I’ve made Eddie’s dream meal.
Well — his dream meal after pizza, a cheeseburger, shrimp and grits, a filet topped with lobster, and thirty chocolate chip cookies washed down with Diet Coke while standing at the sink. After all that, this is what he wants: grilled steak and a big spread of toppings to pile on. Father’s Day, take note.
Look at all that color!
This recipe is really an idea for an idea: a method you can adapt to any protein or vegetables. Use it for dinner, lunch, a party, or Father’s Day — grilled chicken, veggie burgers, even a s’mores bar if that’s your vibe. Choose three toppings, or 45. Use store-bought condiments, or leftovers like chimichurri from earlier in the week. Make it yours.
Just maybe skip the garlic butter shrimp if you’re doing s’mores.
First up: the steak. This flank steak uses an old-school family marinade I’ve been making for years — I think I shared it in the first week of the blog. It’s savory with a hint of sweetness, plenty of garlic and ginger, and a little brown sugar that helps form a beautiful crust on the outside.
If you’re wondering whether I mostly cook flank steak and filet — guilty. They’re familiar and forgiving cuts, but feel free to use any steak you like. Hanger would be my top pick if I could find it easily.
Now for the best part: the toppings.
I love build-your-own meals like this in summer — light, customizable, and perfect for sharing. Add garlic bread and a big salad and you’re set. The toppings also work great on bread if you want to make sandwiches or sliders.
Suggested toppings include:
- Multiple salsas — a smooth blender version and chunkier fresh salsas
- Homemade chimichurri
- Honey chipotle mayo
- Garlic butter shrimp
- Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing with crumbles
- Roasted red pepper chutney
- Buttery sautéed herb mushrooms
- Thinly sliced radishes, microgreens, chopped grape tomatoes, and anything else you love
Plates piled with different combinations are my favorite. Serve cold beers, margaritas, or sangria alongside. One great thing about this kind of platter: once it cools to room temperature it still tastes excellent, so you can set everything out ahead and relax.
You deserve that kind of easy celebration.
Marinated Flank Steak Bar with Our Favorite Toppings
4
to 6
Ingredients
- 1 (2 to 3 pound) flank steak
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sherry wine
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Toppings
- 2 bell peppers + 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced (for grilling)
- (14-ounce) jar of roasted red peppers with garlic in olive oil
- 1 cup of your favorite salsa
- Thinly sliced radish
- Chopped grape tomatoes
- A batch of homemade chimichurri
- A batch of copycat chipotle corn salsa
- A batch of chipotle mayo
- Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing + blue cheese crumbles
Shrimp
- 4 ounces raw large grilling shrimp
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Mushrooms
- 12 ounces sliced assorted mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Place the steak in a large baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sherry, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Toss the steak in the marinade to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
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When ready to cook, heat the grill on high.
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Place sliced bell peppers and onions in a double layer of foil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil if desired; seal to make a packet.
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Set the pepper packets directly on the grill and cook 5 to 10 minutes, tossing once or twice. While they cook, place the flank steak on the grill. For a 1-inch-thick steak, grill about 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let the steak rest 10 minutes after removing from the grill.
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After resting, slice the steak thinly against the grain. For the roasted red pepper chutney, pulse the roasted peppers with a little of their oil in a food processor until chunky. Arrange the steak, peppers, salsas and other toppings on a large platter and serve. Most toppings can be made a day ahead.
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