My recipe for Korean Grilled Flank Steak Ssam was entered in the 2015 Certified Angus Beef® Brand Recipe Contest as part of the Food and Wine Conference. I received no compensation for this post. All opinions are my very own.
What is flank steak? Flank steak is the cut of beef that comes from the abdominal muscles of the cow. I’m using Certified Angus Beef® flank steak for this dish which is one of my favorite cuts of beef. I find it packed with flavor and very versatile – I use it for stir-fries, soups, and braises. This dish is even great as leftovers – warm or cold. Grilling a whole flank steak also makes it very easy to feed a crowd and it’s ready in no time so you spend less time in front of the grill and more time socializing!
What is dwaenjang? Dwaenjang is a Korean fermented soybean paste. It is very similar to miso, but much more pungent and less sweet. Dwaenjang really stands up to beef, but doesn’t overpower it. The heat really mellows out the pungency of this paste, provides nutty overtones with the beef, and really taps into your umami taste buds. What I’m trying to say is that IT TASTES INCREDIBLE.
What is ssam? Ssam literally means “wrapped” in Korean. If you’ve ever had a Korean barbeque feast, it usually includes a basket of lettuce leaves (usually red leaf or Bibb) and a dish of sauce called ssamjang with its primary ingredient being dwaenjang. I thought I’d simplify things by marinating the flank steak with a dwaenjang mixture.
Put these three together and you have an awesome meal!
Certified Angus Beef® is sponsoring this recipe contest for the Food and Wine Conference. If you’d like to enter a beefy creation or check out the other entries, click here for more information.
Wanna learn more about the Food and Wine Conference? I’ve attended the Food and Wine Conference since its inception in 2013 and I am planning to attend this year. It will be a 3-day conference packed with amazing speakers and sessions. I have always come away with invaluable knowledge and friendships and will expect nothing less from this year’s conference. If you’re a blogger or just have a passion for food and cooking, this is the conference to attend! It is being held at Rosen Shingle Creek in sunny Orlando, Florida from July 17th through the 19th. For more information on the conference, click on the big logo above. You can also follow the hashtag #FWCon on your social media accounts for all things Food and Wine Conference!
Korean Grilled Flank Steak Ssam #FWCon #GrillTalk
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 pound Certified Angus Beef® flank steak
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1/2 cup dwaenjang
- Lettuce leaves from 1 head of Bibb lettuce or red leaf lettuce rinsed and dried
- Cooked white rice to serve optional
Instructions
- Make shallow cross-wise scores on both sides of the flank steak about 1-inch apart.
- In a large food storage bag, mix together the garlic, sake, and dwaenjang. Place the steak in the bag and seal. Massage the bag so that the steak is fully coated. Refrigerate and let marinate overnight or at least 8-12 hours.
- Preheat your grill to high. Carefully place the steak on the grill, cover and let cook for about 4-5 minutes. Note: I used a gas grill.
- Flip over, cover the grill, and cook another 4 minutes. Flank steak is best enjoyed when cooked medium-rare. To check for doneness, poke the thickest part of the steak with your finger, if it feels spongy, it's probably rare. If it feels spongy with a little give, it's probably more medium-rare.
- Place on a platter and tent with foil for about 10 minutes. Slice thinly crosswise (against the grain) to serve.
- Place a couple of slices of steak in a leaf of lettuce, wrap, and eat!
