I’m sharing a quick weeknight Flank Steak Recipes favorite where an affordable cut gets a glossy garlic-butter finish from a hot cast iron pan that tastes like restaurant fare.
I love short cuts that actually taste like I spent hours, and this Garlic Skillet Flank Steak Oven version is one of them. Using a good flank steak trimmed and plenty of minced garlic, I get deep flavor with almost no babysitting.
The pan gets hot, the edges char, and it looks like a Seared Steak you’d pay extra for. I swear the leftovers are better, but sometimes I burn the first slice because I cant wait.
If you want quick, bold weeknight food that feels like a restaurant, this Flank Steak Oven trick is a keeper.
Ingredients
- Flank steak, lean, protein rich, high in iron, hearty beef flavor.
- Garlic adds pungent, savory bite, contains antioxidants, may boost immunity.
- Butter gives rich mouthfeel, adds saturated fat, lots of flavor and browning.
- Olive oil brings healthy monounsaturated fats, helps sear, subtle fruity notes.
- Worcestershire sauce gives umami, tangy fermented punch, tiny sugar and salt.
- Soy sauce or tamari adds deep salty umami, savory complexity, use low sodium.
- Lemon juice brightens with acid, lifts richness, adds fresh citrus zing.
- Parsley adds herbaceous freshness, color and light herbal note, few calories.
- Red pepper flakes give tiny heat and warmth, optional, can be lively.
Ingredient Quantities
- about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak trimmed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat the 1 1/2 to 2 pound flank steak very dry with paper towels, trim if needed, then season both sides with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon garlic powder if you like. If you got time let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until it just starts to shimmer. You want it smoking hot so you get a good crust.
3. Sear the steak 2 to 3 minutes on the first side without moving it, flip and sear 2 minutes more until deeply browned. That crust is everything.
4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 4 to 6 minutes for medium rare, 6 to 8 for medium. Use an instant read thermometer if you can 125 to 130°F for medium rare, 135°F for medium. Remember it will rise a few degrees while resting.
5. Remove steak to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 7 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce in the same skillet.
6. Put the skillet back on medium heat, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and let it melt. Add 4 large garlic cloves minced and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
7. Stir in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari if using, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if you want a little heat. Scrape up all the browned bits from the pan they hold tons of flavor.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Taste the sauce and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
9. Slice the steak thinly against the grain, pile on a plate and spoon the garlic butter sauce over the top so it soaks into the meat. Serve right away.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven preheated to 450°F (youll need it really hot)
2. Cast iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet
3. Instant read thermometer to check doneness
4. Long tongs for searing and flipping the steak
5. Sharp chef’s knife for thin slices against the grain
6. Cutting board big enough to rest and slice the meat
7. Paper towels to pat the steak dry and trim fat
8. Measuring spoons and a small bowl for the sauce ingredients
9. Wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up browned bits
10. Aluminum foil to loosely tent the steak while it rests
FAQ
Garlic Butter Skillet Flank Steak Oven Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Flank steak: swap for skirt steak, hanger steak, or sirloin flap, they behave similarly in a hot skillet but remember to slice against the grain
- Unsalted butter: use ghee, extra virgin olive oil, or regular salted butter just cut back on the added salt
- Worcestershire sauce: try balsamic vinegar with a splash of soy, A1 or other steak sauce, or a little anchovy paste mixed into vinegar for umami
- Soy sauce/tamari: substitute coconut aminos, low sodium soy sauce, or a mix of beef broth plus a pinch of salt for a milder flavor
Pro Tips
1) Let the steak sit at room temp for about 30 minutes before it hits the pan, it cooks way more evenly that way and you wont end up with a cold center. dont skip it if you want consistent doneness.
2) Use an oil with a high smoke point and get the pan screaming hot so the meat forms a real crust, then leave it alone while it sears. moving it kills the crust and the whole point of searing is that crust.
3) After cooking, rest the steak loosely tented 7 to 10 minutes, then slice very thin across the grain. If you want super thin neat slices, chill the rested steak in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes so it firms up and is easier to carve.
4) For the pan sauce, wipe out any excess burnt oil but keep the browned bits, melt butter over medium and add garlic at the last second so it doesnt burn, finish with lemon and parsley to brighten. If the sauce tastes flat a splash of beef stock or a tiny bit more soy or Worcestershire will fix it fast.
Garlic Butter Skillet Flank Steak Oven Recipe
I’m sharing a quick weeknight Flank Steak Recipes favorite where an affordable cut gets a glossy garlic-butter finish from a hot cast iron pan that tastes like restaurant fare.
4
servings
542
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven preheated to 450°F (youll need it really hot)
2. Cast iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet
3. Instant read thermometer to check doneness
4. Long tongs for searing and flipping the steak
5. Sharp chef’s knife for thin slices against the grain
6. Cutting board big enough to rest and slice the meat
7. Paper towels to pat the steak dry and trim fat
8. Measuring spoons and a small bowl for the sauce ingredients
9. Wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up browned bits
10. Aluminum foil to loosely tent the steak while it rests
Ingredients
-
about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak trimmed
-
2 teaspoons kosher salt
-
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
-
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
-
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
4 large garlic cloves minced
-
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
-
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari (optional)
-
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
-
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat the 1 1/2 to 2 pound flank steak very dry with paper towels, trim if needed, then season both sides with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon garlic powder if you like. If you got time let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until it just starts to shimmer. You want it smoking hot so you get a good crust.
- Sear the steak 2 to 3 minutes on the first side without moving it, flip and sear 2 minutes more until deeply browned. That crust is everything.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 4 to 6 minutes for medium rare, 6 to 8 for medium. Use an instant read thermometer if you can 125 to 130°F for medium rare, 135°F for medium. Remember it will rise a few degrees while resting.
- Remove steak to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 7 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce in the same skillet.
- Put the skillet back on medium heat, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and let it melt. Add 4 large garlic cloves minced and cook 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari if using, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if you want a little heat. Scrape up all the browned bits from the pan they hold tons of flavor.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Taste the sauce and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain, pile on a plate and spoon the garlic butter sauce over the top so it soaks into the meat. Serve right away.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 219g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 542kcal
- Fat: 38.2g
- Saturated Fat: 16.7g
- Trans Fat: 1.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.5g
- Monounsaturated: 17.5g
- Cholesterol: 169mg
- Sodium: 565mg
- Potassium: 667mg
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Protein: 51.6g
- Vitamin A: 500IU
- Vitamin C: 5mg
- Calcium: 15mg
- Iron: 5.15mg