Lemon Pepper London Broil
Instructions:
- There’s no cut named “London broil.” Rather, it’s a way to cook and slice a less expensive cut—but not always the same cut. In days past, a London broil was made from flank steak; today, most of that cut goes to restaurants, so London broil is most often made at home with top round, the back end of the cow. It’s not a terribly flavorful cut, so it needs a good dose of zippy marinade. Tenderize this lean cut by marinating it in a lemony vinaigrette before giving it a peppery crust.
- 1⁄2 cup olive oil
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 11⁄2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fi nely grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 pounds top round, trimmed of any peripheral fat
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, cracked in a plastic bag with a meat mallet or the bottom of a large saucepan
- Canola oil for the grill grate, if using
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, soy sauce, lemon zest, and sugar in a baking dish.
- Add the beef; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours, turning occasionally.
- Remove the meat from the marinade. Pat the cracked peppercorns over the top, bottom, and sides of the steak.
- To cook under the broiler: Preheat the broiler. Line the broiler pan with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.
- Broil 5 inches from the heat source, turning once, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted diagonally into the center, the thickest part of the meat, registers 120 F (our definition of rare), about 14 minutes 125 F (our definition of medium-rare), about 18 minutes 130 F (our definition of medium), about 21 minutes
- To cook on the grill:
- Heat a gas grill for highheat cooking or prepare a well-ashed, high-heat coal bed in a charcoal grill.
- Remove the beef from the marinade. Oil the grill grate. Place the beef 4 to 6 inches directly over high-heat coals.
- Cover and grill, turning once, until an instantread meat thermometer inserted diagonally into the center of the thickest part of the steak registers 120 F (our definition of rare), about 9 minutes 125 F (our definition of medium-rare), about 11 minutes 130 F (our definition of medium), about 14 minutes
- Transfer the steak to a carving board, tent with foil, and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Slice into 1⁄8-inch-thick slices against the grain and on the bias