Every summer needs some London Broil.

I made some last night to give the new carving board a test drive. Yum. It worked quite well, and an evening with friends is even better with some tasty meats. "London Broil" isn't a specific cut, and is generally top round or shoulder round. It's relatively inexpensive and usually can be a bit tough if you just throw it on the grill, but, with the right marinade, it's delicious.

Go with a top round if available. The shoulder round cut that's sometimes labeled as "London Broil" can be a bit too tough. It tastes even better if you get it on sale!

Here's what I use for the marinade:

4 large garlic cloves, minced 
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled 
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled 
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled 
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes 
2/3 cup olive oil

That's enough for one piece - which is usually about 2lbs. I find that's usually good for about 2-3 people.

I like to put all the ingredients in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and mush it around to mix it well. Sure, you could get out your bowl and whisk and emulsify to your heart's content, but I have yet to taste the difference - and who wants to wash another bowl? There are beers to drink and a gazebo to sit in.

If making more than one, make a separate bag for each to maximize marinade-to-meat contact.

[caption id="attachment_1276" align="alignright" width="243" caption="The au jus groove on the board is key for dipping"][/caption]

After you add the meat, squeeze out any air, fold over the top of the bag, and place the bag on a dish or tray (in case of leaks) in your fridge. Keep it in there for about 8 hours. Somewhere in the middle squish it around a bit and flip it over.

[Addendum - 5 July 2011 - over the weekend made some, but didn't have the full 8 hours, only about 2-3. To speed things along, I added some canned pineapple chunks and some of the juice. Pineapple has bromelain, which works as a meat tenderizer. Can also use papaya, which has papain, and has a similar effect. Too much or too long (>4hrs) will make it mushy, but in a pinch, they work quite well.]

On a good hot grill, about 8-9min per side should get you medium-rare. Let it then rest for 10min. Last night's grill was a bit of an inferno, so we ended up with medium, but it was still quite tasty.

No leftovers.

[caption id="attachment_1279" align="aligncenter" width="243" caption="Clean Plate Club."][/caption]

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