Imen Ina Garten’s marinated flank steak blends Dijon mustard, white wine, and fresh tarragon into a quick marinade for an affordable cut. Chopped shallots and garlic deepen the flavor while the steak chills for at least two hours. Start to finish takes 2 hours 40 minutes and serves 4 to 5 people.
Garten built her reputation on Barefoot Contessa, her Food Network show, and her cookbook series. For this steak, she scores the surface in a diagonal crisscross before it ever touches the marinade. That crosshatch opens channels through the tough grain, letting the wine, mustard, and garlic reach the muscle instead of sitting on top.
Skipping the rest after grilling is the fastest way to ruin this cut. Flank steak is lean and fibrous, so its juices need ten minutes under foil to redistribute before the knife touches it. Slice it thin on a diagonal against the grain, or every bite turns chewy no matter how well it marinated.
Ina Garten Marinated Flank Steak
Description
This recipe calls for a nonreactive glass or porcelain dish so the wine and mustard don’t react with metal during the two-hour soak. Once the steak comes off the marinade, that liquid gets discarded rather than reused as a sauce.
Ingredients
Steak
Marinade
Instructions
- Score the steak in a diagonal crisscross pattern to make 1-inch diamonds, then place it flat in a nonreactive dish.
- Whisk the wine, olive oil, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then stir in the shallots and garlic. Pour over and under the steak, scatter the tarragon on top, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Thirty minutes before grilling, remove the steak from the fridge, season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, and discard the marinade. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high.
- Grill about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Rest the steak under foil for 10 minutes, then slice thin against the grain and serve.
FAQs
Can I score the steak too deep by accident?
Cut about a quarter inch deep in a diamond pattern, just enough to break the surface without slicing into the meat’s structure. Going deeper lets the marinade run out instead of soaking in, and it can make the steak fall apart on the grill. A sharp knife held at a shallow angle gives the cleanest crosshatch.
Can I use this marinade on a different cut of beef?
Yes, this marinade works well on skirt steak or top round, since both are lean cuts that benefit from the mustard’s acidity. Skirt steak marinates faster, so cut the time to about 90 minutes instead of two hours. Top round needs closer to three hours because it’s thicker and denser than flank.
What if I don’t have fresh tarragon?
Fresh tarragon has a mild anise flavor dried tarragon can’t fully replicate, so use about two teaspoons dried if that’s all you have. Fresh chervil or a small amount of fresh dill can stand in with a similar herbal brightness. Avoid dried dill, since its flavor turns musty once it hits the acidic marinade.
Why not boil the marinade into a pan sauce?
flank steak sits in this marinade for hours, so the liquid picks up bacteria that only high heat can kill safely. Boiling it down for five minutes would make it safe, but most home cooks won’t bother for the small amount left. Instead, brush the finished steak with a little extra olive oil and fresh tarragon before serving.
What should I serve alongside this flank steak?
A cheesy broccoli casserole balances the sharp mustard and tarragon with something rich and comforting. Roasted potatoes or a simple green salad with vinaigrette also work well, since the marinade already brings plenty of acidity. Keep the sides simple so the steak stays the center of the plate.
