Cuban Flank Steak

 This is a fabulous and unique marinade!  The combination of tangy and mildly spicy is unexpected and wonderful.  (It isn't too hot, so kids should be able to eat it just fine.) We grill a lot in the summer, and we have some favorites like this, this, and this.  But we also love to try new things, and this Cuban Flank Steak payed off!

Cuban Flank Steak
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 large flank steak (1-3lbs)

Marinade:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground chipotle chili powder (or use your favorite hot sauce)
2 tsp lime zest

Combine marinade ingredients.  Put flank steak into a ziploc bag and pour marinade in, seal bag, and marinate all day in refrigerator (up to 24 hours).

Take meat out of refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before grilling.  Oil the grill with a paper towel dipped in olive oil.  Then preheat grill to medium high (you should only be able to keep your hand near the grilling surface for a few seconds).

Grill approximately 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare or 6 minutes per side for medium.  I wouldn't cook flank steak more than medium or it will be tough.  Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your flank steak.  Use a thermometer for best results (140-145 for medium rare/155-160 for medium).

Remove meat from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  You can cover with foil to keep warm if desired.  Slice across the grain and serve hot with slices of fresh lime.

Recipe Source: KalynsKitchen.com

Sweet Spice Rub

This is a fun change to the basic steak on the grill, especially if you like a little heat.  Apply the rub lightly for a slight kick or thickly for a more fiery steak.  I like a little spice, but I don't like it to overcome the flavor of my yummy steak.  So for beef steaks, I apply pretty lightly but enough to cover all the surface of the meat.  I apply more liberally for wild game.  Hope that helps and you enjoy it as much I do!

Sweet Spice Rub
Submitted by Mindy ~www.www.thesisterscafe.com~
Recipe Source: Better than Burgers
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup red chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons coarse salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly.  Press spice rub onto each side of the steaks, then grill immediately.  Store left over rub in an air tight container in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

Steak with Carmelized Onions

These carmelized onions are delicious on a grilled steak or as a side dish alone. I love the balsamic flavor - yum! I adapted this recipe from one of Melody A's recipes (a friend of Erin's). It is definitely a fun twist on steak and potato night! *side note... I know my steak turned out looking like a pork chop but I promise it is a steak! I tried cooking it in a skillet... not a good idea at all! If you don't have a bbq (or don't feel like firing it up), cook your steak under the broiler. It is delicious like that!

Steak with Carmelized Onions

submitted by Brittany at www.thesisterscafe.com

printable version

Grilled Steak with Garlic Rub

1-2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed with a press

Mix together and spoon over steaks, turn over and spoon over the other side. Let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour or more. Grill, Yum!

Carmelized Onions
2 Tb olive oil
1 3/4 lbs. small red onions, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3 inch wedges
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 Tb balsamic vinegar
2 Tb water
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tb oil over medium-high heat until hot and just starting to smoke. Reduce heat to medium; add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add sugar, balsamic vinegar and water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, about 3 minutes more. Transfer onions to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot over grilled steaks.

Sweet Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin

My husband and I, along with our fathers and brothers, really enjoy hunting.  As a result, I have a freezer full of deer, elk, and moose.  We like to eat it, especialy since it is so lean and healthy.  So I am always on the lookout for good recipes for all this wild game.  I found this one on RecipeZaar by TCSmoooth, and it is awesome!  In fact, I think even those who don't like wild game will be asking for seconds when they try this.  I used whitetail deer this time, but it would be great with elk, moose, pork or beef.

Sweet Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin

Subitted by Mindy

2 lbs venison (or other) tenderloin

1/2 lb bacon (Plain, thin-sliced is best)

3 cups dark brown sugar

2 cups soy sauce (regular, NOT low-sodium.  You'll want the saltiness)

1/4 cup white sugar (optional for added sweetness)

Mix brown sugar and soy sauce together in a bowl.  Marinate in mixture for at least 3 hrs or overnight in the fridge.  After marinating, place on a slotted baking sheet with a drip pan or aluminum foil below to catch the drippings.  Do not dispose of the remaining marinade.  Wrap a piece of bacon around the end of the tenderloin, securing the bacon strip with a toothpick.  Repeat this process until the entire loin is wrapped in ten or so bacon "loops".  (I had my tenderloin pre-cut into steaks, so I just wrapped each one individually in a slice of bacon).  Drizzle the remaining marinade over the loin.  You can retain a portion to continue to baste throughout the cooking process if desired (I did this).  Place on center rack in over and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.  (I actually cut the recipe in half this time, and I cut the cooking time to 20 minutes which cooked the meat to about Medium).  Remove loin from oven and place directly on a grill over medium-high heat to sear the bacon and outer loin. (Another option is to continue baking in oven for 5-10 minutes.  With 10 minutes left, lightly dust the top of the loin with white sugar creating a sweet crust on top of the bacon.  Personally I think this would be too sweet, but I haven't tried it).  Before serving, cut the loin between each strip of bacon so that each piece of meat has it's own slice of bacon. (Obviously mine look a little different since my tenderloin was pre-cut into steaks).

Garlic Rub

My husband and I were craving a good steak last week, but being late on a week night we weren't prepared to actually go out for it. So instead, we dropped by the local grocery store and picked up two good steaks. Then I remembered this recipe for a rub that my sister Melanie gave me... can I just say, AMAZING! It was fabulous on these steaks, but my sisters tell me it makes just about any cut of meat great. So here it is: simple and delicious!

Garlic Rub
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1-2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed with a press

Mix together and spoon over steaks, turn over and spoon over the other side. Let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour or more. Grill, Yum!

Chili-rubbed Steak Tacos with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

My sister Erin passed this recipe along to me. I believe it came from an episode of the Martha Stewart show. It has been changed a bit. I am not a huge red meat fan, but this was really good. My whole family loved it!

Chile-rubbed Steak Tacos with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
submitted by Melanie~ The Sisters Cafe

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

2 tablespoons mild chili powder

2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

2 teaspoons smoked or sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ lbs skirt steak (I used bottom round)

Eight (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas

Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

Fresh cilantro sprigs, for serving

Grated jack cheese, for serving
Sour cream, for serving

Shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving

Lime wedges, for servingIngredients for tomatillo-avocado salsa:

3 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved

½ white onion, halved

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeño chili, stemmed and halved

½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Juice of ½ lime (about 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into small cubesDirections:
1. On a work surface, crush garlic cloves using the flat side of a large knife; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place the flat side of the knife blade on top of the garlic and salt; press firmly, pulling knife toward you. Repeat until a paste forms; transfer to a small bowl. Add chili powder, brown sugar, paprika, cumin, pepper, espresso, and remaining tablespoon salt; stir to combine.
2. Rub mixture all over skirt steak, and place in a large freezer bag to marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Wrap tortillas in parchment paper-lined aluminum foil; while grilling steak, bake tortillas until warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill over high heat. Place steak on grill, and cook for 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve thinly sliced steak in warmed tortillas; top with salsa, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and lime wedges, if desired.

Directions for Salsa:
1. Heat a stovetop grill over medium-high heat. Grill tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeño, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, about 10 minutes.
2. Place grilled vegetables in the bowl of a food processor, and add cilantro, juice, salt, and pepper; pulse until coarsely chopped. (A blender would do the job, too.) Transfer to a medium bowl, and fold in avocado. The leftover salsa tastes great with chips.

Ginger-Lime Sirloin Steaks

Need a change from your same old way of grilling steak? This is a fun and different recipe! It has a spicy kick to it - a great way to shake things up a bit! This is the original recipe, however, I didn't add the fish sauce (just can't stomach the stuff) and increased the hoisin sauce a bit (love the stuff) and it tasted wonderful. Enjoy!

Ginger-Lime Sirloin
submitted by Brittany

6 Tb fresh lime juice (1 lime=approx 2 Tb juice)
3 Tb fish sauce
3 Tb hoisin sauce
3 Tb Asian hot-chili sauce
3 Tb peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 sirloin or flatiron steak, 1 3/4-2 lb and 1 inch thick

Select a shallow, nonreactive dish just large enough to hold the steak. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, and lime zest to the dish and mix well. Add the steak and turn to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours, turning meat occasionally. Remove from frig 30 min before grilling. Grill the steak over high heat until nicely charred and cooked to your liking, 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let meat rest for 3-5 min then cut into slices to serve.

Sesame Flank Steak

This is my favorite way to serve steak. It is so flavorful. My husband and I both love it. I think when it comes to marinating, the longer the better. When I served this yesterday, I scored the steaks and put them in the marinade in the morning, and by dinnertime they were perfect.

Addendum by Mindy: this is excellent with wild game, as well.  We tried it with moose, and it was so good!

Sesame Flank Steak
submitted by Erin 

¼ c. chopped green onions
3 Tb soy sauce
2 Tb sesame oil
1 Tb vinegar
1 Tb brown sugar
1 Tb chopped fresh ginger
1 Tb chopped garlic
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ c. toasted, crushed sesame seeds

Combine above ingredients. Marinate steak 4 hours and barbecue.