Add this blueberry chipotle flank steak to your summer grilling rotation. You'll be the star of the cookout.
This flank steak is marinated in a sauce made with blueberry jam and chipotle chiles in adobo, along with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, and molasses.
Once you've marinated the steak, reserve the marinade and simmer it with apple juice for an amazing glaze for the steak.
About Flank Steak:
Flank steak is great for grilling. You can also cook it on a cast iron skillet or broil it in the oven.
It's a super flavorful cut of beef that is long and flat from the lower belly muscles of the steer. However, it's not known for tenderness and is best marinated to minimize toughness and cooked to rare or medium rare.
It has a very visible grain and is best cut across it, not with the grain. Cut it thinly and on the bias (an angle from top to bottom) if you can. A super sharp knife is really helpful.
It's also a good substitute for skirt steak, which is often used in tacos and other Mexican dishes. I also love using it in Asian-style stir fries.
I like to cook it to 120 degrees F in the thickest part and then tent it for five to ten minutes. It will continue to cook on your cutting board from the residual heat. The time it will take depends on the thickness of your steak. This one was fairly thin, so I grilled it about 4 minutes per side over medium high heat.
If you are uncomfortable with 120 degrees F, you can grill it to 125 or 130 degrees.
Because flank steaks vary in thickness, I recommend using an instant read thermometer. My favorite is the Thermapen (not an affiliate link). I use mine for grilling and even baking bread (it's way easier than tapping the bottom of the loaf to see if it sounds hollow).
Another tool I recommend is an immersion blender. It's great for blending the chipotle chiles without having to wash a blender or food processor. It's so easy to use as well for blending soups when you don't want to pour hot liquid into a blender. Plus, you have a lot of control.
Mine also includes a whisk and a beaker. You can also get one that attaches to a mini food processor!
More Flank Steak Recipes:
Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Korean Style Grilled Flank Steak
To Prepare the Sauce:
Once you've pulled the steak out of the bag or dish in which you've used to marinate it, pour the marinade into a pan. Add some apple juice and bring everything to a boil. Add a flour slurry (you could also use a cornstarch slurry) and simmer the sauce for at least ten minutes, until thickened.
You can do this in advance and reheat the sauce later, or you can whip up the sauce while the steak is grilling, especially if you have a buddy to watch the steak.
Drizzle the sauce over the steak.
Welcome to #BBQWeek where we celebrate all things barbecue related! From slow cooked pulled pork to grilled chicken, salsa and sides, and delicious pies there’s a recipe that’s perfect for your summer cookout parties.
Wednesday’s #BBQWeek Recipes
- Blueberry Chipotle Grilled Flank Steak from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Carolina Chicken Burgers from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Coca-Cola Baked Beans from Palatable Pastime
Blueberry Chipotle Grilled Flank Steak
Ingredients
- 1- 7 ounce can chipotles in adobo sauce
- 2/3 cups blueberry jam (you can substitute blackberry jam as well if you don't mind the seeds)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pound flank steak
- 2 cups of the marinade, after removing the steak
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Place the chipotles in adobo into a medium bowl along with the blueberry jam, cider vinegar, and olive oil. Blend with an immersion blender until the chipotles are fully blended. Alternatively, you can use a standard blender.
- Stir in the honey, molasses, and salt.
- Add the steak to a zip lock bag or bowl and coat with the marinade. Marinate for 24 to 48 hours.
- Remove the steak, shaking off any extra marinate.
- Grill the steak over a medium hot grill about 8 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness, flipping halfway through, until the steak reaches 120 to 130 degrees F in the thickest part, depending on your preference.
- Place the steak on a cutting board and tent with foil while you heat the glaze.
- Cut the steak against the grain and on an angle and drizzle with the glaze.
- Bring the marinade to a simmer in a saucepan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water and add it to the simmering marinade.
- Cook for at least 10 minutes, until thickened.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
442Fat (grams)
9 gSat. Fat (grams)
3 gCarbs (grams)
59 gFiber (grams)
3 gNet carbs
56 gSugar (grams)
46 gProtein (grams)
28 gCholesterol (grams)
68 mgThis recipe was adapted from the book, Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains.
You can also find the recipe on the restaurant's site.
Oh my goodness! I never thought to add jam to the marinade. I bet that tastes delicious! I'll have to try it. And I love flank steak. We've been eating it since before it was popular. It's such a flavorful cut.
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