If you’re in the mood for a simple pan-seared flank steak, this is an easy one to make. I dry-brine the steak for a few hours, sear it in a hot skillet until nicely browned, then serve it with chimichurri. It’s a simple combination that works every time.
I love flank steak. It’s one of my favorite cuts because it has great flavor, cooks quickly, and is easy to serve to a crowd. Once it’s trimmed, there’s not much waste, and it’s easy to slice and serve. Honestly, a good-quality flank steak doesn’t need a marinade. It’s great with just salt, but it also goes really well with sauces. I usually serve it with chimichurri or garlic herb butter.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the steak:
- Flank steak: I like to buy a whole flank steak, weighing about 2 pounds (907 g), and trim it myself. Pre-trimmed or pre-cut pieces work fine too. Just look for thicker cuts, ideally about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Skip anything butterflied or sliced too thin. For this recipe, you want a steak thick enough to sear well on the outside while keeping the center medium-rare to medium.
- Salt: Aim for about 1% of the steak’s weight in salt for dry-brining. For a 2 lb (907 g) steak, that’s about 9 g (0.32 oz) of salt. Kosher salt is my go-to because its coarse grains are easier to sprinkle evenly over the meat, though table salt works too. Since teaspoon volume varies by salt type, weighing it out gives you much more consistent results. Once you get a feel for your salt, you can easily eyeball it. I’ve listed approximate teaspoon amounts for different salts in the recipe below.
- Oil: Use a high-smoke-point oil for searing, such as refined avocado oil. It has a neutral flavor and a smoke point of about 500°F (260°C), and it’s my favorite choice. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use refined high-oleic safflower oil, refined high-oleic canola oil, refined canola oil, refined olive oil, or refined peanut oil. Clarified butter (ghee) works well too. Don’t use regular butter for searing because it burns quickly at high heat.
For the chimichurri sauce:
This makes enough chimichurri for about 2 lb (907 g) of steak.
- Olive oil: 1/2 cup (120 ml) good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Since the sauce is served uncooked, use an olive oil you actually like.
- Red wine vinegar: 4 tablespoons (60 ml). It adds the acidity chimichurri needs and helps balance the richness of the steak. You can substitute white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice if needed.
- Parsley: 1 tightly packed cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves. Remove the thick stems before measuring.
- Garlic: 4 cloves, peeled.
- Red pepper flakes: 1 teaspoon for a mild heat, or adjust to taste.
- Oregano: 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (with thick stems removed), or 2 teaspoons dried oregano.
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon fine salt or about 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste.
- Black pepper: 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, or more to taste.
Variations
You can customize the chimichurri with any of the following additions or substitutions.
- Fresh chili: Instead of red pepper flakes, use 1/2 to 1 small red chili, finely chopped. Use more or less depending on how hot the chili is.
- Cilantro: Add 4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, or replace up to half of the parsley with cilantro.
- Onion: Add 4 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or shallot.
- Citrus: Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for a brighter, fresher flavor. For a more balanced acidity, replace 2 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar with the lemon juice.
Tools You’ll Need
- Wire rack and baking sheet: This is my preferred setup for dry-brining steaks. The rack allows air to circulate around the steak so the surface dries evenly, while the baking sheet catches any drips.
- Heavy skillet: I recommend a cast-iron skillet because it holds heat extremely well and helps develop a deep, even crust. Carbon steel or heavy stainless steel work well too. Don’t use a nonstick skillet for high-heat searing.
- Long-handled tongs: Use sturdy, long-handled tongs to flip the steak and keep your hands away from the hot pan and splattering oil.
- Meat thermometer: Use an instant-read thermometer for quick temperature checks, or a leave-in probe thermometer to monitor the steak’s internal temperature as it cooks. A leave-in probe makes it easier to hit your target temperature.
How to Pan-Sear a Flank Steak
Optional: Trim the Flank Steak
Skip this step if your steak is already trimmed.
Pat the flank steak dry with paper towels, then use a sharp knife to carefully trim off any excess fat from the outside of the steak. Flank steak is fairly lean, so this should only take a minute or two. If you have a large skillet (about 12 inches/30 cm or wider), leave the steak whole. If not, cut it into 2-3 smaller pieces that fit comfortably in the pan.
See the photos below for what flank steak looks like before and after trimming.
Dry-Brine the Flank Steak
Season both sides of the steak evenly with salt. Use about 1% of the steak’s weight in salt for a well-seasoned steak that doesn’t taste overly salty.
For a 2 lb (907 g) flank steak, that’s about 9 g of salt, or roughly:
- 3 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt,
- 2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt,
- 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt.
Place the salted steak on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour. For best results, let it sit for 3 to 6 hours. I usually aim for the longer end of that range. The steak seasons more deeply, and the surface dries out enough to develop a much better crust.
If you have less than an hour, skip the advance salting. Salt the steak right before it hits the pan, or season the sliced steak to taste after cooking. Salting it anywhere in between pulls moisture to the surface and makes it harder to get a good sear.
Make the Chimichurri Sauce
By hand: Finely chop the parsley, oregano, and garlic. Transfer to a bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
In a food processor: Add everything except the olive oil and vinegar, then pulse until finely chopped. Add the oil and vinegar, then pulse a few more times just until combined. Don’t overprocess it. You want the chimichurri to keep some texture.
Let the chimichurri sit for about 1 hour before serving so the flavors have time to come together. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Preheat the Pan
Take the flank steak out of the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking.
Searing gets smoky, so turn on the exhaust fan or open a window before you start heating the pan. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of high-smoke-point oil and let it heat for about 1 minute.
While the pan heats, pat the flank steak very dry with paper towels. Removing surface moisture lets the pan’s heat go straight into browning the steak instead of evaporating water first, which helps a much better crust form right away.
Pan-Sear the Flank Steak
Place the flank steak in the hot pan and press it down gently with tongs to ensure good contact with the pan. Flip it every 30 seconds so both sides brown and cook evenly.
After 3 minutes, start checking the internal temperature. Insert your meat thermometer horizontally into the thickest part of the steak. Once the steak reaches the pull temperature listed in the chart below, transfer it to a cutting board or plate and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Pan-Seared Flank Steak Temperature Chart
| Desired doneness | Pull at internal temp | Final temp after resting |
| Rare | 110°F (43°C) | 125°F (52°C) |
| Medium-Rare | 120°F (49°C) | 135°F (57°C) |
| Medium | 130°F (54°C) | 145°F (63°C) |
| Medium-Well | 140°F (60°C) | 155°F (68°C) |
| Well-Done | 150°F (66°C) | 165°F (74°C) |
Slice and Serve
After the steak has rested for 5 minutes, slice it thinly against the grain. This is important with flank steak because slicing with the grain makes it noticeably tougher and chewier.
Slicing against the grain shortens the long muscle fibers, which makes the steak much easier to chew. If you’re not sure which direction the grain runs, keep scrolling. I’ve included clear photos showing exactly what to look for, plus a video that walks you through the slicing technique.
Serve with your favorite sides, spoon the chimichurri over the sliced steak, and enjoy.
How to Slice Flank Steak Against the Grain
First, look closely at the steak and find the direction of the muscle fibers. On flank steak, the grain is easy to spot. It looks like long lines running through the meat.
Once you’ve found the grain, turn the steak so you can slice across those lines rather than along them. Use a sharp knife and cut the steak into thin slices. For wider slices, hold the knife at a slight angle as you cut.
The photos below show exactly what the grain looks like, which direction to cut, and how I angle the knife when slicing flank steak. If you want to see the technique in action, this video from Snake River Farms is a good visual reference.
What Is the Best Doneness for Pan-Seared Flank Steak?
In my opinion, flank steak is best cooked medium-rare to medium, around 135-145°F (57-63°C). That’s the sweet spot where it stays juicy, tender, flavorful, and has the best texture.
I wouldn’t take it past medium. Flank steak has pronounced muscle fibers, and the more you cook it, the firmer they get. Go too far, and the steak turns dry, tough, and chewy. I wouldn’t cook it rare, either. At that point, the texture can be a little too soft and slippery, which, at least for me, isn’t nearly as pleasant to eat.
What to Serve with Pan-Seared Flank Steak
Most of the time, I keep it simple and serve flank steak with potatoes and a fresh green vegetable. When I skip the chimichurri, I like to add something a little sweet, like pan-seared peaches or apples. That bit of sweetness balances the rich, beefy flavor of the steak really well. Here are some of my favorite sides:
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Steakhouse Potato Wedges
- French Fries
- Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Broccolini
- Tomato and Red Onion Salad
- Arugula Salad
Tips for the Best Pan-Seared Flank Steak – Key Takeaways
- Choose a thicker steak: If possible, buy a whole flank steak. If you’re buying pre-cut pieces, look for ones around 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Thicker pieces give you more time to build a good crust before the center reaches your target temperature.
- Pat it very dry: Dry the steak thoroughly with paper towels before salting, then pat it dry again right before it goes into the pan. Any moisture on the meat surface will slow down browning and make it harder to get a great crust.
- Dry-brine it for 3 to 6 hours: Salting the steak a few hours ahead gives the salt time to season the meat more deeply while also drying out the surface, which helps it sear better.
- Use about 1% salt by weight: That’s enough to season the steak well without making it taste too salty.
- Don’t salt it 2 to 45 minutes before cooking: Salt the steak right before it hits the pan, or give it enough time to dry-brine properly. Salting during that window pulls moisture to the surface and makes it harder to get a proper sear.
- Use a heavy skillet: I highly recommend using a cast-iron skillet, but carbon steel or a heavy-bottomed stainless-steel skillet will work well too.
- Make sure the pan is big enough: The entire steak should lie flat against the bottom of the skillet so the entire surface can brown properly. If it doesn’t fit comfortably, cut it into smaller pieces.
- Preheat the pan well: Heat the skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the oil. Let the oil heat for another minute, then add the steak.
- Use a high-smoke-point oil: Go with an oil that can handle very high heat, ideally around 500°F (260°C). Don’t use regular butter for the initial sear. It’ll burn before the steak has time to develop a proper crust.
- Cook to temperature, not time: Always use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Too many variables can affect how long the steak takes to cook.
- Flip every 30 seconds: Frequent flipping helps the steak cook more evenly and gives you better control over the crust.
- Pull it early: Don’t wait until the steak is just 5°F (3°C) below your target temperature. After a hard sear, carryover cooking raises the temperature quite a bit during the rest, so I pull flank steak about 15°F (8°C) before it reaches my target and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Don’t skip the rest: The steak will continue cooking from residual heat as it rests, bringing it closer to your final target temperature.
- Aim for medium-rare to medium: That’s where flank steak is at its best, in my opinion. It stays juicy and tender.
- Always slice against the grain: This makes a big difference with flank steak. Slicing across the long muscle fibers shortens them, making the meat more tender and easier to chew.
I go into all of these tips in more detail in my ultimate guide to cooking steak on the stove.
Pan-Seared Flank Steak Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Dry-Brine Time: 1 to 6 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 large steak (4-6 servings)
Description
This pan-seared flank steak is dry-brined for better flavor, seared in a hot skillet until deeply browned, then sliced against the grain and served with chimichurri. It’s simple, fast, and best cooked medium-rare to medium.
Ingredients
For Steak:
- 1 flank steak, whole or pre-cut, about 2 lb (907 g), preferably around 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick; avoid butterflied or very thin pieces
- salt, about 1% of the steak’s weight (see instructions for a 2 lb / 907 g example)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) refined avocado oil (see Notes for alternatives)
For the Chimichurri Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, thick stems removed
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, thick stems removed, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (or 1 teaspoon kosher salt), plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, or to taste
Tools:
- Wire rack and baking sheet (for dry-brining steak)
- Heavy skillet (cast-iron, carbon steel, or heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet, not nonstick)
- Long-handled tongs
- Meat thermometer (instant-read or leave-in probe thermometer)
Instructions
Optional: Trim the Flank Steak
- Skip this step if your steak is already trimmed.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, carefully trim off any excess fat. See the photos below for a before-and-after look.
- Leave the steak whole if it fits in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet. If not, cut it into 2-3 smaller pieces that fit comfortably in the pan.
Dry-Brine the Flank Steak
- Season both sides of the steak evenly with salt. Use about 1% of the steak’s weight in salt. For a 2 lb (907 g) flank steak, that’s about 9 g of salt, or roughly:
3 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt,
2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt,
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt. - Place the salted steak on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour, preferably 3 to 6 hours.
- If you have less than an hour, skip the advance salting. Salt the steak right before cooking, or season it to taste after cooking.
Make the Chimichurri Sauce
- By hand: Finely chop the parsley, oregano, and garlic. Add to a bowl with the remaining ingredients, stir well, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- In a food processor: Add everything except the olive oil and vinegar, then pulse until finely chopped. Add the oil and vinegar and pulse just until combined. Don’t overprocess; the sauce should keep some texture.
- Let the chimichurri sit for 1 hour before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Preheat the Pan
- Take the flank steak out of the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking.
- Turn on the exhaust fan or open a window, then heat the skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of high-smoke-point oil and let it heat for about 1 minute.
- While the pan heats, pat the steak very dry with paper towels. A dry surface lets the steak start browning right away instead of wasting heat on evaporation, which helps build a better crust.
Pan-Sear the Flank Steak
- Place the flank steak in the hot pan and press it down gently with tongs to ensure good contact with the pan.
- Cook the steak, flipping every 30 seconds, until it reaches the pull temperature for your desired doneness:
110°F (43°C) for rare,
120°F (49°C) for medium-rare,
130°F (54°C) for medium,
140°F (60°C) for medium-well,
150°F (66°C) for well-done.
See the complete steak temperature chart below. - Start checking the internal temperature after about 3 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer horizontally into the thickest part of the steak.
- Once the steak reaches your target pull temperature, transfer it to a cutting board or plate and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Slice and Serve
- After the steak has rested for 5 minutes, slice it thinly against the grain. Cutting across the long muscle fibers keeps the steak much more tender and easier to chew. See the step-by-step instructions above the recipe card for photos showing how to identify the grain, plus a link to the video tutorial.
- Serve with your favorite sides, spoon the chimichurri over the sliced steak, and enjoy.
Temperature Chart
Notes
Oil/Fat: Use refined avocado oil, refined high-oleic safflower oil, refined high-oleic canola oil, refined canola oil, refined olive oil, refined peanut oil, or ghee (clarified butter). Do not use regular butter for initial searing (it burns at high heat).
