Boasting an intensely beefy flavor and a short cooking time, flat iron steak is one of my favorite cuts of beef. You can pan-fry or grill it, but broiling is my favorite method for cooking this cut.
When it comes to thin and relatively cheap beef cuts, flat iron steak is my favorite because it's fattier than cuts like tri-tip roast, skirt steak, or flank steak. It's affordable, intensely flavorful, relatively tender (though slightly chewy), and marvelously fatty.
And although it's not as marbled or tender as ribeye steak or New York strip, it's tender enough that you don't have to marinate it as long as you cook it quickly and keep it medium-rare.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Flat iron steak: Find it next to the other affordable cuts in the grocery store's meat department, or ask your butcher for it. I usually get it at Kroger supermarket.
- Olive oil: You can also use melted ghee or butter.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
Variations
- One way to vary this recipe, mentioned above, is to use melted butter or ghee instead of olive oil. Both options are delicious. I especially like butter.
- The second way is to use different spices. Spices that I tried and liked include chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. You can use ½ teaspoon of chili powder and cumin, but keep the cayenne to ¼ teaspoon. I don't recommend using dried herbs as they can burn under the broiler.
Instructions
This is such an easy recipe. It takes 20 minutes from start to finish! The detailed instructions for making it are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
Remove the steak from its packaging and place it on a cutting board. Blot it dry with paper towels. Coat the steak with olive oil and season it on both sides with spices.
Place the steak on a rimmed, foil-lined baking sheet. Broil it 6 inches from the broiling element (not directly below) for 6 minutes. Carefully turn the steak to the other side. Broil until it's medium-rare, about 6 more minutes.
Transfer the cooked steak to a clean cutting board. Let it rest for five minutes, loosely covered with foil, then slice and serve.
Expert Tips
Cook to Medium-Rare
The best way to ensure the steak is tender is to cook it to medium-rare. Overcooking will make it tough. See the photo below - I took it while slicing the steak. It's medium-rare, and it's perfect! However, it should be noted that the CDC recommends cooking whole cuts of beef to 145°F (medium) with a 3-minute rest period.
Make Four Steaks at a Time
If your steaks are not too big, you can fit four of them on a single baking sheet and broil them together, as shown in the photo below. I often do this, as it generates lots of tasty leftovers that my family can enjoy for several days.
Recipe FAQs
This cut comes from the shoulder of the cow, also called the chuck. That's why it's a bit tough and needs to be cooked quickly, although it's not as tough as other cheap cuts. This is also why it's so deliciously fatty. The chuck is a marvelously fatty cut!
This cut needs to be cooked quickly to medium-rare. It can be rapidly pan-fried over high heat, grilled, or broiled in the oven. My favorite method is broiling.
You could, but you don't have to. Unlike other thin and cheap cuts, this cut is relatively tender and has lovely marbling. All it needs is some basic seasoning and a few minutes under the broiler or on the grill.
It won't hurt to marinate it. But unlike other cheap cuts (such as London broil) where marinating is essential, here it's really up to you, and you can skip marinating.
If you'd like to marinate the steak, mix the olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
Place the steak in a resealable bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Use your hands to ensure the steak is well coated.
Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, place it on a plate in the fridge, and marinate the steak for 2 hours.
Remove the steak to a plate. Season it with kosher salt and black pepper, then proceed with broiling it.
Serving Suggestions
Hey, it's a steak - you can serve it with anything that usually goes with beef, which is most vegetables! A few specific suggestions:
- Like other thin cuts of beef, this steak is excellent as a salad topping. Try it over this arugula salad, for example.
- Steamed vegetables pair well with steak. I often serve it with steamed asparagus, steamed broccoli, or steamed carrots.
- Serve it with a salad, like broccoli salad or asparagus salad. This makes for an easy meal - prep the salad beforehand, quickly cook the steak, and serve.
- It also goes well with roasted vegetables such as roasted fennel, roasted asparagus, roasted green beans, and roasted cauliflower, as shown in this photo:
Speaking of cauliflower, I also like to serve it with mashed cauliflower, as shown in the image below. It's a delightful combination!
Storing Leftovers
The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. In fact, since the leftovers are so good, I often make at least two of these steaks at a time to ensure I have plenty of them.
I'm not usually a fan of reheating steak. It can dry it out, taking it from medium-rare to medium-well. So I usually enjoy the leftovers cold for my lunches with sriracha mayo, quick pickles or pickled red onions, and fresh-cut veggies.
Having said that, if you're careful, you can reheat the leftovers gently and keep them medium-rare. To do so, place them on a microwave-safe plate, cover them with another microwave-safe plate, and microwave them just until reheated. I start with 30 seconds and continue in 30-second intervals, as needed, flipping the slices after the first interval.
Here are two photos that show the cold leftovers and the gently reheated ones. Both are excellent!
More Beef Recipes
Foodie Newsletter
I send out a weekly newsletter with a recipe and tips. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe Card
Flat Iron Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flat iron steak
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your broiler on high (500°F). Set an oven rack 6 inches below the heating element (not directly below). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
- Remove the steak from its packaging and place it on a cutting board. Blot it dry with paper towels.
- Coat the steak with olive oil and season on both sides with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Place the steak on the prepared baking sheet. Broil it on the first side for 6 minutes.
- Carefully turn the steak to the other side. Broil until it's medium-rare, about 6 more minutes.
- Transfer the cooked steak to a clean cutting board. Let it rest for five minutes, loosely covered with foil, then slice it thinly and serve.
Video
Notes
- This steak is tender enough that you don't have to marinate it before cooking. But marinating will obviously tenderize it. If you'd like to marinate the steak, mix the olive oil, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, plus 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Place the steak in a resealable bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Use your hands to ensure the steak is well coated. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, place it on a plate in the fridge, and marinate for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the steak onto a plate. Season it with kosher salt and black pepper, then proceed with broiling.
- The CDC recommends cooking whole cuts of beef to an internal temperature of 145°F.
- The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave (covered, in 30-second intervals) or enjoy them cold.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Janis
This turned out perfectly. I will be broiling this steak from now on.
Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Janis!
Lauren M
I enjoyed this steak. I prefer my steaks medium, and it still turned out great. I served it with mashed cauliflower. My husband said we should add it to the rotation!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad this was a success, Lauren!