Sign up for our weekly newsletter, "Dinner Tonight." Each Monday, we feature a fresh, super simple 30-minute recipe, and deliver a shopping list to your inbox. Sign up now.
Weeknight Cooking
How Should I Prepare Flank Steak for Stir-Frying?
Here are a few of our test kitchen tips to ensure soft, tender meat.
By Published July 15, 2019
We’ve done countless kitchen experiments with flank steak over the years in pursuit of tender, flavorful stir-fries. And we’ve learned that there are three essential keys to success.
1. Cut the steak correctly. First, cut your steak into thirds with the grain. Then slice each third very thin against the grain. This keeps the meat from becoming overly chewy and creates little pockets for marinade and sauce to cling to.
2. Add a bit of cornstarch to your marinade. This technique, called “velveting,” creates a superthin coating around the meat to help keep it juicy and tender.
3. Don’t overcook the steak. In this recipe, we call for cooking the steak in batches for about 2½ minutes per batch. Be sure to remove it from the heat immediately: Overcooked beef is chewy and tough, which is not what you want.
Recipe
Beef, Shiitake, and Carrot Stir-Fry
This supersavory, satisfying stir-fry is the perfect quick dinner.Get the Recipe
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Aroma 8-Cup Digital Rice Cooker, Multicooker and Food Steamer
Our favorite model is supereasy to use—and inexpensive, too.Learn More