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    Home » Kitchen Laughter Recipes Blog » Beef

    Smoked Flank Steak

    Published: Apr 12, 2022 · Modified: Apr 12, 2022 by Jason C · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    This Smoked Flank Steak packs in so much flavor into every tender and juicy bite. This will become one of your “go-to” recipes to smoke not only for your family but when you entertain as well. Let’s fire up the smoker.

    sliced smoked flank steak on a cutting board with peppers, guacamole and pico de gallo.
    Smoked Flank Steak
    Contents hide
    1 🍽️ Why This Works
    2 🥩 Ingredients
    3 ⏲️ Equipment and Tools
    4 🔥 Instructions
    5 ❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks
    6 🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating
    7 Meal Prep
    8 Additions and Substitutions
    9 Serving Suggestions
    10 ❓ Recipe FAQ
    11 Smoked Flank Steak

    This Smoked Flank Steak ranks up there with one of the best Quick Smoker Recipes you will make. Less time, less effort and yet it is tender, juicy and falls apart in your mouth.

    You don’t need to marinade flank steak if you know a couple of quick tips and tricks on what to do on your home smoker.

    🍽️ Why This Works

    Quick | There is no marinating to worry about and the smoke is done quickly.

    Delish | Reach for this easy smoking recipe when you need one that comes out easy every single time. The beef simply pulls apart to make each bite melt in your mouth.

    Great for Entertaining | We love to serve up these delicate slices for company. Block parties, tailgating and cookouts are all the perfect opportunities fire up the smoker leaving you with the biggest problem of what to serve it with.

    🥩 Ingredients

    ingredient photo showing the flank steak, salt, pepper and garlic with labels.
    I Love Simple Ingredient Recipes!

    Flank Steak | Also referred to at some grocery stores as London Broil, this lean cut is packed with the most amazing beef flavors due to the high concentration of blood flow that passes through the abdominal region of the cow, where the flank originates from.

    Skirt steak can be confused with flank steak but it’s a completely different cut of meat. They both do have long fibers that you need to cut opposite of the direction of the grain. Skirt is found in the diaphragm area of the cow and is much thinner cut than flank.

    ⏲️ Equipment and Tools

    Smoker | We used our Big Green Egg on this one but with all smoking recipes, they generally work for most units including Traegar, Char Broil, Masterbuilt or Camp Chef.

    Knife | Use a sharp knife like this to slice off any extra fat and silver skin found on the steak.

    🔥 Instructions

    instruction photos showing trimming the fat, making a seasoning, smoking and then slicing the steak.
    Virtually Hands-Off Instructions

    Step One: Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before smoking to bring the meat down in temperature.

    Step Two: Heat up the smoker to 225°. Save yourself some money and make your own Fire Starters.

    Step Three: Season the steak with simple salt, pepper and garlic powder (SPG) on both sides. Place on the hot grill grate and use the smoke that you love. We chose pecan this time.

    Step Four: Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 135°. It took us about 90 minutes, but smoke to the desired temperature, not the time.

    Step Five: Remove it from smoker and allow it to cool. Cut into thin slices AGAINST THE GRAIN and serve. We love serving this with salsa and guacamole for each bite.

    ❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

    Don’t overcook this cut of meat. If you have someone that loves their beef well done, this may not be the best match for them.

    Always, always cut against the grain. The purpose of this is to cut across the long beef fibers which results in a slice of beef that falls apart into small little pieces.

    The lower temperature works best for this cut as it could get tough and overcooked quickly.

    top down view of the raw flank steak to show how defined the grain of the meat is.
    The Grain of the Meat is Easy to See – Cut Against the Grain

    🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

    Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If planning to keep longer, store it in the freezer in a sealed container for up to six months.

    Meal Prep

    Make the SPG seasoning ahead of time and keep it in the pantry to use on all your favorite meats anytime you want a seasoning that is delicious and very easy.

    Additions and Substitutions

    Just as we suggest with all of our recipes, this is the time you can go a little bit crazy making this your own unique recipe. Make a batch of Bourbon Salt or Java Rub for flavors that are out of this world.

    If you can’t find flank steak, don’t worry! There are several Flank Steak Substitutes to choose from.

    Tex-Mex | Create your own Tex-Mex version by bumping up the spices with cumin, oregano, chili powder and any red pepper flakes.

    Montreal Seasoned | 2 tbsp Black pepper, 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1tbsp red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp dried onions, 1 tbsp coriander.

    Carne Asada Seasoned | Combine 2 tablespoons of ground chili powder, 1 tbsp ground ancho chili, 2 tsp of oregano, 2 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp crushed black pepper. When ready to marinade this, combine 4 tbsp of lime juice with 4 tbsp of fresh cilantro, chopped and add to the steak to the marinade for up to 3 hours before placing on the smoker.

    sliced steak showing how juicy this remains after smoking.
    The Gentle Smoking Results in Juicy Steak!

    Serving Suggestions

    Whether you are serving this with a nice glass of cabernet or your favorite IPA, make sure to whip up a few of your favorite sides to go with this yummy main dish.

    Grilled Broccolini is fast and a great way to add some veggies!

    Grilled Mexican Street Corn works perfectly if you are serving this with salsa or guacamole.

    While you are eating, you can fire up the grill and make a very fast batch of Apple Cinnamon Roll Cups for dessert in just minutes using just TWO ingredients!

    ❓ Recipe FAQ

    How do I know which way the grain is going?

    You can look at the cut of meat and see almost strings running across the meat. That is the grain. When you take it off of the grill if the grain is running left to right, you will cut across the grain or up and down. This will leave you with little itty, bitty bites. top down view of the raw flank steak to show how defined the grain of the meat is.

    Do you have to marinade a flank steak?

    You don’t. This recipe shows you how to make the best smoked flank steak at medium rare that simply pulls apart at the grain. No marinating needed when it’s done simple and easy.

    Related Recipes

    • Grilled Tex Mex Flank Steak with Avocado Corn Salsa
    • Smoked Top Round Steak {London Broil}
    • Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe with Dizzy Dust Dry Rub
    • Smoked Pork Loin

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    sliced smoked flank steak on a cutting board with peppers, guacamole and pico de gallo.

    Smoked Flank Steak

    Smoked Flank Steak makes a quick and easy hands off meal that is packed with flavor ready to serve as a stand alone dish or combine for tacos, quesadillas, fajitas or any dish that requires cooked steak.
    No ratings yet
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 240kcal
    Author: Jason

    Equipment

    • Smoker

    Ingredients

    Smoked Flank Steak

    • 1.5 lb Flank Steak

    Homemade SPG

    • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
    • 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
    • 1 tbsp Pepper

    Instructions

    Homemade SPG Seasoning

    • Combine the ingredients and stir to make homemade SPG seasoning.

    Smoked Flank Steak

    • Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before smoking to bring the meat down in temperature.
    • Heat up the smoker to 225°.
    • Season the steak with simple salt, pepper and garlic powder (SPG) on both sides. Place on the hot grill grate and use the smoke that you love. We chose pecan this time.
    • Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 135°. This will take 60-120 minutes, depending on how good your smoker maintains its temperature. Remove from smoker and allow to cool.
    • Cut into thin slices AGAINST THE GRAIN and serve as desired. Serve this with salsa and guacamole.

    Notes

    Beware of Overcooking: Don’t overcook this cut of meat. If you have someone that loves their beef well done, this may not be the best match for them.
    Don’t Forget to Cut Across the Grain: Always, always cut against the grain. The purpose of this is to cut across the long beef fibers which results in a slice of beef that falls apart into small little pieces.
    Smoke at Lower Temp: The lower temperature works best for this cut as it could get tough and overcooked quickly.
    Storage: Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If planning to keep longer, store it in the freezer in a sealed container for up to six months. 
    Substitutions Ideas:
    Tex-Mex | Create your own Tex-Mex version by bumping up the spices with cumin, oregano, chili powder and any red pepper flakes.
    Montreal Seasoned | 2 tbsp Black pepper, 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1tbsp red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp dried onions, 1 tbsp coriander.
    Carne Asada Seasoned | Combine 2 tablespoons of ground chili powder, 1 tbsp ground ancho chili, 2 tsp of oregano, 2 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp crushed black pepper. When ready to marinade this, combine 4 tbsp of lime juice with 4 tbsp of fresh cilantro, chopped and add to the steak to the marinade for up to 3 hours before placing on the smoker.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1835mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenlaughter or tag #kitchenlaughter!
    Smoked Flank SteakSmoked Flank Steak
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