5 from 2 reviews

This fresh minty Napa cabbage slaw is topped with chili and garlic marinated broiled flank steak. I cooked the beef under the broiler, and I have ten tips on how to broil steak for perfect results.

Chili Garlic Steak with Minty Napa Slaw in a serving plate

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Table of contents

Why We Love This Recipe For Flank Steak

When I went to the grocery store the other day in search of some inspiration, I ended up buying this beautiful Napa cabbage, fresh mint, and grass-fed flank steak.

Normally when I have Napa cabbage I make this Napa Cabbage Recipe. But I was really in the mood for a big salad with protein on top. I also didn’t really didn’t know what to do with the steak because when it comes to flank steak, I only ever grill it. Since it was so cold out I wanted to develop a recipe that could be done without a grill.

The idea of broiling the steak occurred to me but I quickly dismissed it. Confession: I’m terrified of broiling. I have totally trashed some perfectly innocent meals under a broiler.

Broiling causes a cascade of cooking paranoia in my brain. What’s happening in there behind the closed doors? And whats the deal with leaving the door cracked? Why is that a thing? Why isn’t the meat brown, but it is overcooked? Are you supposed to flip what ever it is you’re cooking? Where should I position the rack in the first place?

I was afraid of risking it with this dear cut of meat. I wasn’t cheap! So I decided to get to the bottom of the broiling situation and figure out how to broil steak correctly so that I could teach anyone with the same daunting questions I Had. Turns out I have been doing more than one thing wrong.

Now that the journey is over, I can confidently say that I’ve mastered broiling steak. This recipe for broiled flank steak and salad turned out so flavorful, and the steak is perfectly juicy and tender.

What makes it work so well is the pairing of ingredients. The freshness of the Napa slaw tastes perfect with the fullness of the marinated broiled steak. It’s not too heavy, and will leave you wanting to make this recipe on repeat.

I ended up adding chopped peanuts, carrots, mint, onion, and a deliciously zest lime-maple-sesame dressing to the Napa cabbage. It’s simply divine. I could in all honestly just eat it on its own.

I would recommend making this recipe any night you feel like upping the ante a little bit. OR, if you’re having guests over and want to show off your broiling skills (because you could probably teach them a trick or two).

Nappa cabbage and grated carrots in a salad bowl

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Grass-fed flank steak

Flank is a special cut of meat that lies on the third quarter of the cow right in front of its hind legs, somewhat on the underside. It’s one of the leanest cuts of meat you can get from a cow and can be cooked many ways. You can broil it (hint hint), grill, roast, and sauté it. However, since it’s super lean it can be really tough and dry if it’s at all overcooked. A tip is to cook it to no more than medium and slice it very thinly against the grain.

Napa Cabbage

Napa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage that is basically the same as regular cabbage, just elongated and a little leafier. It has a super mild flavor which makes it a great addition to lots of dishes. You should be able to find Napa in most produce isles. If you can’t find it, use regular cabbage instead. Check out my Ultimate Guide to Cabbage for some tips!

Sriracha or Sambal Olek

We all know what sriracha tastes like and how amazing it is, but Sambal Olek (if you haven’t had it) is equally as tasty. It’s basically a type of chili garlic sauce and is less acidic than sriracha. It’s also a little thicker and crunchier. Since sriracha is more acidic, it might impact the overall flavor of your dish more than Sambal Olek. So if you’re looking to just add heat I’d recommend going with Sambal, however you can really use them interchangeably. You can find them in the condiment aisle of your grocery store.

Additional Ingredients

  • ½ cup tamari
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • ½ cup chopped mint
  • ¼ cup chopped peanuts
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion or scallions
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, dark or amber
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Minty Napa Cabbage Slaw with Chile Garlic Flank Steak on Healthy Seasonal Recipes by Katie Webster

Step by Step Instructions to Make This Recipe

Step 1: Make marinade

Combine the tamari, white vinegar, garlic, sambal olek in a large re-sealable bag. Add the steak, pressing extra air out, and sealing bag. Coat the steak in the marinade and refrigerate for 12 to 20 hours.

Step 2: Broil steak

Arrange an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the broiler. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Drain steak, pat dry with paper towels and discard the marinade. Place the steak on the broiler pan and broil just below the heat for 3 minutes (watch oven carefully). Turn the pan 180 degrees and continue cooking until the meat starts to char in areas. Flip the meat over and cook under the heat, rotating once for an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Let the meat rest at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Step 3: Assemble & serve

Combine the cabbage, carrots, mint, peanuts and onion in a large bowl. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, sesame oil, salt and white pepper in a jar. Seal and shake the jar. Pour dressing over the slaw and toss to combine. Serve the slaw topped with the steak.

Minty Napa Cabbage Slaw with steak in a serving bowl

FAQs and Expert Tips

Why you should preheat the broiler:

I know some people say you don’t need to preheat a broiler, but I have found that this is untrue with trial and error. It is important to give the oven time to warm up to get consistent and predictable results.

Do you have to leave the oven door slightly open?

Many modern ovens do not require you to leave the door ajar because they have fans and venting that prevent the build-up of too much steam or heat. Definitely check your user manual to see if that is necessary! If you have a fume hood use it while broiling since it will make a lot of smoke.

Why is it important to pat meat dry before cooking:

Get rid of extra moisture on the meat before you broil so that it doesn’t steam and you can get good browning of the meat. Read more about moisture and browning here. You can get rid of the moisture by draining the meat well then patting dry with paper towels.

Do you have to rest meat?

You absolutely must rest the meat. Ten minutes is ideal, especially for grass-fed beef. If you cut into the meat right after cooking, all the juices will flow out. Letting it sit for a little allows the juices to redistribute evenly and lets the meat relax.

How to tell if the meat is done:

Broiling cooks the steak a lot faster than you may think. Furthermore, you may not get as much browning as you are expecting, so relying on the look of the meat will not be a good indicator of doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness, or if you are an experienced cook you can always do the poke test. For medium-rare flank steak, pull the steak out of the oven when the internal temperature is 130 degrees F. As it rests it will rise to 135 degrees.

Why should you use a broiler pan?

Use a two level broiler pan to keep the meat out of the juice and avoid overcooking. This will encourage browning as opposed to stewing. These pans often come with the oven. To make clean up easier, layer foil in the bottom layer then place the upper layer with holes in it on top. Coat that with cooking spray or brush with a fine layer of oil so the meat will not stick.

Where should you position the oven rack?

First, position the oven rack according to what you’re cooking. For melting cheese, position the rack in the upper third, but not in the top position. For browning meat, move the rack so that the meat is just below the heat. Make sure to account for the height of the broiler pan.

Other cooking tips:

If your broiler has one central element, you will need to rotate the food so it will cook evenly. That means taking the pan and turning it around in the oven. Think of this sort of like a quarter turn on the grill. If your pan won’t fit both ways, just rotate the steak with tongs. You will also need to flip the meat over. Again this will ensure even cooking.

Additional Cabbage Recipes To Try

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Chili Garlic Steak with Minty Napa Slaw by Katie Webster on Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Broiled Steak with Napa Cabbage Slaw

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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 12 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

Broiled chili marinated grass-fed flank steak with Sriracha, garlic marinade over minty napa slaw. A gluten-free and low-carb dinner salad.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup tamari
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha or Sambal Olek
  • 1 grass-fed flank steak trimmed of fat (1.5 or 1.75 pounds)
  • 1 head Napa Cabbage, finely sliced (10 to 12 cups)
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup chopped mint
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion or scallions
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, dark or amber
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine tamari, white vinegar, garlic, sambal olek in a large re-sealable bag. Add steak, press extra air out, and seal bag. Coat steak in the marinade and refrigerate for 12 to 20 hours.
  2. Arrange oven rack in upper third of the oven. Preheat broiler. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.
  3. Drain steak, pat dry with paper towels and discard marinade. Place steak on the broiler pan and broil just below the heat for 3 minutes. Turn pan 180 degrees and continue cooking until the meat starts to char in areas. Flip meat over and cook under the heat, rotating once for an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Let meat rest at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
  4. Combine cabbage, carrots, mint, peanuts and onion in a large bowl. Combine lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, sesame oil, salt and white pepper in a jar. Seal and shake jar. Pour over the slaw and toss to combine.
  5. Serve the slaw topped with the steak.

Notes

Cooking Tip:

Get rid of extra moisture on the meat before you broil so that it doesn’t steam and you can get good browning of the meat. Read more about moisture and browning here. You can get rid of the moisture by draining the meat well then patting dry with paper towels.

  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Broiling
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 ounces steak 1 1/2 cup slaw
  • Calories: 434
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 741 mg
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 13 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 40 g

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