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London Broil Steak Wasn't Even Invented In England

Flank steak sliced on a plate with bacon-wrapped asparagus and hollandaise sauce - Simpleimages/Getty Images

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There's something about a European name that makes even the humblest of foods feel elevated. "Escargot" conveys a delicacy, while "snails" leaves much to be desired. "Aubergine" certainly sounds elegant in a way that "eggplant" does not. And it appears that the lowly flank steak received the European treatment when London broil was created ... In the United States.

Like the French dip and other iconic, foreign-sounding foods that were actually invented in America, the London broil is widely believed, by culinary experts such as James Beard, to have made its first appearance in Philadelphia, though why he believed this, history has yet to show.

Nonetheless, the first mention of London broil as a dish appeared in 1919, in an ad for the World Restaurant on the 11th floor of the New York World Building. According to Cooks Info, the text of the ad for its special of the day read, "London broil, with French fried potatoes — .48 c."

For a few years, it was unclear what the term "London broil" referred to, until 1922, when the first written mention of the use of flank steak in London broil first appeared in a New York newspaper column: "London broil commonly known as flank steak, 32 cents ..." Surprisingly, however, the first mention of London broil in the U.K. Didn't occur until 1971, in a recipe that called for beef skirt, soaked overnight in a savory marinade, then cooked under a broiler and topped with a creamy sauce.

Read more: How Restaurant Steak Tricks Your Tastebuds

Raw flank steak on a plate with herbs, garlic cloves, and salt - Mironov Vladimir/Shutterstock

Why a simple broiled steak was named for the English capital is hard to say. Many believe that the World Restaurant marketing team and, subsequently, butchers sought to create an air of allure and sophistication (read: pricey) about a somewhat unexciting, economical cut of meat. Whatever the reason, the name refers to the cooking method rather than the meat itself — it is not, contrary to packaging found in some grocery stores — a cut of meat recognized by the Cattlemen's Beef Board or National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

In short, London broil is a technique in which an inexpensive yet flavorful cut of meat, one that can often be tough if not prepared correctly, is seared rapidly to seal in moisture and infused with flavor. Typical cuts used in London broil are flank steak, top round steak, chuck shoulder steak, or even skirt steak.

The steak is marinated overnight in some combination of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, or olive oil. It's then broiled or seared on a grill or in a pan on the stovetop; this creates a deliciously crispy char on the outside while sealing in juices, leaving the inside rare or medium-rare for maximum tenderness. It's then sliced thinly against the grain, and often it is topped with melted butter or a classic sauce such as béarnaise, Hollandaise, or Bordelaise. Or, if you pan-sear the meat, try this easy pan steak sauce recipe that calls for just four ingredients. The London broil is an easy, inexpensive way to feel like a world traveler!

Read the original article on Chowhound.

The One Step That Makes Cheap Steak So Much Better

hand salting steak - Valentyn Volkov/Shutterstock

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Cheap steaks usually come at a cost: They can be pretty tough. If you've purchased a lean cut of meat like top round, you probably already know it's not as simple as just searing it off, as the muscular slices can take a lot of chewing once it's cooked. But that doesn't mean it's not worth eating, as long as you go through the trouble of tenderizing it.

That simply takes some manual labor. If you've got a meat tenderizer, you can use that to flatten and soften the steak by breaking apart the muscle fibers with a few choice whacks. This is not a bad way to let go of some extra stress before getting dinner started, though the banging can admittedly get a little loud. Some store-bought steaks already have that process done for you; they're labeled as cube (or cubed) steak. Those cuts have already undergone tenderizing by going through a process known as "Swissing," in which the meat has been pierced mechanically in order to soften it. If you prefer that texture but can't find it at the store, you can buy an OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Bladed Meat Tenderizer to do it for you.

Read more: Ina Garten's Favorite Kitchen Tools (Including The One She's Kept For Nearly 60 Years)

steak being pounded with a meat tenderizer - Kalashnikov Dmitrii/Shutterstock

If you're not in the mood to hammer away at a piece of meat, you can employ alternative non-mechanical methods to tenderize your steak a little. There's the London broil method, which involves marinating a lean cut of meat for a period of time before cooking it quickly (but never beyond medium, or it'll be too chewy). Some marinades include natural enzymes, like ones with fresh pineapple, papaya, or kiwi, which accelerate the tenderizing process. But you have to be careful since leaving steak in those types of marinades for too long can cause the meat to break down too much, resulting in a mushy bite.

Then there's dry brining, where you season your steak well in advance of cooking it. This not only draws the salt into the meat, seasoning it from the interior, but this process can also help tenderize it. So, although saving a few bucks on your steak is always welcome, just know that you might need to draw from this bag of tricks to get the best mileage out of your price-conscious purchase. But trust us, it's worth the extra effort as you can make a cheap cut taste like a more expensive one this way.

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