GRILLIN' OUT WEEK: GRILLED MARINATED FLANK STEAK

It's Memorial Day week, which means it's time to formulate your grilling plan of attack. The following recipe is one of the best and easiest flank steak recipes we've come across. The secret is to not cook the meat too long.

It comes from the Web site simplyrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

Marinade ingredients:

1/3cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/3cup soy sauce

¼cup honey

½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Other ingredients:

2 lbs. flank steak

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Score the surface of the steak with ¼ inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat. Combine the marinade ingredients. Place steak and marinade ingredients in a large freezer bag. Coat the steak well with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl. Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Using olive oil soaked onto a paper towel, coat the grill rack of your grill with olive oil. Preheat the grill with high, direct heat. The grill is hot enough when you hold your hand about an inch over it and you can only hold it there for about a second.

Take the steak out of the marinade bag and sprinkle generously on all sides with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. The salt and pepper will help form a savory crust on the steak. Place steak on the hot grill. If you are using a gas grill, cover the grill. Grill for 4-6 minutes on each side. Half way through grilling on each side, turn the steak 90° so that you get more grill marks.

How do you know if the steak is done? The best way to tell is to poke it with your finger tips. While the steak is still raw, test it with your fingers; it will be quite squishy. That's what a very rare steak feels like. As the steak cooks the muscles contract and firm up. Touch the tip of your nose and that's what a very well done steak feels like.

Flank steak is best eaten medium rare; well done will make it too tough. When the steak has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove from the grill and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat and to keep the steak from drying out, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Make very thin slices, against the grain, and at a slight diagonal so that the slices are wide.

If you want, you can take the excess marinade and bring it to a boil, simmer for several minutes, and serve with the flank steak. Great also with salsa or horseradish sauce.

Serves 6.