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Overview
Flank is a broad, lean steak with long muscle fibers that are easy to see before cooking. Its shape and grain make carving as important as browning: a thick slice along the fibers can seem tough even after a long bath.
Choose plain flank steak for this guide; skirt and sirloin flap are different cuts. For carne asada, see the separate guide to that dish. The bath begins the cook, followed by the center check in Cook safely and a hot finish.
Time and temperature
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| Texture | Bath setting | Check before serving | Cook time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thin Carved Slices | 131°F | 145°F | 7 hours |
Plain boneless true flank steak from a 72-ounce purchase, kept flat or divided into flat pieces to fit separate bags. This does not cover flap, bavette, skirt, rolled, or stuffed meat, and weight alone does not determine center heating. Start timing when the bag enters the fully heated circulating bath. The listed time is the bath stage only; allow additional time for hotter cooking, browning, and the rest. Follow the thermometer check in Cook safely before serving.
Choose your texture
- 131°FThin Carved Slices
- Lean slices with a pronounced beef flavor and a little chew.
Best for
- Plain boneless true flank steak from a 72-ounce purchase, kept flat or divided into flat pieces to fit separate bags. This does not cover flap, bavette, skirt, rolled, or stuffed meat, and weight alone does not determine center heating.
Get it ready
- Confirm that the label identifies true flank rather than skirt or sirloin flap. Choose plain intact meat without injected seasoning or mechanical tenderizing.
- Trim loose membrane and hard surface fat, leaving the broad steak flat. Note which direction the long grain runs.
- If needed, divide the steak into pieces that fit the bags without folding. Season and seal each refrigerator-cold piece separately.
- Fully submerge in the heated circulating bath with water flowing around every pouch, and start timing when the bags go in.
Finish and serve
- Use clean utensils to remove the meat from its bag and discard the liquid.
- Continue cooking in a skillet or oven until each thick center reaches 145°F. Insert the thermometer from the side into the thickest center of each flat piece, then check other thick areas without letting the tip pass through the meat. Recheck cooler areas before the final browning.
- Dry each piece, brush lightly with oil, and brown both broad sides in a hot skillet or on a grill. Keep the meat flat rather than folding it into the pan.
- Rest at least 3 minutes after the final heat before cutting. Cut thinly across the long grain after the rest, angling the knife slightly for broad slices, and serve immediately.
Useful tips
- Note which way the grain runs before browning makes it harder to see.
- A bigger pan or separate batches let the steak brown instead of steaming.
- Serve sauce alongside the sliced steak to keep the crust from getting soggy.
Common problems
- The cooked steak is still chewy
- Thick slices or slices along the grain leave long fibers in each bite. Carve thinner slices across the grain after resting.
- The edges brown before the center is ready
- Flank has a broad thin edge around a thicker middle. Use gentler skillet or oven cooking for the center check, then dry and brown the surface.
Questions
QIs flank the same as skirt or bavette?
QCan I roll flank around a filling?
QDoes the long bath replace a thermometer?
Cook safely
Use fully thawed, refrigerator-cold intact whole-muscle meat. This guide does not cover ground, injected, mechanically tenderized, cured, stuffed, or rolled meat.
Insert the thermometer from the side into the thickest center of each flat piece, then check other thick areas without letting the tip pass through the meat. Each measured spot must reach 145°F before the final browning.
If a spot is cooler, continue cooking in a skillet or oven and check again. This bath is below that temperature and needs a hotter cooking step; its timer alone cannot make the meat ready to eat.
Rest for at least 3 minutes after the last heat before cutting or serving. Use clean utensils, discard bag liquid, and serve immediately. These instructions do not cover chilling, storage, reheating, or hot holding.