Whether you are cooking flank steak for stir-fry or fajitas, the right way to cut this lean beef will make it more tender and flavorful. It can be tougher than other cuts of meat because of long thin fibers, but it will be much easier to chew if you know how to slice it correctly.
Identifying the Grain
A key component of any steak is the grain, which refers to the direction and alignment of muscle fibers. This is especially true with beef.
Flank steak, hanger steak, skirt steak, brisket and other tougher cuts all have a distinctive grain pattern. The finer the meat’s grain, the easier it is to cut with a sharp knife.
Regardless of the type of meat you are using, it’s important to understand the difference between cutting with the grain and cutting against the grain. The former will result in more tender steak that’s easy to chew and eat.
Basically, when you slice flank steak with the grain, you end up leaving long bundles of intact muscle fibers that are difficult for your teeth to break down and chew. Conversely, slicing against the grain shortens those fibers into smaller pieces that your teeth can easily separate from one another.
Using a Sharp Knife
A sharp knife is crucial when preparing flank steak. If you use a dull knife, the meat will be too tough and difficult to chew.
Whether you’re making a quick stir-fry or a smoky grilled flank steak, a sharp knife will make sure that the meat is cooked properly. It also makes cutting a breeze, which is important when working with large pieces of meat.
The best way to cut flank steak is to cut it against the grain. This is a technique that shortens muscle fiber lengths and makes it more tender.
If you’re making a marinated flank steak, slicing against the grain will help to break up these fibers and allow the marinade to seep more deeply into the meat.
Flank steak is inexpensive and an excellent choice for grilling. It’s low in fat and flavorful, which makes it a great option for many different dishes.
Using a Carving Fork
When you’re preparing flank steak, it’s important to use the right tools. This includes a good chef’s knife and a carving fork.
A carving fork is a specialized tool that’s designed for slicing meat or poultry. It has a thin, slender blade that reduces resistance as you cut through the meat.
Using a carving fork when slicing meat can make the process much faster and easier. The fork can also help you keep the knife steady while cutting.
When you’re slicing meat, always start with the grain or direction that the muscle fibers are running. This will allow you to chop those fibers in your cut of meat shorter, which will make it tender and fork-tender.
Using a Sharp Edge
Flank steak is a popular cut of beef, but it can be tough and chewy if not properly cooked and sliced. Fortunately, you can make it very tender and flavorful by cutting it correctly.
To properly slice flank steak, you need to use a sharp edge. This is because you’ll be making thin slices of the meat, so it’s important to have a sharp knife that can cut through the muscle fibers without damaging them.
Start by slicing against the grain on a slight diagonal. This helps the meat become more tender and will also help the pieces look neater on your plate.
If you’re making a stir fry, you can also cut the flank steak into strips and then divide them lengthways (vertically) to create blocks of smaller, bite-sized strips. This method makes the flank steak easy to cut into chunks that can be marinated or grilled for extra flavor.