Your only job as a cook is to avoid overcooking the meat. This cut of beef should be served medium-rare. The best thing about this recipe, apart from its wonderfully beefy flavor, is how easy is to make. It’s a simple recipe that highlights the bold flavor of top round steak and requires very little work. London broil is traditionally prepared by broiling or grilling a marinated top round steak or flank steak, then cutting the steak into thin strips. However, I like to cook it on the stove, in a cast-iron skillet.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: For the marinade: Balsamic vinegar, soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative), Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and cumin. You can use any mustard you like, but I do like the creaminess and flavor of Dijon mustard. Top round steak: I usually get it at the butcher counter at Whole Foods. Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the steak could end up too salty.
Expert tip
In terms of the level of doneness, I can’t stress enough how important it is to cook this particular cut of beef lightly. Rare is best, and as you can see in the photos, that’s how I like to cook it. But definitely don’t cook it to more than medium-rare. London broil is very lean and very flavorful. But it can easily become tough. To make sure your steak comes out tender, you need to do three things: Marinate the beef prior to cooking. Marinating, especially with a marinade that contains vinegar, tenderizes the meat. Cook the steak to rare (120 degrees F), and certainly to no more than medium-rare (135 degrees F). Note that the USDA will disagree with me on this one, though. They want you to cook steaks to medium. Slice the cooked steak thinly. Slicing it thinly is another trick that aids with chewing it. Note that other tough cuts of beef, such as flank steak and skirt steak, are also sliced thinly. When cooked to medium or medium-well, it can become tough and difficult to chew, regardless of how long it has been marinated. The CDC, though, wants us to cook steaks to medium (145 degrees F). So this is really a personal decision. But if you prefer to cook meat to medium, it’s probably best to go with cuts of beef that are more tender, such as tenderloin or even sirloin.
Frequently asked questions
Serving suggestions
This is such a versatile main dish. You can serve it with any side, really. I often serve it with mashed cauliflower and steamed asparagus. It’s also very good with sauteed mushrooms.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Thinly sliced and served cold, they make the perfect salad topping! I also like to make myself a plate of cold slices with some fresh-cut veggies and quick pickles.
Related recipes
👩🏻🍳 I typically publish a new or an updated recipe once a week. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe card
❤️ Let’s connect! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter.
