Balsamic London Broil
I found this recipe on another website. I made it tonight for dinner and it was amazing. The balsamic helps tenderize the meat as well as adding nice flavor.
I found this recipe on another website. I made it tonight for dinner and it was amazing. The balsamic helps tenderize the meat as well as adding nice flavor.
- Carbohydrate 15.8382887814149 g
- Cholesterol 72.8 mg
- Fat 12.6168187510225 g
- Fiber 3.85473750619083 g
- Protein 31.8669787629398 g
- Saturated Fat 2.83371937513293 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (503g)
- Sodium 82.9091250380956 mg
- Sugar 11.9835512752241 g
- Trans Fat 1.45489125047548 g
- Calories 298 calories
Step-by-step
- Put all ingredients, except meat, in a container fitted with a lid; cover and shake.
- Pour the marinade over the top round steak and cover.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight, turning the meat occasionally.
- Grill or broil until done as desired.
- Slice thinly.
Why does top round steak demand four hours in an acidic bath before it ever touches a heat source? Tough cuts respond predictably to time and chemistry, utilizing acetic acid to break down stubborn connective proteins without requiring mechanical tenderization like a mallet. While this dish excels when prepared ahead for quick weeknight assembly, freezing the raw meat directly inside the marinade creates distinct structural challenges that require careful management. Understanding how to handle the interaction between soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and lean beef ensures the final product remains tender rather than mushy.
- Submerge the half-pound steak in a sealed freezer-safe bag with the marinade for up to three months before thawing it slowly in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours.
- Keep the total acid-exposure window under twenty-four hours because leaving lean beef in vinegar indefinitely denatures the surface proteins until they turn unpleasantly mealy.
- Cook the steak under high, direct heat until the internal thermometer registers 130 degrees Fahrenheit for a reliable medium-rare result.
- Rest the meat for exactly ten minutes before slicing it paper-thin across the visible grain to shorten muscle fibers for a tender bite.
Proper slicing technique is entirely non-negotiable for lean cuts like top round. Cutting perpendicular to the grain rather than parallel dictates whether the final portion chews easily or resists the knife completely.
