Oh.my.gosh.
That’s all I can say about tonight’s dinner. Wow.
Once again, my latest issue of Cooking Light delivered with a killer recipe for Spice Rubbed Flank Steak with Fresh Salsa. Both Jay and I have had our eye on this recipe, which worked out perfectly, since I’ve actually had a flank steak in our freezer from back in October when I was sent some to sample.
The one rule I gave Jay for if we’re having beef for dinner is that HE has to cook it. I don’t have anything against red meat, and on occasion I like to indulge in a little bit of the stuff. But rarely will I cook it (unless it’s in my Burgundy Beef Stew…that’s another story).
So tonight was the night, and boy, was this recipe, well…just straight up awesome.
While Jay took care of grilling the meat, I prepared the salsa, some white rice, and steamed green beans.
We made a couple minor tweaks to the original recipe, and only made half of the salsa it called for, since Jay plans on slicing the leftovers up for sandwiches during the week.
Let me tell you…if you’re into red meat every now and then, you have GOT to give this recipe a try.
Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Fresh Salsa
(lightly adapted from this recipe from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
Salsa:
- 1 cup chopped seeded tomato
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 3 large basil leaves, chopped
- 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Steak:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Cooking spray
Directions:
- Preheat grill to high heat.
- To prepare salsa, combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
- To prepare steak, combine garlic powder and the next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon). Brush both sides of steak with olive oil and garlic, and sprinkle with spice mixture. Place the steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut the steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with fresh salsa. ENJOY!
Everything about this dinner was top notch, from the steak and the salsa, right down to the white rice (I can’t even tell you the last time I had white rice…so good!). I think I may even have to dig into the leftovers later this week!
The rest of the night is being devoted to some laziness on the couch with my two boys…sounds perfect to me.
Question for the Evening:
Do you eat red meat? If so, what’s your favorite way to eat it (or favorite cut)?
I do not (typically) eat red meat. It tastes like metal to me, how weird is that?
I will eat it in different dishes (occasionally). Your dinner looks delicious – I might try to make that with chicken.
Oh wow that looks amazing! I loved flanked steak. I eat red meat, but not that often. If I’m going to eat it I usually go for a burger (a good one, not that fast food crap), flanked steak, or a filet :).
I love a good filet, but I’m pretty picky. I can pretty much pass up anything but the filet, unless it’s beef stew.
I always forget how good white rice really is! I seem to stick with brown most of the time, but white is so darn fluffy!
LOVE flank steak! I have some in my freezer, too, and I saw this recipe in BL! Looks amazing!
Dinner looks good! I don’t have anything against cooking meat, and I can totally comment on how a meat dish looks/smells good – there’s just something about it that I just don’t like. :)
I haven’t eaten red meat for 14 years! The boyfriend sure likes it, though!
Yum!! I haven’t ever tried flank steak cause I’m not a huge red meat eater.. but I want to try it. but like you.. not cook it. Ill let the hubs deal with it.. haha!
oooo that looks delish! I don’t eat red meat often but when I’m in the mood for it I do love a good juicy burger or filet Mignon….mmmm makin’ my mouth water just thinking about it!
I don’t, but will ocasionally take a bite if my Boyfriend orders it. We rarely make it at home.. i mean once in a blue moon rarely!!
i love a good, tender, rare steak every once in a while :) that dinner looks really good!
That looks delicious! I’m not much of a steak person, but I do love a good steak salad every once in a while! :)
I have been an on-again-off-again vegetarian since junior high! But strangely enough my favorite red meat when I did eat meat was a tenderloin on the grill cooked RARE! Weird right?
O my! I just want to eat that salsa!
The salsa was AWESOME! I mixed it in with my rice :)
That looks so good! I eat red meat occasionally. Like you, I won’t cook it, though. I don’t really know why, but cooking any meat kind of intimidates me!
The fresh salsa with the flank steak sounds like a phenomenal combination.
If I’m eating red meat I love to have a grilled burger, and nothing screams summer like that to me! : )
I rarely eat red meat either but that sounds amazing!!! It seems like all the components of the dish would lighten up the steak a lot.
I’m definitely not a red meat eater. The only time I’m game is when my fiance’s dad makes London broil… it’s perfect!
That dinner looks good! I love red meat occasionally, I hardly ever buy it anymore. But my fav way is a skirt steak marinated with lime and a lot of the spices in this recipe.
PS- i was just catching up on posts and I DESPISE worms too! Honestly, they would be the one “animal” I’d eradicate from this earth if I could. gross.
I think I might try this for grilling veggies and feeeesh :)
I’m not big into red meat. Nothing against it in particular, I’m not really into any meat all that much… just leftover habits from my vegetarian days. When I do eat red meat, I LOVE it in chili! Specifically, 3 Alarm Chili. So good.
My boyfriend would probably be all over this recipe, but I’m not a huge red meat lover. I’m sure the flavors were awesome though! Maybe it could be adapted for chicken breasts?
I’m not really a fan of red meat. I will occasionally eat a hamburger or something, but the patty has to be really well done (like NO pink) for me to eat it. I especially can’t cook it, because it grosses me out. ;)
Wow, the color palette alone is impressive! What a gorgeous dinner! And I bet it tasted good too!
Did he help with the dishes? That’s always the kicker!…. Looks so wonderful! I do eat red meat, the father would string me up if I didn’t (he’s a beef farmer) I don’t enjoy it all that often, MAYBE once or twice a week and a bite or two off the husband’s plate. :) I’m sneekster like that…
I rarely eat red meat, maybe twice a year and that too only lamb! I’m not really a fan of the taste/texture but even I can’t say no to lamb kebabs or a lamb shawarma!
I eat beef from time to time, usually extra lean ground beef, but the price of steak really puts me off. It’s quite a treat to have something like flank steak – yours looks delicious :)
I like how far I can make ground beef go. Just a little bit really adds to a recipe without a lot of cost and calories!
I’ve never been a red meat eater, but my dad’s favorite kind is flank steak so I bet he’d love this! And let’s be honest…fresh salsa makes everything better!
As an equal opportunity eater and card carrying carnivore when the right recipe calls for it, this looks fantastic (though I think I tend to make my meat a little pinker unless it’s in fajitas). The spicy rub looks top notch though! Cooking light gets an A+!
Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of red meat, but I do love a good cheeseburger. And chili. And meatloaf. But that’s all. Mostly. :)
I CAN NOT WAIT TO TRY THIS RECIPE!! I do try to limit my red meat intake, but I am a total meat and potatoes kinda girl!! :)