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by Laura on June 27, 201429
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If you’re looking for a fast, flavorful dinner recipe, this is it!
Do you see those crispy, pan roasted garlic cloves up there?Get excited. Get very, very excited.
Let’s get to it…
Connor and I are all about the easy, weeknight-friendly meals right now. Ok, to be honest, we’re always about those types of meals.
I’m sure you are too, especially when you don’t have a lot of spare time to spend in the kitchen after work or between whatever else is on your plate at any given time (no pun intended).
I love to spend more time in the kitchen on the weekend, but when it comes to the average weekday, it needs to be quick and dependable. We’ve been meeting with wedding vendors almost every evening these past two weeks, so this has become even moreimportant to us lately.
But with that said, sometimes you want a dish that is not only easy, but also a little bit special and faux-fancy (did I just invent aword?). Maybe you’re havinga friend or a parent over for dinner, or maybe you just want to mix up your routine and impress a loved one.
Not only is this butter basted flank steak a little bit special (ok, it is about a million times more special than our normal weeknight dinner), it can also be prepared in less than 20 minutes.
That isless time than it takes for me to throw together some quesadillas, so that is saying something.
One of my favorite cuts of meat is flank steak. It cooks extremely quickly (and actually requires to be cooked quickly and to medium-rare, otherwise it can easily get tough), has good flavor, and lends itself well to all sorts of flavor profiles.
The trick to having ajuicypiece of flank steak in such a short amount of time (without having to marinade it, etc.) is to season it very well–salt and pepper are your friend–and add the flavorwhileyou’re cooking it. Butter basting is perfect for this. It isactually howmostproteins are cooked in restaurant kitchens!
You sear your meat in a hot pan, flip it, immediately add a generous amount of butter and aromatics (in this case, smashed garlic cloves and fresh thyme), tilt the pan just slightly, and literally spoon the bubbling, melted garlic-thyme infused butter over the steak repeatedly until done.
Yield: 2 Servings
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 10 minutes minutes
Total: 15 minutes minutes
A simple flank steak recipe basted with butter and fresh herbs. Serve with salad or bulk it up by serving it with roasted fingerling potatoes and sautéed greens or asparagus. You can use this same method for other cuts of beef, such as New York Strip, etc.
Ingredients
- 10 ounce flank steak, trimmed roughly ¾ to 1-inch thick
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 6-7 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
Pat the trimmed steak completely dry and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 20 o 30 minutes. This will prevent your pan from losing heat quickly and from “shocking” the meat.
Season the steak generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully place the flank steak in the pan and sear it for 4 to 5 minutes on one side, until the bottom is browned - do not move the steak at all.
Flip the steak carefully, reduce the heat to medium, and add the butter, smashed garlic cloves, and fresh thyme to the pan immediately. Hold the pan handle with one hand, use a towel, as it will be very hot, and tilt the pan slightly, use your other hand to spoon the melted, bubbling butter mixture over the steak repeatedly until it is cooked to medium-rare. Note: cooking time will depend on the thickness of your steak–if your steak is 1-inch thick, a medium-rare cook time will take approximately 10 minutes. The best way to check doneness is to use a meat thermometer.
Remove the steak from the pan and allow it to rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve immediately. Top with the crispy smashed garlic cloves.
Tips for Success:
- This butter basted steak goes well with just a simple salad on the side–but you can also bulk it up by serving it with roasted fingerling potatoes and sautéed greens or asparagus.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 469kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 158mg, Sodium: 374mg, Fiber: 1g
Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate
Course: Beef and Pork
Cuisine: American
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Cheryl Gassman — Reply
I’ve made this recipe a number of times. I like to switch it up by putting seasoning other than just salt and pepper on the meat. Most recently I used Penzeys Mitchell Street Steak Seasoning. When I take the meat off to let it rest, I toss in some Worcestershire sauce, some red wine, whatever I have on hand and boil and stir until it’s reduced to the right consistency. Swirl some more butter in, and then spoon that over the steak.-
Laura — Reply
Yum!!! Thanks for the feedback Cheryl!
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Elizabeth — Reply
This looks awesome and I’d like to make it tomorrow! Quick question: you mention for a 1″ steak it will take 10 minutes, but is that including or in addition to the initial 4-5 mins for searing the first side? Thanks!
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Laura — Reply
Yes, it includes the searing! Total cook time, but it will always vary a bit depending on your pan temperature, so if you can use an instant thermometer to check doneness, that would be ideal.
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Jody — Reply
I have made this twice. The first time just as written. The second time, I was out of garlic and used a just purchased seasoning from Savory and Spice, Roman Pepper Steak Seasoning. I used it both on the meat and a little in the butter. This search then butter baste method makes a wonderful, flavorful steak that is quick and easy. I love it! Hubby loves it! -
Penny Grant — Reply
Wonderful!!very fast..very easy -
Kati — Reply
My whole family’s favorite meal! Tender, juicy, flavorful and very easy to make. -
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Helen @ Scrummy Lane — Reply
This is a great recipe and, although simple, a bit different. I more than suspect my husband would be very grateful if I made him this!
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Millie l Add A Little — Reply
Mmm this looks so tasty Laura! I would love to top this on a kale salad for a delicious summer meal!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood -
meg — Reply
We grill flank steak a lot and I am intrigued by doing it this way. Thank you for sharing!
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Jess @ whatjessicabakednext.com — Reply
This looks amazing! Love steak- so good, especially with these flavours.
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Joanne — Reply
I do not envy your meeting with wedding vendors…I am mostly on wedding planning hiatus at the moment and LOVING it. Just the sound of butter basting makes my heart happy. And sad. But mostly happy.
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Ami@NaiveCookCooks — Reply
I am not a steak person but I must say your photography and that last pic are making my mouth water!
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Amy | Club Narwhal — Reply
Laura, my mouth is watering like crazy just LOOKING at this glorious steak! I love any steak but butter basted is by far my favorite. I’ve always been nervous to cook flank steak but I am definitely going to need to give this a try!
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Alexis @ Upside Down Pear — Reply
I am all about making my guests think I spent more time and effort than what it really took! Your “faux fancy” is a perfect way to describe this and I love how easy it is. I’ve never tried a flank stake before because I was always too worried about over cooking it, but this is too tempting to pass up!!
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Carol at Wild Goose Tea — Reply
I’m groovin’ with ‘faux fancy’ . I like it. Your photo really captured the succulence of the meat. Of course it’s almost 8:30 pm and I haven’t had dinner yet. But I am sure that I am not being influenced by that. Looks delish and it does look elegant also. Nice job.
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MB @ Bourbon and Brown Sugar — Reply
Such a gorgeous steak! And a perfect way to use the thyme in my garden… pinned!
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Rachel Cooks — Reply
gorrrrrrrgeous! Looks like the perfect steak!
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Irene @ {a swoonful of sugar} — Reply
Your pictures have won me over once again. Such buttery goodness and lovely herbs on a perfect steak. Yes please!
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Laura — Reply
Thanks Irene!!
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Mary Frances — Reply
A crazy week deserves a steak like this! I would’ve never guessed how easy it is. It pays off to read a chef’s blog! 😉 You had me at butter blasted and even more so now that I know how it works. Thanks for sharing, Laura, here is to a happy, relaxed weekend!
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Matt Robinson — Reply
I love this steak Laura, it looks amazing!
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Liz@Virtually Homemade — Reply
That is one good looking piece of meat! YUM 🙂
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Meghan @ Cake 'n' Knife — Reply
I feel the same way about weeknight cooking! I love taking time on the weekends to cook, but after a long day at work I want something quick and easy for dinner. Gorgeous photos – can’t wait to try this steak!
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Mimi — Reply
Beautiful! Flank steak is really a wonderful cut, and it is easy to prepare. Your presentation is stunning!
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Tieghan — Reply
Sounds like the perfect meal for my family! Butter and steak–yeah, they will love it!
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Bri | Bites of Bri — Reply
This sounds amazing and is perfect for those times when we aren’t do a marinade for flank steaks. They’re my favorite cut too!
