of the meat, making sure to “open” each side of the meat.

Put London broil in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade inside. Seal bag, pressing out as much excess air as possible. Set in a shallow dish and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. (The dish is just incase there is any seepage of liquid.)

When ready to grill, prepare a charcoal brazier with quality charcoal. Make certain the coals are white, hot and spread evenly within the brazier. Take the London broil out of the bag and place on a lightly oiled grill rack about 4 inches from the glowing coals. Turn the meat every three minutes for a total of 15 minutes (five times). Internal temp. should register 135°F. to 140°F., on a meat thermometer for rare-medium meat. Biggest mistake is to try and cook the meat beyond 140°F as it dries out the meat and wrecks the flavor. Transfer meat to a cutting board and let stand for five minutes minutes. Using a saber knife, cut meat diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

I also serve with garlic butter to drizzle over the meat. Sometimes I'll offer steak rolls to put the meat on with the garlic butter.

 

[Veiox]

^^^ This! A thin bias cut gets you wonderful, flavorful meat that is not chewy. For those interested, below is my recipe.

1 2-to-2 1/2 pound London broil

For marinade
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2/3 cup olive oil

For spice, include
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon hot paprika

Preparation

Make the marinade by whisking together all the ingredients until combined well.

To tenderize the meat, I use a regular long-pronged fork. Quickly and firmly poke the London broil all over both sides of the meat, making sure to “open” each side of the meat.

Put London broil in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade inside. Seal bag, pressing out as much excess air as possible. Set in a shallow dish and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. (The dish is just incase there is any seepage of liquid.)

When ready to grill, prepare a charcoal brazier with quality charcoal. Make certain the coals are white, hot and spread evenly within the brazier. Take the London broil out of the bag and place on a lightly oiled grill rack about 4 inches from the glowing coals. Turn the meat every three minutes for a total of 15 minutes (five times). Internal temp. should register 135°F. to 140°F., on a meat thermometer for rare-medium meat. Biggest mistake is to try and cook the meat beyond 140°F as it dries out the meat and wrecks the flavor. Transfer meat to a cutting board and let stand for five minutes minutes. Using a saber knife, cut meat diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

I also serve with garlic butter to drizzle over the meat. Sometimes I'll offer steak rolls to put the meat on with the garlic butter.

Thanks for the marinade recipe, I am making it right now as I type. Will follow your directions and post results tomorrow night when done.

 

[Extra Point]

I have the same problem. I got so excited about the London broil sale last time that I bought it and promptly put it in the freezer where it still sits.

Looking at all the ingredients that I will need to buy makes me think it wasn't a good sale after all.

 

[FanuSanu52]

That's the same exact marinade I linked above. Great minds, lol

 

[RUtix4me]

I have the same problem. I got so excited about the London broil sale last time that I bought it and promptly put it in the freezer where it still sits.

Looking at all the ingredients that I will need to buy makes me think it wasn't a good sale after all.

Marinade it in Italian Salad dressing. It is great.

 

[Veiox]

That's the same exact marinade I linked above. Great minds, lol

When I saw it was the same thing you suggested I went with it. Thanks. I am going to go easy on the cooking time as I do not like anything more than med-rare.

 

[Veiox]

I just used Jaccard tenderizer and the thing is awesome. Check out reviews below.

http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-20034...iewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

 

[mkollar]

When I saw it was the same thing you suggested I went with it. Thanks. I am going to go easy on the cooking time as I do not like anything more than med-rare.

Enjoy! One of the biggest 'forgets' people make is how the meat will continue cook even after being removed from the heat. That's why I let it sit for the 5 mins.

I just used Jaccard tenderizer and the thing is awesome. Check out reviews below.

http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-20034...iewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

I'll have to check it out. I'm just Old School. :)

 

[SteveVA2]

Soy sauce and fench dressing for better part of a day

 

[RUSK97]

Citrus marinade. I did oranges, lemon, onions and cilantro but still thought it was crap.

KJB...typical PSU fan...wants to screw us in every possible way...even shares a crap recipe. KJB you sure there's not supposed to be any cyanide in the recipe? LOL

 

[CranfordKnight]

I use a marinade of soy sauce, honey, fresh garlic, olive oil, and fresh grated ginger. Marinate for a couple of hours and throw it on the grill, highest heat for about 5 minutes each side. Perfect every time. Making it for a barbecue tomorrow.

 

[jmg75]

I no longer marinate it. I just let it sit out until it reaches room temperature and season it with coarse grain kosher salt. I undercook it so it doesn't over cook when I let it rest, then I slice it almost paper thin with a granton edge (hollow ground) slicing knife. It's quick, no fuss, and always tender.

 

[Mike from MD]

If you can find it, buy a tri-tip steak. Sure you pay more per pound but you'll never consider a London broil after eating a tri-tip. Very easy to prep with salt and add some pepper at the end. Cook a 2 to 2.5 pounder in a charcoal grill over indirect heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Let stand covered with a piece of foil for a couple of minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices. Flank steak is a great substitute.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Its a lean cut, so you have to cook it quick. I use the exact tenderizer you pictured, then marinate in teriyaki overnight then grill. How long depends on how thick and how hot. I usually put it on the gas grill at medium high, and it takes about 6-8 minutes a side. It can really vary though. I take it off when it is charred on the outside, but still pink throughout. Even if you are unsure, make sure you let it rest for 5 minutes! Otherwise, the juice all winds up on the plate, and your meat winds up dry. Also, do not cut on the bias! Sure, its pretty, but its way more tender if you cut thin slices straight down across the grain.

I eat it relatively often, since I like beef, and it is quite lean. Some of the guys who criticize...I wonder how their cholesterol levels are looking. Sure, I prefer the good stuff, but you can't eat these fatty cuts on a regular basis and be thin/healthy.

 

[brookdale-soda]

Marinade:
1⁄4 cup honey
tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 lime, juice of
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder

Cook on as high as your grill will go, 5 minutes each side to med. rare (no more)

remove from heat. let sit for 5-10 minutes. slice thin across the grain and at a 45 degree angle.

The marinade is so good, you'll want to boil it and use it as a steak sauce.

 

[seels2662]

Hmm London Broil.

Now I try to keep it simple, I think 20 dollars of ingredients to flavor the meat defeats the purpose of buying a london broil.

Ok, first marinades flavor the meat, you want to brine to keep in the moisture. Go on the internet, and find a brine mixture. A bunch of salty, some sugary, and water. I always have the beef bouillon cubes and the large container of montreal steak seasoning around the house, so that is usually in there. I like using alot less sugar than most recipes, but I will add some honey, maple syrup, etc. Play around with flavors, as long as salt and a little sugar is included. The brine must be cooled. Once the brine is dissolved, put it in the freezer for a while or use ice cubes if you are in a rush. Throw the brine in a baking pan and put the broil in it and put it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Next, my secret ingredient. The rub. I cheat. Buy the McCormicks Mesquite seasoning. It goes on sale every one in a while when it does get a bunch. I promise it will make you look like the greatest griller in the world. You'll thank me. Rub a bunch on both sides, and throw it back in the fridge for a while. The longer the better, say a couple hours. Then take it out of the fridge and let it sit.

While you are letting the steak sit, now I fire the grill. I will use nothing but cast iron grills. I do not like stainless and I hate the ceramic crap. High heat for at least 15 minutes so you can get a good sear. Then I will put it on the lowest setting on the middle and the side that I want to cook, or even turn off the middle burner and keep the one side on around medium high or high (my grill is older and the one side doesn't get as hot as the other so I keep it on high). Then I put the steak on the low side grill. I put it on for say around 10 minutes, then I crank that side up, lower the other side, and flip the steak onto the side I just lowered. About 5 minutes in I slice the one edge of the meat to see how rare it is and make a judgement on how much longer I cook. Total about 15-20 minutes on the grill. Then take it off and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Cut the meat tangent to the grain (very important), and enjoy.

 

[DJ Spanky]

So how did your shoe leather turn out for the 4th?

 

[FanuSanu52]

So how did your shoe leather turn out for the 4th?

Probably better than anything you ate!

 

[FanuSanu52]

Its a lean cut, so you have to cook it quick. I use the exact tenderizer you pictured, then marinate in teriyaki overnight then grill. How long depends on how thick and how hot. I usually put it on the gas grill at medium high, and it takes about 6-8 minutes a side. It can really vary though. I take it off when it is charred on the outside, but still pink throughout. Even if you are unsure, make sure you let it rest for 5 minutes! Otherwise, the juice all winds up on the plate, and your meat winds up dry. Also, do not cut on the bias! Sure, its pretty, but its way more tender if you cut thin slices straight down across the grain.

I eat it relatively often, since I like beef, and it is quite lean. Some of the guys who criticize...I wonder how their cholesterol levels are looking. Sure, I prefer the good stuff, but you can't eat these fatty cuts on a regular basis and be thin/healthy.

That's a great point. Those preferred cuts are fattier than eating a whopper with a side of big Mac. I had the misfortune of glancing at the health info before and it was awful...then I realized it was for 4 oz of the 1 lb steak I was eating.

Then, there's the prevailing wisdom that suggests cooking in butter and pouring butter sauce onto your fatty steak. And that's why people that knock London broil are not to be taken seriously.

 

[pnnylion]

I have an oval shaped, large Rival "Smart PoT". You won't eat better chicken, roast or london broil. Plenty of water/favorite sauce or cookable marinade, onions, salt, pepper.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Probably better than anything you ate!

And you'd be wrong.