Pepper-Crusted Flank Steak
Updated May 7, 2024
- Total Time
- 35 minutes, plus 1 hour’s marinating
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes, plus 1 hour’s marinating
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 1flank steak, about 2 pounds
- 2tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 3tablespoons coarse crushed black peppercorns
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
258 calories; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 32 grams protein; 360 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Pat steak dry. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt on each side.
- Step 2
Coat both sides of the steak with the crushed pepper, pressing down to coat evenly. Allow to rest and absorb seasoning for at least 1 hour.
- Step 3
Bring steak to room temperature. Grill over medium-hot coals or a covered gas grill at 450 degrees, about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until juices appear on the surface of the steak. Check with a meat thermometer; 125 degrees for rare, 130 for medium-rare. (Alternatively, cook in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat or broil.) Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.)
- Step 4
With a sharp knife, slice on a slight bias against the grain, about ⅛-inch thick. Arrange on a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
There aren’t any notes yet. Be the first to leave one.
DM
Use less salt
Donald H
I had fun making this for the 1st time. It was not a cut I have used before. I learned about the importance of using the right salt from the show Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. This is now part of my summer picnic dinner. I serve it with warm corn tortilla and quick pickled red onion. It has been a great crowd pleaser.
joansey
A 2 lb flank steak provides the 2 of us 2 meals, cooked separately. I cut the salt by slightly more than 1/2 and dialed back the pepper too. Cooked in the cast iron skillet for 5 minutes total on the stovetop at temperature 6.
David
The salt you use makes a great deal of difference. If you use Morton’s kosher, then you do get a lot more salt per T, and should cut back. If you use Diamond Crystal Flakes, then it may be closer to what this calls for. The recipe writer should note exactly what salt variety they used.
Yoopergal57
I have made this, using the recommended amount of Diamond Crystal Salt and using less, It was DELICIOUS with the full amount. The steak is sliced so thinly (if done properly) that the surface area of each slice actually has very little salt, and (to us) the crushed pepper overpowers any salty taste. Perfect way to get out of the kitchen and to use the grill! (If you do cook this indoors, be prepared for a lot of smoke. The first time I made this in a cast iron pan, my smoke alarm went off)
Squirrel Butler
Made it tonight, and it was great Very thankful I listened to those who said "too much salt" in the recipe as written! I used just over a teaspoon of kosher salt, and that was plenty. Any more would have made the steak inedible.
Jonathan
I should have listened to all of the folks who said to use only half the salt. The steak was juicy but inedible.
Ben
I’ve cooked NYT recipes for 5 years and never commented until right now… reduce the amount of salt by at least half.
Dominic
Delicious. The weeknight sheet pan gnocchi with mushrooms goes great with this. I added some fresh grated ginger after for extra peppery tingle.
Bacongougere
Agree with others that 2 T of salt is way too much. And we like salt! For a 1.88# flank steak, I cut the salt by more than half. Taking a tip from Sally Schmidt of The Apple Farm, I toasted the peppercorns before crushing. Simple and with a huge return. Very tasty. Broiled the steak about 8 minutes on each side.
Todd
I made this with the recommended Diamond Kosher salt and still think the amount could be reduced a bit. Maybe not halve the amount but I would try 1.5 tbsp or 5 tsp next time. Otherwise, delicious and very tender.
Sarah
I like to use equal amounts (or to taste) of black peppercorns and yellow mustard seed - both crushed.
BRK
Unhappily in galley-like kitchen of a high-rise bldg; can you please tell us how much time per side in a pre-heated cast-iron pan and if finishing advised how long under the broiler? Many thx.
ozomlo
Use 1/2 the salt
Tammi
There is nothing wrong with the sale amounts here — if you don't know the difference between Diamond Crystal and whatever salt you use when cooking, you should take the time to look it up and do the math to convert amounts. Diamond Crystal has about half the amount of salt per volume as Morton.
Squirrel Butler
Tammi, every other person on here commenting on the amount of salt says that the amount in this recipe is too much, including a reviewer who used Diamond Crystal. You're the outlier. I'm going to lean in the direction of the 'too much salt' crew when I make it this evening....
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
