London Broil

A nice cut of meat!

Marinade used was Lawry's Steak & Chop

This blog post is not so much about one specific recipe as it is a memory of a favorite family meal. London Broil was a special "staple" within my family. We had it at least once a month. Mom and Dad rarely bought steak but they did treat us to London Broil.

Mom would season it up and pop it into the oven. I remember Dad taking it out, letting it rest, and then slicing it up on our large wooden cutting board with the longest knife we owned. He would slice it so very thin, the more tasty rarer pieces in the center. We three kids would fight for the crunchy charred ends. Sometimes, he would sneak us a piece before we sat down to eat.


YUM! Came out perfect!

I use several different approaches to seasoning my London Broil. At the very least, you should always salt and pepper the meat to enhance the flavor. Sometimes I use a homemade or store bought seasoning rub. Other times, if I don't have too much time, I will use a quick marinade such as Lawry's Steak & Chop 30 minute marinade. I also like the flavor of marinating it for a couple hours just with a robust Italian dressing.

Lastly, if I am feeling adventurous, I will make up a marinade with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, onions, and various seasonings including salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Sometimes I add in a bit of mustard to spice it up. There are no specific amounts of each, I just eyeball it. After poking some holes in the meat on each side, I then coat it completely with the mixed marinade and spices and let it marinate in the fridge for several hours. 

***Bloggers note: I normally use a 2-3 pound London Broil.

London Broil cooked medium, not too shabby!

When I am ready to cook, I cover my broiler pan with aluminum foil for an easy clean up.  Preheat the oven on high broil for about 10 minutes with the rack in the middle. Once heated, place the broiler pan in the middle rack and cook for 7-8 minutes. Flip the meat, brush the top with a little more marinade if you have it and continue to cook for less than 8 minutes for rare, 8-10 for medium rare, and 10-11 for medium. If you cook it for anything longer than that, the London Broil may come out medium well to well done. And remember, the longer it cooks, the less tender it will be!

When the cooking time is up, take out the London Broil and allow it to rest for at least 5 and preferably 10 minutes. This is very important as it allows the juices to be evenly redistributed throughout the meat. With the sharpest knife you have, slice very thin at an angle against the grain. This is done because if you slice it with the grain, it will result in long stringy muscle fibers making for a tough chewy London Broil. Slice it against the grain and it will be far more tender.

As you can see, London Broil is actually very easy to cook. Just don't overcook it, no one likes to chew on shoe leather. So what's left? Don't forget to pair your London Broil a veggie and a potato as Mom taught you.  And ah yes, don't forget a nice glass of your favorite red wine.