Best Dishes: Marinated Flank Steak

{Photo courtesy of simplyrecipes.com}

There's something I love about going home after a long day at work and preparing a delicious meal. Now, sometimes I don't really feel like it. And at other times, it's almost a coping mechanism for me. But last night, there was something really delicious waiting for me. ... a piece of flank steak that I'd been marinating for 10 hours. Oh, the anticipation.

I've never cooked flank steak before. Bill, the chef at Hill Country (where we got married), said that just a few years ago flank steak was considered the trash piece of meat. What a mistaken identity! Flank steak is very lean, but still tender. And it serves a healthy portion to a group of four for about $4 each.

I found the marinade recipe in my Dallas Dish cookbook. The cookbook is put together by the Junior League of Dallas and features a lot of elegant dishes that are simple to prepare (there are some more complex recipes, but I haven't gotten into those). Ty and I have fallen hard for the Pecan-Crusted Salmon recipe. And neither of us really like salmon. It's just that good! If you like to cook, get this cookbook. You'll have restaurant-quality meals on your table in no time.

So, back to the flank steak. I prepared the marinade Wednesday night. Ty and I even went as far as to mince fresh ginger. OK, Ty mince the ginger because I didn't have the upper body strength to make it happen. Thursday morning, I placed the steak into a large Ziploc, poured the marinade into the bag and let the magic happen.

Ty said it smelled delicious when it hit the grill. We both loved the steak. The marinade gave it a sweet and spicy flavor. It's amazing by itself with some grilled vegetables on the side, or stuffed in a tortilla, or on top of a salad.

Here's the marinate recipe:

Marinated Flank Steak

1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Enjoy ... and I promise, your beef has never been happier!