What You’ll Need To Make Broiled Flat Iron Steak With Soy Ginger Sauce
- Ginger and Garlic: The flavor base for the sauce; adds bold, Asian flavor that pairs perfectly with beef.
- Dry Sherry: adds a sweet, slightly nutty flavor that’s similar to Chinese rice wine and gives the sauce more depth.
- Soy Sauce: The salty, savory backbone of the sauce—full of umami and perfect for balancing the sweetness.
- Tomato Paste: An unexpected ingredient, but just a touch adds body, richness, and a hint of sweetness to the sauce.
- Light Brown Sugar: Offsets the saltiness of the soy sauce and brings a mellow sweetness that helps balance the sauce.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a deep, nutty flavor—just a small amount goes a long way in giving the sauce that signature Asian taste. Look for toasted (Asian) sesame oil, which is dark in color—not the light, untoasted variety.
- Unsalted Butter: Stirred in at the end to add richness and give the sauce a silky finish that ties everything together.
- Flat Iron Steak: (Referred to in some regions as a top blade steak.) A flavorful, tender cut that comes from the shoulder area and is perfect for high-heat cooking thanks to its uniform shape and thickness. It’s less expensive than many other cuts of steak, so that adds to its appeal. The recipe calls for one large 2-pound steak, but two smaller ones work just as well. Great on the grill or under the broiler. Feel free to grill it if you like.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the ginger. Heat a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cooking the ginger first brings out its flavor and softens its bite, giving the sauce a mellow, aromatic base.
Step 2: Add the garlic. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Be careful not to brown it; garlic burns quickly and turns bitter, so stir constantly and keep the heat moderate to preserve its sweet, mellow flavor.
Step 3: Simmer the sauce. Stir in the dry Sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, tomato paste, and water. Let it simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Finish the sauce by stirring in the sesame oil and butter, then set it aside.
Step 4: Prep the steak. Place the steak on a broiler pan or on a rack set over a baking sheet. Using a rack allows air to circulate underneath the steak, helping it cook evenly. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Broil and rest. Broil for about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, then cover loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes to keep the juices in. When you’re ready to slice, cut the steak into thin slices against the grain—that just means cutting across, or perpendicular to, the lines of muscle. It shortens the fibers, making the steak more tender and easier to chew.
Step 6: Serve. Serve with the sauce spooned over top. If you happen to have any leftover sauce, it’s delicious drizzled over noodles or steamed veggies.
