The best steak salad includes marinated, grilled flank steak, fresh vegetables, crispy fried onions, crumbled blue cheese and a homemade creamy balsamic vinaigrette!
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE SALAD:
6cupschopped Romaine lettuce, baby spring greens, arugula or other greens of choice
2cupshalved cherry tomatoes
½red onion, finely diced
1English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
½cupcrumbled blue cheese
Crispy fried onions, to taste (optional)
Instructions
MARINATE THE STEAK:
In a small bowl, whisk together Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard.
Place the steak in a large zip-top plastic bag or shallow dish and pour marinade over top. Squeeze air out of the bag and seal to close or cover the dish. Gently toss to coat the beef in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
PREPARE THE DRESSING:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together balsamic vinegar, mayonnaise, water, brown sugar, garlic and mustard. While continually whisking, gradually stream in the olive oil until the ingredients are completely combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients, or refrigerate in an airtight container or jar for up to 1 week.
GRILL THE STEAK:
After at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator, remove the steak and discard the marinade. Wipe excess marinade off of the steak by patting it with paper towels. Season the meat on both sides with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before grilling.
Lightly brush or spray the steak with oil.
Preheat your grill for high direct heat (about 450° F). Grill the steak covered for about 5 minutes. Turn and cook covered for about 3-4 more minutes, or until the meat reaches the desired level of doneness. Baste with the glaze during the final few minutes. Pull the steak off the grill at 120 to 125°F for rare, 130-140°F for medium rare, and 145°F for medium. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve on top of salad.
ASSEMBLE SALAD:
Place the lettuce on a large serving tray or on individual plates. Top with the tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, blue cheese and sliced steak. Drizzle with balsamic dressing. Garnish with crispy fried onions, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Marinate the steak for at least 30 minutes, but if you have the time, it's best to use the flank steak marinade overnight. This will give the marinade more time to penetrate the meat, which helps to break down the tough fibers for a more tender and flavorful piece of steak.
Allow the marinated flank steak to sit on the counter and come to room temperature before grilling. This will ensure that it cooks more evenly.
The total grilling time will vary depending on the size, thickness and temperature of your flank steak when it goes onto the grill. Use a thermometer to know when your meat is done. For a medium-rare finish, the beef should reach an internal temperature of 130-140°F.
Allow the grilled flank steak to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This will give the juices time to redistribute through the meat so that they don't all run out onto your cutting board.
Always slice flank steak thinly against the grain (perpendicular to those long fibers that you see). This will result in tender (rather than chewy) steak.