Few flank steak recipes make a more attractive presentation at a dinner party than stuffed flank steak. It's an excellent way to make a tough cut of meat look elegant.
The stuffing ingredients are flexible. Use what you like. If you want to add mushrooms, go ahead and saute them with the spinach. If you prefer feta cheese to goat cheese, feel free to substitute.
Remember, the narrower your flank steak, the harder it is to stuff. So if your steak is really narrow, you might want to pound it with a meat tenderizer to make it wider.
The key to making sure this flank steak recipe is tender is the way you roll it. If you roll it from the shortest end, you will be cutting the steak with the grain -- that's bad. It will be much more tender if you tuck the short ends in, then roll it from the long end. This way, you will be cutting against the grain -- the right way to cut flank steak. See the recipe for specifics.
Important: Be sure to allow time for the steak to rest before slicing it. This makes the flank steak taste much juicier.
Stuffed Flank Steak Recipe
- 1 1-1/2 to 2 lb. flank steak (if not already butterflied, ask your butcher to do so)
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
- 6 oz. fresh baby spinach (you may substitute Swiss chard if you prefer)
- 3 oz. crumbled goat cheese
- kitchen twine
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Season flank steak with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic. Cook 1 minute, being careful not to burn. Add spinach and cook just until wilted, a minute or two. Remove from heat and let cool.
Lay flank steak out on a cutting board with the long end parallel to you. Spread spinach in a thin strip horizontally down the middle of the steak. Top with the crumbled goat cheese. Tuck the short ends in on the sides, then roll the long side, away from you. Place kitchen twine around the steak lengthwise, then at 1/2-inch intervals. This doesn't have to be precise -- you're just tying it up so the filling doesn't fall out while you cook it.
Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, spray the steak with olive oil cooking spray and place in the pan. Sear flank steak on all sides just until browned. You do not need to cook through now -- the steak will finish cooking in the oven.
Place steak in a baking dish and bake in the preheated oven 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. Remove steak from oven and allow it to rest 10-15 minutes. Remember: The resting is part of the cooking process. The steak will continue to cook from residual heat outside of the oven and the juices will seal in.
Serves 6-8.
Per serving: 265 calories, 16 g fat (7 g saturated), 76 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 28 g protein, 57% Vitamin A, 14% Vitamin C, 8% calcium, 20% iron
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