Help me buy beef!

[foodfiend]

Since we don't eat red meat, and I have decided to prepare the Two-Cheese Braciola for MIL's birthday dinner for those in the family who don't consider chicken "meat", I have a question.

How do I manage to buy the best flank steak? The food for this party has to be perfect and I can't remember even seeing flank steak in the store (which isn't really that surprising). What do I look for?

PLEASE forgive me if this is a silly question...

[chef_Tab]

oh, Vicci, I wish I could help you. We eat beef so seldom and when we do, I splurge for filet or something else lean and tender. I am sure one of the experts will be along to help.
Oddly, just the name, "Flank", doesn't sound appetizing.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Vicci, I get mine from Sam's Club and have been very happy with it. As a matter of fact, I'm getting ready to have a late dinner of flank instead of skirt steak in my Skirt Steak with Shiso-Shallot Butter.

[foodfiend]

Theresa, same here-- "flank"???

Daphne, Sam's Club? I'll ask when I'm there on Friday. I don't have to look for anything special ("marbling", etc.)?

Look what I got at Sam's last week for making this recipe:



My slow-cooker is only 3-1/2 quart and I was planning to make 50% more of the recipe so it wouldn't have been large enough. Any excuse, right???? It's 6-quart, plenty big.

[Harborwitch]

Vicci I'd call Sam's Club ahead of time to make sure they're going to have enough. If Sam's can't get it contact a good local butcher. Explain to both what you are going to do - we've found unusual sizes and thicknesses; you're going to want some consistency in thickness and size.

We don't see it too often out here - and absolutely love it. It's a fairly lean cut - lots and lots of flavor. We just saw some small pieces at the store but it was 7.00 a pound!

Maybe Jean can offer an opinion - maybe Hanger steak or skirt steak would work if you can't get flank. Uhm, I think I have some venison flank in the freezer???

[Old Bay]

We use a flank steak--just get choice or better--Sams or, otherwise, I think it is much better (and thicker) than skirt--I like skirt in fajitas. I eat a lot of red meat and take lipitor!!! Marinate a flank steak in red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, dijon mustard, chopped green onion, salt , and lots of fresh ground black pepper, for about 4 hrs. Rub off excess and grill 4 min/side--med rare--let rest 5 min. DON'T cook over med rare-it will be tough!! Slice diagonally across the grain--3/8 inch appx--DELICIOUS--my favorite --serve with a Malbac. I eat it all the time!

[esgunn]

I agree with getting the choice. Costco usually has good flank steak. Maybe ask a few people where they like to buy their beef. We like the commissary, costco, and safeway, but we do not like some of the other grocery stores for beef. Flank Steak is very common cut of beef - at least on the west coast it is. Pay attention to the recipe, the sizes can very quite a bit. Get the size the recipe calls for. I made this with choice flank steak and it was great.

Packaging - it looks a bit fiberous - you can see the grain in the beef. It is also usually rolled or folded in the wrap. The ends tucked under. They are long flat pieces of beef.

Sometimes I have seen it referred to London Broil - but make sure you DO NOT get top round which is also often called london broil.

[labradors]

As has been discussed before, London Broil is a method of cooking, not a cut of beef, but the cuts most commonly used are flank steak and top round.

Flank steak, as Erin mentioned, is fibrous (some may say "stringy"). It is tougher than some other cuts, so it is often pounded and/or marinated before cooking, and low, slow cooking - especially braising - usually helps.

[cjs]

All good advice here. We love flank - it has so much flavor!! Never bought it at Sam's, but Costco meat is wonderful in my opinion.

[HomeCulinarian]

We eat flank steak often, it is very lean and tasty. I agree, that cooked more than med rare is over done. I get most of our meat at Sam's and it is fine. For special meals, I go to the butcher in town that sells prime.

Sam's sells the flanks packaged with 2 steaks. I try to find steaks that are individually 1.5# or smaller, not for taste reasons, but for quantity for various recipes.

Your new slow cooker is very nice, Vicci! Good luck with the dinner.