The secret to this insanely flavorful and tender Marinated London Broil recipe is all in the timing! A day’s worth of soaking in a simple balsamic-wine marinade rewards you with a delicious dinner that’s versatile and ready in no time.
I have no idea why I haven’t shared my London Broil with you guys yet.
After almost 5 years into blogging, there’s definitely not enough beef in my recipe archives. And since this is something I make pretty often…I’m not sure why I’ve held back on you.
I decided last fall that 2019 would be The Year Of Dinner Recipes, since two reader surveys told me that’s what you guys are mostly here for.
I’d like to think I’m off to a pretty good start.
This insanely delicious steak recipe is a must-make! It’s SUPER tender, full of flavor, and there is zero waste, since you reduce the London broil marinade into a serving sauce!
All it takes is a little patience during marinating time, a cast iron skillet, and a hot stove.
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What is London broil?
I love sharing recipes like this London broil, because I get to make my hubby work – he gets to answer my questions for me.
Being a career butcher, Abe is often asked, “What part of the cow is London broil?”
Well…in spite of what the labels at the store say, there is no London broil cut.
“London Broil” is actually a cooking method, and one that has roots in America instead of across the pond. It refers to tough, lean , inexpensive cuts of beef that are marinated and seared, grilled, or broiled at a high heat.
London Broil should never be tough. If it is, it was not marinated properly or for a long enough time. Quickly cooking lean steak often results in tough, chewy beef (I’ve made this mistake with fajitas.) The longer you marinate your beef, the more tender it will be. 3-4 hours is ideal, so if you can get away with it, plan far ahead for dinner!
As for which beef cuts to look for, flank steak and top round steak are both cut from the rear part of the cow and work well for any London Broil-labeled recipe. Try to find the thickest cut possible, also – 2-inches thick makes for an ideal slice!
What goes into a London broil marinade?
Everyone has their tastes, from herb heavy to soy-based. I’m a red wine & balsamic fan, so I like to balance my marinade around those flavors.
- Fresh garlic – it MUST be fresh!
- Olive oil – avocado or grapeseed oil also work
- Balsamic vinegar
- Red wine – the drier the better
- Dijon or spicy brown mustard
- Soy sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes – for a little optional heat
- Fresh thyme – although I’ve also used rosemary and oregano with great results
How long should I marinate London broil?
As a general rule, you should marinate London broil in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours to allow the flavors to fully penetrate the meat.
Because this marinade recipe contains balsamic vinegar, which is acidic, you should not marinate it for more than 6 hours, otherwise you risk the acid breaking down the proteins and making the steak mushy.
What temperature should London broil be before serving?
Depending on your tastes, you can cook your steak for more or slightly less time than I do.
Rare is a cool 125 degrees F
Medium Rare is 130-135 degrees F
Medium to Medium Well is between 145-150 degrees F
How to cook London broil on the stove
Many London broil recipes teach you how to grill and broil this cut of meat, but in this house, we cast iron!
- First, make your marinade. Whisk together marinade ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
- Place the London Broil steak in a gallon-sized zipper bag and pour the marinade over it. Seal the bag, removing excess air, and place it in the refrigerator. Allow it to marinate for at least 2-3 hours and up to 6, turning the bag at least once.
- One hour before cooking, remove the steak from marinade and place it on a cutting board. Reserve the marinade, placing it back in the fridge while you allow the steak to come to room temperature.
- When you’re ready to cook, use a sharp knife to score a shallow, 1/8-inch deep criss-cross pattern on both the top and bottom of the steak.
- Melt butter and oil in a large cast iron skillet set over high heat until it sizzles. Sear the steak for 3 minutes, undisturbed, then flip and repeat on the opposite side.
- Then, remove the pan from the heat and tent it with foil. Leave it to continue cooking in the residual heat of the pan to your desired doneness, anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature; 120-130 degrees F is rare, while 130-135 degrees F is medium rare.
- When the steak reaches your desired temperature, transfer it to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes.
- Carefully pour the reserved marinade in the same pan and return it to the stove. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to medium low, stirring occasionally, and cook until the marinade is reduced by half.
- Slice the rested meat thinly, diagonally across the grain, and serve it with the reduced sauce.
What to serve with London broil
I’m pretty partial to some sort of starch and veggie with any kind of steak. Mashed Potatoes or Baked Potatoes are a good choice, but Mushroom Risotto or Baked Macaroni & Cheese would be equally delish.
As for veggies, a tasty salad is a no-brainer. Complement the marinade with Red Wine & Maple Carrots and Bacon Balsamic Brussels Spouts.
If you love bread with your hearty meals, my Purple Potato Rolls are a fun, convo-starting side!
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Tender Marinated London Broil
Ingredients
- 2 pounds London broil steak AKA top round or flank steak
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
London Broil Marinade
- 4 large garlic cloves crushed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients until well combined.
- Place steak in a large plastic zipper bag and pour marinade over it. Seal bag, pressing out excess air, and place in the refrigerator. Marinate at least 2-3 hours or up to 6, turning the bag at least once.
- Remove steak from marinade (reserving the marinade in the fridge) and place it on a cutting board. Allow it to come to room temperature for 30-60 minutes. With a sharp knife, score a shallow, 1/8-inch deep criss-cross pattern on both the top and bottom of the steak.
- Melt butter and oil in a large cast iron skillet set over high heat until sizzling. Sear the steak for 3 minutes, undisturbed, then flip and repeat on the opposite side.
- Remove the pan from the heat and tent it with foil. Leave it to continue cooking in the residual heat of the pan to your desired doneness, 5-10 minutes, using a thermometer to check the temperature. 120-130 degrees F is rare, while 130-135 degrees F is medium rare.
- Transfer steak to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Carefully pour the reserved marinade in the same pan and return it to the stove. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to medium low, stirring occasionally, and cook until the marinade is reduced by half.
- Slice rested meat thinly, diagonally across the grain, and serve with the reduced sauce.
Tara says
Thanks for the thorough education on making London Broil. The marinade/sauce has me drooling right now!
Allison says
Loving this marinade – so many great flavors. This will be on dinner rotation in our house!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
I made this recipe last weekend and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing.
Erica says
Oh Shadi, thank you so much! I live for happy readers like you! 🙂
Suzy says
We tried this out over the weekend and it was amazing! The flavor was right on and it cooked perfectly!
Erica says
Suzy, I’m so glad you loved it! I always forget about how delish London Broil is – and how quickly it comes together! Thanks for the feedback!
Ashley says
If I am buying a whole eye of round…do I cut it into steaks for can I do the whole roast as one….each is about 7.25lbs…also if needing to cut do I cut in with the grain and then against when serving….?
Nancy M. says
Can you provide instructions for grilling? Thank you!
Amanda B says
There was a very gross and weird flavor to the meat. It was not tasty at all.
Ruth Carpenter says
This sounds great, and I used to marinate sirloin in a similar marinade before grilling, so I know the flavors are awesome. My dilemma is that we are in Coronavirus-shelter-in-place mode, and I got London broil but didn’t realize I was out of balsamic vinegar. Not going out for awhile again, and not wanting to order *one* item for delivery, I am wondering if I could sub lemon juice for the balsamic? Would it still tenderize? Do you know?
Pete DeVinne says
You can use 1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar to substitute for 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
Ken says
Looks like a good marinade. Why scoring the meat after marinating, before cooking?
Sarah says
Those cooking directions were amazing!!! Soo good!!!
Susan Uttal says
I love the marinade. However, I made several changes in the cooking protocol that I believe improved the flavor.
I pan seared with a little ebook for 1-2 minutes per side. Then I put the steak in the pan in a 425 degree oven for 2 to 6 minutes, depending on degree of doneness desired (for me it was med. rare so about 2 minutes). Put steak oN cutting board, tent for no less than 5 minutes.
Patricia Ryan says
This recipe created the first dish I have ever thrown out because it was inedible. Bitter! Too many strong flavors.
Walter says
I have this marinating right now, but slightly confused. Does the marinade get washed off before putting it in the pan? I would think the marinade would burn. Also, I need to cook to “Medium Well”. Would longer frying time toughen the steak?
hanna says
I am confused about the marinating time. The verbiage said if using vinegar don’t marinate longer than 6 hours to avoid mushiness. The recipes suggests a much longer marinating time
Erica says
Oh, you are so correct, Hanna! I updated the post after several more tests of this recipe, but forgot to edit the time in the recipe card as well. Thanks for that catch – 6 hours is the max time!
Teresa says
Made the recipe exactly as stated. Did not like the taste nor did it tenderize the LB.
Sarah says
The cook time and method…PERFECT!!!! I have tried so many different ways, times, methods…all under cooked. This gave flexibility and cooked perfect!!!!!
David S. says
Planning to make london broil as per your instructions. You said 24 hours ideal to marinate the meat but further on you said limit exposure of the meat to basalmic vinegar to 6 hours. A little confused. Please advise. Thank you, David
Judy Reynard says
1st you say don’t marinade over 6 hrs, it will get mushy, than you say marinade for 12 -24 hrs! ????
Erica says
Oh, thank you so much for catching that! I changed the recipe after a few tests, so the marinating times in the recipe card are correct, but it appears I missed fixing them in the post.
Kasey says
A unique marinade! I added a 1/2 tsp of brown sugar and only had sutter home Cabernet. Overall, it was a good flavor with the beef. This is versatile enough to be used with any beef. I used top sirloin and didn’t tenderize it as i cut them into kabobs. They were a little chewy. My fault. Overall, very satisfied and look forward to working with this one again! Thanks for the recipe!