London Broil with Balsamic-Honey Vinegar
After a week of running around and having very simple easy dinners, last night I was in the mood to have something new. Fall is in the air and I wanted to capture it in my cooking.
After a week of running around and having very simple easy dinners, last night I was in the mood to have something new. Fall is in the air and I wanted to capture it in my cooking.
- Carbohydrate 16.553846285751 g
- Cholesterol 15.2515625065405 mg
- Fat 7.44124062819111 g
- Fiber 0.0105937501624022 g
- Protein 0.426782501007419 g
- Saturated Fat 3.87692750166259 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (86g)
- Sodium 57.5621250633812 mg
- Sugar 16.5432525355886 g
- Trans Fat 0.448480625192328 g
- Calories 145 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large glass cooking pan mix the 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey and olive oil. With a fork poke the London broil and add it the glass pan. Turn to insure the meat is well covered with the mixture. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, occasionally turning the meat.
- In a small heavy bottom sauce pan add 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons honey, cranberries and tart cherries. Cook over moderate high heat until reduced by half.
- When the right consistency is reached, not too thick nor too thin, turn off the heat and add the butter. Mix well.
- Preheated oven at 375º. In a broiling pan (the one with a top part that has slits and sits over a shallow bottom pan) place the London broil. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil on both sides for about 5 minutes in each side.
- Remove from oven, cover and set aside for a couple of minutes. Re-warm the balsamic-vinegar sauce. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce over it.
Operating within a strict one-hour total window requires splitting tasks between marinating and sauce reduction so that active time stays minimal. Poking the beef with a fork creates micro-channels that allow the oil, vinegar, and honey marinade to penetrate the muscle fibers rather than just coating the exterior. Acidity from the vinegar breaks down tough proteins during the refrigerator rest, while high heat from the oven and broiler ensures a crust forms without overcooking the interior.
Sauce Dynamics and Plate Pairings
Simmering bulk balsamic vinegar with dried fruit forces moisture evaporation, concentrating natural sugars until the liquid coats the back of a spoon. Cold butter whisked into the warm reduction at the end emulsifies the mixture, adding gloss and rounding out the sharp acetic bite with dairy fat. Because the resulting sauce leans intensely sweet and tangy, starchy, unseasoned sides like roasted fingerling potatoes or plain polenta provide a necessary neutral base to balance the plate.
- Tough meat texture usually stems from slicing along the grain instead of across it; always locate the parallel muscle fibers and cut perpendicularly.
- Sauce hardening indicates the reduction boiled too long; restore the pourable consistency by whisking in hot water one tablespoon at a time.
- Over-browning means the oven rack is positioned too close to the broiler element; drop the pan down one level.
