Name: Cherry Habanero Grilled Flank Steak
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds flank steak; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 2 cloves garlic (diced); 3/4 cup ketchup; 1 habanero (diced); 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder; 1/2 cup orange juice; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 18 ounces cherry preserves; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

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This Cherry Habanero Grilled Flank Steak recipe is tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Topped with an easy homemade habanero cherry BBQ sauce, this BBQ steak is full of flavor and one of my favorite summer grilling recipes.

Mmmmm… Cherry Habanero Grilled Flank Steak!

There are just some days when you need something more than yard bird. This grilled flank steak recipe fixes that and is one of my favorite summer steak recipes!

Chicken is the go-to source of protein in this house but there are nights when you really just want to treat yourself to a grilled steak.

This easy grilled flank steak recipe is the perfect way to get your non-chicken fix and because it is so quick and easy to cook.

That means it is great for busy weeknights and lazy weekends alike and the homemade habanero cherry BBQ sauce is out this world!

This BBQ steak also pairs perfectly with Tangy Mixed Bean Salad, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Loaded Potato Salad and Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni.

what is flank steak

Flank steak is a super versatile cut of meat that can be cooked in a variety of ways.

Because it is a well used muscle from the lower chest of the cow, it can sometimes be a bit tough.

Flank steak is ideal for marinating and grilling.

Cooking this steak correctly then slicing your flank steak thin against the grain helps to ensure that your steak comes out tender and moist.

why this is the best grilled flank steak

This flank steak on the grill is juicy and melt in your mouth and who doesn’t LOVE that?
This is a treat from your everyday! Grilled steak is amazing but adding a whole new unexpected layer of flavor from the habanero cherry BBQ sauce is what makes this a must try!
This grilled steak recipe is perfect to use with tacos, burritos, on a steak salad, served over rice.. the possibilities are endless!
Habanero cherry BBQ sauce is sweet and tangy with just a little bit of spice and it complements the grilled flank steak to the next level.
Fire is fun.

To make this Cherry Habanero Grilled Flank Steak, you will need:

Flank steak
Olive oil
Garlic
Ketchup
Habanero pepper
Apple cider vinegar
Orange juice
Cherry preserves
Soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Spices

how to grill BBQ steak

To make your Cherry Habanero Grilled Flank Steak, add olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add diced habanero pepper and saute for 2 minutes.

Add in garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in ketchup, preserves, vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice and remaining spices.

Bring to a low boil and then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour BBQ sauce through a small screen strainer to remove habanero pepper and garlic pieces.

Allow sauce to come to room temperature.

Rinse and pat dry flank steak. Using a basting brush, lightly coat with BBQ sauce.

Next, prepare your grill… Once hot and coals are ash colored, place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray.

Grill 5-6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness (medium rare is 135 degrees).

Coat with BBQ sauce as you flip your steak. Move steak to a cutting board, coat with sauce again and cover loosely with foil.

Let stand 5-10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

pro tips for perfect BBQ steak

Let your cherry BBQ sauce come to room temperature. This allows it to thicken up a bit before using on your BBQ steak.
Get your grill HOT before adding your steak. Since flank steak is thin, it will cook quickly and you want that crispy sear on the outside.
Let your steak rest for 5-10 minutes after removing it from the grill to allow juices to redistribute in the meat. This is vital to a juicy steak.
Cut your steak against the grain and slice your steak into thin strips. This can be a tough cut of meat. Slicing your meat thin and against the grain ensures a tender bite.
Leftover habanero cherry BBQ sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

how to remove silver skin

That white / silver thin layer of super tough connective tissue that you sometimes find on the back of ribs and flank steak is called silver skin.

It is not tasty and is super tough to chew through so you will always want to remove it before cooking your meat.

Simply, slip the tip of your knife between the silver skin and the meat and carefully slide the knife down the meat while gently pulling up on the silver skin.

The silver skin will (usually) easily pull away from the meat in large pieces.

If the silver skin is too slippery or if you are having trouble pulling it away from the meat, usually grabbing it up using a paper towel helps. Discard the silver skin and continue preparing your flank steak.

how long does it take to grill steak

Flank steak thin and is quick and easy to cook.

It takes about 4 minutes per side for medium rare, about 6 to 8 minutes a side for medium, pair it off with some vegetables and maybe some rice or a side of pasta and you have the perfect dinner.

temperature for flank steak

Grilling your flank steak to the right temperature is the most important part of grilling.

For rare, you want to remove your grilled flank steak when it reaches 125°F.

If looking for Medium Rare, remove at 135°F.

For Medium Well, remove your grilled flank steak at 155°F and for Well Done, hold off until it reaches 155°F.

Once you remove your grilled flank steak from the grill, cover and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes to come up to full temperature and doneness.

You can easily monitor your temperatures with an easy read meat thermometer.

Medium Rare – 130 to 135 degrees F – center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion and slightly hot to the touch
For Medium – 140 to 145 degrees F – center is light pink, outer portion is brown and hot throughout
Medium Well – 150 to 155 degrees F – mostly gray-brown throughout with a hint of pink in the center

difference between flank steak and skirt steak

When it comes to skirt steak or flank steak, the two cuts of meat are very similar and can be used interchangeably.

Flank steak is a bit more lean than skirt steak and has a strong meaty flavor. Skirt steak also has an intense flavor but has more tough fibers than flank steak does.

Both are tasty and both do best when marinated.

cut meat against the grain

When a recipes says to cut meat against the grain, it means to slice the meat perpendicular to the natural lines running through your meat.

In flank steak or skirt steak, it’s quite easy to see the grain running through the meat. They look like lines in the meat.

Don’t cut with these lines, always cut across them them. If you cut across the lines, you will have tons of natural breaking points in the meat which keeps the steak pieces from being tough.

more easy steak recipes

Enjoy ♥

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Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2018 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in April of 2020.

Cherry Habanero Grilled Flank Steak