How do you cut up your flank steak for later use?

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Caslon

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Flank steak isn't cheap. When you buy a slab of flank steak to cut up into strips to freeze for later use, do you cut with the grain or against the grain? I'm not talking beef jerky here, altho I've come to the conclusion that flank steak makes the best jerky. Forget jerky...do you cut against the grain or with it?
 
One of the dishes I make with flank steak is a Chinese pepper steak. For this I need pieces 1/4" thick and 1.5"-2" long.

First, I cut 1.5"-2" wide strips with the grain. So I have four or five strips with the muscles fibers running the length of each strip.

Then I cut each strip into 1/4" slices across the grain.

With flank steak, it's important to shorten those muscle fibers as much as possible to minimize toughness.
 
Cut with the grain, but then cut it into shorter pieces against the grain?
I have a big slap of flank steak ready to be cut. I normally just start cutting strips against the grain.
 
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Cut with the grain, but then cut it into shorter pieces against the grain?
I have a big slap of flank steak ready to be cut. I normally just start cutting strips against the grain.

There's nothing wrong with that. Then you have long thin strips of meat cut across the grain. If you then cut each one into 2" long pieces, you're doing what I did in reverse order.

As I said, the key is to cut the muscle fibers into short pieces. You've done that.
 
Normally I cut thin slices, across the grain, on a bias.
 
I try not to cut it until its been cooked. I would never cut it to serving size before freezing. Seems silly actually.
But against the grain on a bias is the preferred method around here. After it has been grilled.
If you cut with the grain, you are taking the chance it will be less tender.
So why take the chance. Slice thin against the grain on a bias!
 
There's nothing wrong with that. Then you have long thin strips of meat cut across the grain. If you then cut each one into 2" long pieces, you're doing what I did in reverse order.

As I said, the key is to cut the muscle fibers into short pieces. You've done that.

Normally I cut thin slices, across the grain, on a bias.

I try not to cut it until its been cooked. I would never cut it to serving size before freezing. Seems silly actually.
But against the grain on a bias is the preferred method around here. After it has been grilled.
If you cut with the grain, you are taking the chance it will be less tender.
So why take the chance. Slice thin against the grain on a bias!


We're talking about two different things here. Slicing a grilled/cooked flank steak for service vs. cutting up a piece of flank steak to be marinated and cooked (e.g. in a stir-fry).
 
We're talking about two different things here. Slicing a grilled/cooked flank steak for service vs. cutting up a piece of flank steak to be marinated and cooked (e.g. in a stir-fry).

No, he said he was cutting it up before freezing. I wouldn't do that, either.
 
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