London Broil: Cheap, Fast and Good

I don't know why I hadn't tried cooking London Broil before. I don't suffer from a fear of unfamiliar meat cuts, and I can usually figure out something to do with a steak. It's probably that the steaks are usually huge and have a reputation for being fussy - typical instructions call for marinating them overnight, during a full moon, and cooking them over volcanic rocks in direct sunshine while blaring polka music. Or something equally complicated.

But when Ralph's put them on sale for less than $2 per pound, I just had to take a shot. After all, it's easy to justify failure when the downside is so low. I was determined to keep it quick, though.

I scored the steak with shallow cuts about 1/2" apart, then made a quick marinade: roughly equal parts of lemon juice, soy and Worcestershire, about as much canola oil as the other liquid ingredients, and a healthy sprinkle of my Tri-Wizard rub (rosemary salt, pepper, garlic and cayenne). I admit that I cheated just a little - I used one of those vacuum tubs to help the steaks absorb the marinade.

Then I let the steak sit on the counter for an hour to come up to room temp before grilling it hot and fast - about 4 minutes per side at 500F, then another 4 minutes on indirect heat, around 350F, until internal temps hit 135F. I let the steak rest for 5 minutes in a loosely covered dish on the counter, then sliced it very thinly across the grain and served.

I was pleasantly surprised - the meat was tender, juicy and flavorful. It's not going to make me forget about a ribeye or a tri-tip but, at $2 per pound, it's a heckuva bargain.