This London Broil recipe is the best, most delicious and tender London broil steak ever. This marinated and pan seared London Broil is the perfect budget friendly steak dinner!
This amazing steak recipe first appeared at The Salty Marshmallow where I am a contributor.
Steak is one of my favorite meals. Of course, steak can get expensive, so if you want to impress your family and friends with a steak dinner on a budget, this easy London Broil recipe is the one you need to make.
The Best London Broil Recipe
This London broil recipe is melt in your mouth delicious, flavorful, juicy and a great way to feed a crowd on a budget. This restaurant quality London Broil roast is seasoned with the easiest and most delicious marinade and cooks in about 10 minutes.
After marinating the flank steak, I quickly sear it in a skillet and then I finish the cooking in the oven. The entire cooking process takes very little time, which makes this steak recipe a great meal to make on busy weeknights.
Some recipes instruct you to broil the steak in the oven however, I find that this method can make the beef very dry and if you don’t keep an eye on it, it can be a total disaster.
What Cut Of Meat Is London Broil?
London broil was originally made exclusively with flank steak, although through the years other cuts of beef like top round steak have been sold with that name.
It is important to know that London broil is actually not a cut of meat but a preparation. Some London Broil recipes are made on the grill, some are obviously broiled and some are pan fried.
How To Tenderize London Broil
Marinating London Broil helps to tenderize the meat. Marinating is similar to brining. Marinating not only adds flavor, it also adds moisture to the meat, preventing it from drying when cooked. The acidity in the marinate changes the surface texture, making the beef more tender.
Can You Marinate London Broil Too Long
The quick answer is yes. Marinades contain acids like vinegar and citrus juice or enzymes like papaya and mango. If you marinate the meat for too long, the meat will get mushy and tough. Don’t marinate your London Broil for any longer than 8 to 12 hours.
What Does London Broil Taste Like?
London broil or flank steak is a tough cut of meat with a relatively mild taste. This type of beef benefits from a tasty marinade with enough acid to tenderize the meat while adding lots of flavor.
How To Cook London Broil?
- Make The Marinade: First, mix the London Broil marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the round steak or flank steak in a shallow dish or in a large resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the roast and marinate for one hour to 8 to 12 hours
- Sear The Beef: When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the London Broil roast from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels (this will help get the meat golden brown). Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the beef for about 2 minutes per side.
- Finish Cooking In The Oven: Place the skillet in the heated oven and cook for about 6 minutes or until the steak reaches your desired temperature.
- Rest, Slice And Serve: Remove the steak from the oven and allow it to rest, tented with aluminum foil for about 5-10 minutes. After this resting period, slice the beef against the grain and serve.
What Is The Best Temperature To Cook London Broil?
London Broil Flank Steak is juicy and tender when cooked to medium rare. Flank steak and top round both get dry and chewy when overcooked.
Steak Internal Temperatures
RARE: 120 – 125 degrees F
MEDIUM RARE: 130 – 135 degrees F
MEDIUM: 140 – 145 degrees F
MEDIUM WELL: 150 – 155 degrees F
WELL DONE: 160 degrees F and above
London Broil Tips
- Marinate the beef for one hour to 8 to 12 hours. Marinating the steak is essential in this recipe as it adds lots of flavor while tenderizing the meat.
- If you marinate the steak for longer than an hour, remove the meat from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking it so it’s not too chilled.
- Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry the beef with paper towels. Drying the meat ensures a nice golden brown sear on the London broil.
- Sear the meat over high heat and cook quickly to prevent over cooking.
- Do not over cook the meat. For tender and juicy London broil, the flank steak should be cooked to medium-rare (130 – 135 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Allow the beef to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing it.
- Slice the beef against the grain.
What To Serve With London Broil?
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Grilled Asparagus
- Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sauteed Green Beans
- Citrus Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
- Easy Pesto Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Coleslaw
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Best London Broil Recipe
Ingredients
Marinade
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For The London Broil
- 1 London Broil (flank steak) about 1 1/2 pounds
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Make The Marinade
- In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients.
Marinate
- Place the beef in a large resealable plastic bag or in a shallow dish.
- Add the marinade and seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Or pour the marinade over the steak and cover with plastic wrap.Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to 8 to 12 hours.
Cook
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat.
- Remove the steak from the marinade and gently pat dry it with paper towels.
- Place the steak in the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes per side.
- Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 5-6 minutes or until the steak reaches your desired level of doneness. See Tips below.
- Remove from the oven and let the meat rest, tented with aluminum foil for 5 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain.
Chef’s Tips
- Remove the London broil from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you are ready to cook it.
- It is best to cook London Broil Flank Steak to medium rare. Over cooked flank steak gets dry and chewy.
- Internal Temperatures For Steak
RARE: 120 – 125 degrees F
MEDIUM RARE: 130 – 135 degrees F
MEDIUM: 140 – 145 degrees F
MEDIUM WELL: 150 – 155 degrees F
WELL DONE: 160 degrees F and above
Nutrition
Kelly Carr-Hunt says
Very easy to do and was delicious!!
Kathy says
Thank you Kelly! Happy to hear you liked it.
Susan Colgan says
Absolutely delicious!
I followed the marinate recipe….substituted ground mustard for dijon with beef.
Would be amazing with chicken.
Internal temp estimate are accurate.
Hubby likes it a little more done.
I would keep it in the oven for 25 min for well done
Kathy says
So happy to hear that Susan! Thank you so much for the feedback!! xo
F. Tabacco says
my london boil is frozen Can I marinate it for 5 or 6 hours until I’m ready to broil it?
Kathy says
Hi, you need to defrost it and then marinate it. The marinade won’t penetrate frozen meat. When in a rush, I place the package of meat in a container full with cold water. Change the water a few times until the meat is defrost – the water gets super super cold so I keep switching it for just cold tap water. Do not put the meat directly into the water though.
This is not “best practice” but it is safe and it works.
Kathy says
BTW defrosting this way may take one hour. Then just marinate.
Mussi Shusterman says
This recipe looks great, will definitely try it. Do you bake the London broil in the oven with the marinade?
Stephanie says
This came out perfectly tender. Love the arinade and have used it on chicken and steak.