Flank Steak with Quick Pickles

Tried a new recipe today. Found it in Southern Living. Had to make a few modifications, but overall it turned out great. The best part was actually the Quick Pickles. Only take 30 minutes (but I'd give them an hour) and add awesome flavor.

Quick Pickles:

Here's how I made them.

• 4 Cups fresh thin slices cucumbers (I used pickling cukes from the garden)
• 1/2 cup slice yellow sweet onion
• 1/2 Cup white vinegar
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp minced garlic (I used jarred)
• 1 tsp salt

Place the cukes and onions in large bowl. Bring vinegar, sugar, garlic, and salt to a boil in a small pot until everything is dissolved. Pour over cukes and onions and let sit for at least 30 minutes. I tossed them once every ten minutes or so.
Flank Steak

• 2 lb Flank Steak
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

This is simple. My grill was out of commission as I'm resurfacing the deck. So let flank steak come to room temperature. Brush both sides with a thin layer of olive oil and salt and pepper (I go more liberal with this). Let sit for at least 15 minutes for the salt and pepper to penetrate.
In the broiler, with the rack set 7-8 inches below the heat, I cook the flank steak 5 minutes a side, and then one more minute on the original side. Remove and cover with aluminum foil. Let sit for 10 minutes before carving (very important, or you'll lose juices and get a tougher bite).

Remember: always cut with the grain into chunks, then across the grain for slices. Again this will help avoid tough pieces of meat. If done right it will present well and be very savory.
Steak Sauce #1

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp minces garlic (I used jarred)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (i use low sodium, but choice is yours)
• 1/4 water
• 1/4 Cup brown sugar
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 Tsbp water

Saute the garlic in the sesame oil for about a minute. Avoid burning the garlic or over heating the oil by watching your heat. I used just below medium on my stove. Add the Soy sauce, water, brown sugar and lemon juice and simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Finally make a rue with the corn starch and water (mix them together until they form a cloudy liquid with no hard particles, and add it to the pot. Stir and simmer and an additional minute. This should thicken it up a bit.

The Outcome:

1. Steak tasted great, cooked perfectly and not chewy, which was a concern of mine
2. Pickles were okay. I think they need some more seasoning. If you've got some ideas, please post a comment.
3. I didn't drain pickles before plating, and that was a big mistake. The steak sauce was downed by the brine, except the stuff that sat on top of the steak.