Have trouble cooking your London Broil? Is it always tough and tasteless? If so, you will love this Tender London Broil. Giving the meat a little bit of love beforehand goes a long way and guarantees a tender, flavorful steak every time. {whole30, paleo, whole 30, keto, gluten free}
I buy London Broil a lot because it's always on sale BOGO. The trouble is mine often turns out less than tender.
This trick from Bon Appetit has forever changed how I cook this weekday staple.
Giving your Tender London Broil a little bit of love beforehand can really make a difference in how it turns out. It's worth the extra step, I promise! This is how you cook London Broil so it's not tough.
Related: Is the Whole30 Diet for You? A Health Coach's Guide
London Broil Ingredients
- London Broil
- Salt and Pepper
How To Cook A London Broil
- Lay your London Broil over a sheet pan on a rack and generously season with salt and pepper.
- How to tenderize London Broil: Give it an hour to tenderize on the counter. The salt draws out the moisture of the meat and then dissolves into the meat making it tender. This also helps break down the lean muscle proteins. This is similar to dry-brining, like we do with turkeys. Not to mention this brings it to room temperature, which you should always do when cooking a steak.
- After an hour, grill it at medium-high heat for about 12-15 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 125° for medium rare. You can use your outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan. I swear by this easy-to-use meat thermometer and even take it on vacation with me.
- To get those super cool cross-hatch marks, rotate the meat 45° after about 4-5 minutes, then do the same thing on the other side. Let rest for 5-10 minutes, and slice using a sharp knife.
Serve with: Teeny Tiny Roasted Potatoes
What Cut of Meat is Best Used for London Broil Recipe?
London Broil cut is the term used by butchers on large, lean, and tough cuts of meat. There is no specific type of London Broil cut. A few examples of meat used for this recipe are top round roast, flank steak, and top sirloin. Originally, flank steak was the meat of choice for making London Broil. I often use top round London broil.
London Broil refers to the cooking technique of using high heat over a short period of time, which is how most steaks are prepared. Is London broil tender? Well that all depends on how you cook it and whether or not you overcook it.
How To Cook London Broil on the Grill
If you prefer, you can also grill London Broil, adding a depth of flavor and smokiness to the meat.
The first step is to marinate the meat for at least thirty minutes before grilling it. Any simple marinade will do. I prefer to use a marinade with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic powder.
After taking the meat out of the marinade, lightly season it with salt and pepper before putting it on the grill. Make sure the grill is heated to 450 degrees F. Grill the meat for 5-8 minutes on each side. Use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Remove the meat from the grill. Let it rest on the cutting board for 10-15 minutes. After resting, you can slice the London Broil against the grain.
How to Make London Broil in the Oven
Like grilling, it helps to start by marinating the London Broil before cooking it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
After resting in the marinade for 30 minutes to an hour, remove the meat and put it into a baking dish or a roasting pan.
Place the meat on the center rack of the oven. Cook the meat for 7 minutes for medium-rare, or 9 minutes for medium. The cooking time varies according to the thickness of the steak. The 7-9 minute cooking time is suited for a 1-inch steak.
The internal temperature of the meat for a medium-rare cook is 130 degrees F. Check a temperature chart if you prefer other levels of doneness on your meat.
When the oven timer is up, take the baking dish off the oven and leave it to rest on the countertop for a few minutes before slicing.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Gluten Free Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Watermelon Salsa
- Instant Pot Sweet Balsamic Pork
- Herbed Skirt Steak
- Gluten Free Lasagna Soup
What to Serve With Tender London Broil
- Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob
- Oven Roasted Spiced Sweet Potato Fries
- Best Broccoli
- Seasoned Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Mini Potatoes
Tender London Broil
Ingredients
- 1 London Broil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Lay London Broil on a rack placed over a sheet pan.
- Generously salt and pepper steak and let sit on the counter for an hour.
- Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
- Cook for about 12-15 minutes total or until a thermometer registers 125° for medium rare.
- To get cross-hatch pattern, turn steak 45° after about 4 minutes. Repeat on the other side.
- Let London Broil rest under foil for at least 5 minutes while juices redistribute.
- Use a sharp knife to cut thin slices against the grain.
coatl28
Oh man, I'm drooling!! I try to eat as little meat as possible but I've got to admit that it makes me drool big time. I LOVE steak!! The pan trick is awesome!! Will try with my next steak, maybe for mother's day 😀 😀 😀
Karen Kelly
Mother's Day steak sounds perfect!
JoAnn
when you say repeat on other side, do you mean an additional 12 to 15 min? or do you mean turning 45degrees after 4 minutes. I think it is that one because 24 to 30 minutes total time would be too long.
Karen Kelly
Hi there- no it's a total cooking time of 12- 15 minutes. When cooking you can rotate the steak 45 degrees to get the cool cross hatch marks but it's not necessary. Hope this clears it up for you. Thanks for your comment.
Carissa
Sounds and looks delicious! Only problem is I don't have a grill or a grill pan. Is there a way of cooking it in the oven or in a regular cast iron pan? Doing all the other steps the same of course.
Karen Kelly
Yes, I think a cast iron pan would work great but you won't have any grill marks.
Sandra
Do you think meat tenderizer would work just as well instead of the salt and pepper to make the meat tender? Having high blood pressure, I don't use a generous amount of salt on anything.
Karen Kelly
Honestly Sandra, I'm not sure. Usually, when you use a meat tenderizer, you put it on and cook the meat immediately. The salt is what works here to tenderize the meat so I'm thinking it probably wouldn't work. Sorry!
Cindy
Thanks for this “recipe”/process for making London Broil. So simple; so tender; so delicious!
mickey potter
How would you cook this in a toaster oven? And how long for med to med well,? Thanks
Mickey
Rhonda
Simple and delicious! Perfect for a Chrismat dinner, was very tender and flavorful. (Finally remembered to post a commnet)
Stephen Basini
Simple yet effective…
Sandy
I've wanted to make a Lonon Broil for dinner guests, and this was delicous! Thanks for sharing such an easy recipe. Turned out lovely, and our guests loved it.
Ksenia
My husband was so happy with this! It was the perfect way of preparing this underutilized cut of meat.
Heidi Bruaw
Following your recipe, my London Broil came out perfectly tender, just the way I like it! Thank you for sharing the tip about having the meat at room temperature to start with. I'm not sure I've ever heard that before!
Mandy Applegate
I'd never tried London broil before but made it for my family last night, it was an instant hit - thank you!
Erin
I never knew there wasn't a specific cut for London Broil! Interesting. I made it for dinner last night and I think letting it sit a bit was key. Thanks for the great recipe!