Another Inexpensive Meal-London Broil

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food written by Kirk and friends.  Today, Cathy is writing about cooking at home with stuff she bought on sale this week. Again.

Hi. Back again, showing you a meal (actually two meals )I made for two for $5, buying stuff that is on sale this week in San Diego.

London Broil. That is how it is labeled at Henry's this week.  $2.59/lb. A tough cut of meat that is sometimes labeled that way- how it should be cooked.  Actually, the cut of meat is more often (correctly) labeled flank or top or round steak.  It has muscle fibers that run through the entire cut and needs to be massaged or pounded and NEVER scored or stabbed or otherwise mutilated-the few juices in the meat will run out.  It is best when marinated and then...broiled... as the way of cooking it.  Then you cut against the grain and the meat is tender and juicy when hot or cold. Simple.

The marinade I usually make for roasts and red meat is pretty simple: Olive oil, red wine, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, black pepper. You really can't put in too much of any of the ingredients, except maybe the black pepper.  Just make sure everything is coated and let it marinate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.

I saw this cool hanging planter thing at the County Fair last year and found it on line and, as you can see, I have a lot of fresh herbs (mostly different basils) at my fingertips. (They sell something similar to this at Home Depot now)

Broil about 3 minutes on each side.  No more than that, unless the meat is more than 1.5 inches thick. (broil about two minutes per side if the meat is an inch thick or less)

WHEN YOU TAKE THE MEAT FROM THE BROILER, LET IT REST FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES. If you cut it right away, the juices run out and the meat will get tough when it cools down.

When you slice it-against the grain-  it will slice thin easily and be pink in the center.

I served it hot with some noodles with a simple cheesy cream sauce.

and the next day we each had the chilled meat on top of a salad, made with red and green peppers, slices of mushrooms and radishes and some celery on some mixed lettuces. (Along with some tomatoes from my garden.)

I do buy the 'by the pound' lettuce  and mushrooms  from Henry's and find those to be more economical -less waste-. A large bag filled with enough mixed lettuces for two salads was 80¢.  A large handful of mushrooms was 92¢.  All the other veggies were on sale this week at Henry's.

Cathy's London Broil Marinade

For one lb meat: 1 C Olive oil, 1 C red wine, 1/2C chopped garlic, 1/4 C each chopped fresh basil, oregano and parsley.  Black pepper to taste.

If you are using dried instead of fresh herbs, use less-the flavor is way more concentrated in the dry stuff.

Cathy's Cheesy Cream Sauce for pasta

melt 1 stick butter

Heat 1 C milk in sauce pan. Add melted butter.

Add 2 Tbs wine vinegar-(this will turn the milk to cheese)

Simmer for about 15 min until the sauce cooks smooth.

Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and immediately toss in two whipped eggs, the above sauce and 1/3 C fresh grated Parmesan or Romano, salt and pepper.  Toss and serve.

(if you cook 1/4 lb bacon (cut in little cubes) until clear with the butter in the above recipe and then pour the bacon with the melted butter/bacon fat mix into the milk, then follow the rest of the recipe, that *is* pasta carbonara)

Cathy's Salad Dressing

1/2 C oil, 1/4 C vinegar, dash Tabasco, salt and pepper

Comments

[Carol]

Looks good! And if you still have leftover meat, you can make Thai Beef Salad. Throw in some of your beautiful basil and cilantro, add a little mint, yummy!

[mike]

London Broil was a staple for me back when I was a starving student (and back when it was more like $1.59/lb). It makes a pretty good french dip sandwich.

[Derek]

Hey Cathy,

All great looking food =)

I'm fairly experienced in cooking beef in a tender fashion through grill, pan sear, oven, broil, etc, but.... whenever I try to make a London Broil it tends to turn out really chewy. I know it's an economic cut of meat but what can I can to improve the tenderness and cooking of LB?

[Cathy]

Hi Carol...ah, larb. Of course it would be perfect for that. I didn't want to do any complicated recipes. As long as the meat is cooked and chilled, it works for a lot of dishes.
Ah, Mike. Those college days. Yes. Meat, but cheap. Still tasty.
Hi Derek- I kind of gave you the hints in the post...I guess the only thing I did not mention was that you should let it rest right out of the broiler. If you cut it while it is still sizzling, the juices run out. The against the grain is very important also. and you read the beginning- never pierce or poke it...Try it again. It will work. :)

[Derek]

I will defiantly give it another try. It's always worth asking for an extra tip or two for a good meal =) I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks Cathy!

[Cathy]

Hey, Derek. I updated the post just now. The meat is so inexpensive but there is a reason, and I am trying to show it can be made to taste quite good and tender by preparing and cooking it this way. I've had years of practice...Let me know how it works for you.

[milgwimper]

Cathy,

The London Broil looks delicious! :) I use pretty much the same process for making mine version but I might have to add the parsley and see how it tastes.

I have to say though the planter took me awhile to figure out it was a hanging planter...*sigh* LOL Yeah I thought you were showing a strangely decorated concrete pillar...*blush*

[Cathy]

I use fresh parsley in everything, milgwimper...it doesn't seem to stop growing around here. The county Fair also sold a hanging pot-like container for growing tomatoes from the top and bottom (not sides) that seemed to work. I just liked this idea of not using ground space for the herbs...

[jeff c]

Cathy,
Love this recipe. Its quite versatile and you can change the sauce just by increasing the butter and adding flour and cream to make a bechamel. The other way is to add button mushrooms or grilled portabello mushrooms with the sauce and you can change it again. Since you like fresh herbs, you should try perilla(shiso) this actually would go well with the cut and you can mix it into a steak salad. You can then use a sesame and ponzu dressing and you have an asian style steak salad.
Oh, like the inverted tomato planter.

[jeff c]

Oh, I didn't see the post Kirk did on the Steak salad. I guess you can take cues from that one too.

[Cathy]

Oh, jeff c...the sauce is one of my basics and can have so much added to it to change it. I love mushrooms and hadn't tried it that way, though. Thanks. I have put perilla into salads; just didn't have any for this particular meal...I suppose I was more trying to teach basics about a cheap cut of meat: Lots of students read the blog...