This easy Asian Steak Marinade is gluten free and makes the best weeknight BBQ meal. It’s quick to put together, made with tamari, red wine, and other flavors, and perfect for a tougher cut of beef like flank steak. A simple dinner recipe for a hot summer night!
Looking for a really easy dish where you don’t have to turn on your oven? Or your stove? Or even your microwave? You are in the right place.
Summertime can get hot as blazes and the idea of turning anything on in your kitchen can make the thought of cooking unbearable. Which is when you turn to your grill.
This recipe is a really simple marinade that’s easy to make and full of flavor. In full disclosure, this recipe came from my father-in-law, and it was so good I had to ask him to let me put it up on the blog. Luckily, he was willing to share, which is where you benefit.
What Makes This Gluten Free Flank Steak Marinade So Great
- It’s so super easy to put together – just combine the marinade ingredients together and pour over a steak in a sealed bag or dish.
- You can control how salty the steak gets by marinating for a shorter or longer amount of time.
- The flavors blend together so well that this delicious marinade is going to become a fast family favorite!
A number of steak marinades I’ve found tend to use soy sauce, rendering them useless to those looking to stay gluten free because most soy sauces has gluten. This recipe uses gluten free tamari sauce instead. Which leads to the following question…
What’s the Difference Between Tamari and Soy Sauce?
They are in fact pretty similar, and if you were to pour each into a glass you’d likely not be able to tell the difference between the two without tasting them. Both are made from soybeans, with most soy sauces also using wheat. Typically tamari does not use wheat but be sure to read your labels as it can definitely sneak its way in there.
For more info on the differences and backgrounds of tamari and soy sauce, see these articles from Downshiftology and Chowhound.
You shouldn’t have any trouble finding gluten free tamari sauce at your local grocery store – it will be located in the same section as soy sauce typically is (just don’t pick that up by mistake). If you aren’t able to find it, you can always order it online.
Now on to the recipe.
How to make this gluten free marinade for steak
Start out by prepping the marinade (see the instructions in the recipe card below). The ingredients are shown here – there’s only eight of them. Told you this was going to be easy.
This is great to do the night before you plan on cooking the flank steak. Stick it in the fridge (covered) and in the morning you can just pop the steak and marinade in a ziploc bag to marinate in the fridge.
How To Grill Flank Steak
About 20 or 30 minutes before you’re ready to start cooking, take the steak out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature. If you don’t, the steak won’t cook evenly – yes, even flank steak, which is quite thin.
Once you’re steak is warmed up, turn up the grill to high heat (500 to 600 degrees F) and place the steak on it, closing the lid. Let it cook for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4 minutes.
At this point you’ll want to check the internal temperature of the meat. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you need to get one. We’ve had a Thermapen for years and I highly recommend it (it’s the purple one shown in the picture below).
Stick a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the steak and see what the temp is. A general guideline is 125 degrees F for rare, 140 degrees F for medium, and 160 degrees F for well done.
But this is key – you’ll want to remove your steak from the grill when it’s about 5 degrees below your ideal temperature. It will keep cooking once it’s off the grill so you need to factor that in. This article from Thermoworks goes into more detail about steak temperatures if you want more info.
If your steak isn’t at the right temp yet, shut the lid and cook it for another minute. Yes, I said one minute. Flank steak cooks very fast and is easy to overcook, so go in minute increments until you get the desired temperature on your steak.
Once it’s done cooking, set it on a large cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes. This is where those last 5 degrees cook the meat to the ideal doneness. After the 10 minutes are up, grab a sharp knife and a fork and start slicing away. I like to do more of a shave on flank steak, but I’ve seen a number of people like to cut it in pieces about ¼ to ½ an inch wide. Whatever way you like it is just fine.
Cooking Tips
- The marinade is on the salty side, so unless you REALLY like salt don’t marinate the steak overnight. On the flip side, if you only like lightly salted marinades you could do a 4 hour marinade to lessen the intensity a bit.
- Be sure and remove the meat from the grill 5 minutes before it reaches your desired temperature! It will continue to cook off the grill and you don’t want to end up with overdone steak.
- This dish goes well with roasted veggies and a carb-y side. Try it with my Gluten Free Instant Pot Potato Salad, Corn Tomato Avocado Salad, or Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower. Any leftovers (if you have them) also work well in a sandwich or salad.
Variations
- Use coconut aminos if you’re allergic to soy. You may need to add some salt to the marinade as it will turn out sweeter than when using tamari sauce.
- Try using ground ginger if you don’t have fresh. I typically use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger.
- If you don’t want to use wine, try substituting it for ¼ cup grape juice (red, not white) plus a tablespoon of vinegar (red wine vinegar or rice vinegar).
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE GRILLING RECIPES, CHECK THESE OUT!
- Healthy Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Greek Lamb Skewers
- Gluten Free Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs
- Dry Rubbed Flank Steak
Ready to develop your grilling skills?
Tune in and listen to the newly launched Grill Like a Mother podcast from Hot Pan Kitchen author Taryn Solie.
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Gluten Free Flank Steak Marinade with Tamari
Ingredients
- ¼ cup gluten free tamari sauce
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 scallions
- 6 whole peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 inch cubed fresh ginger root
- 2 pounds flank steak
Instructions
Items Needed:
- A cutting board
- A sharp knife
- A large measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- A garlic press
- A microplane or zester
- A gallon sized ziploc bag (or large flat dish and plastic wrap)
- A pair of BBQ tongs or a fork
- A meat thermometer
Directions:
- Wash the scallions, then using a cutting board and a sharp knife finely chop the green parts and discard the rest. Set aside.
- In a large measuring cup, pour in the tamari sauce and red wine. Using a tablespoon, measure out and pour in the olive oil. Using a ¼ teaspoon, measure out the ground coriander and dump into the measuring cup.
- Peel the garlic cloves then put them in a garlic press and place the pressed garlic into the cup, discarding any garlic that wasn’t pressed out.
- Using the cutting board and sharp knife, cut away the skin of the ginger root, then with a microplane grate the ginger into the measuring cup.
- Dump the chopped scallions into the cup, as well as the peppercorns. Use a spoon or small whisk to stir everything together.
- Place the flank steak in a gallon sized ziplock bag (or in a large flat dish if you don’t want to use a bag). Pour the marinade into the bag, covering the steak, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. If using a dish, pour the marinade over the steak and place plastic wrap over the dish to cover, again marinating in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
- Once the steak is done marinating, take it out of the fridge to bring to room temperature before putting on the grill – about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Turn on the grill to high heat (between 500 and 600 degrees F). Place take the steak out of the bag and place it on the grill with a pair of BBQ tongs or a fork. Discard the bag with the remaining marinade.
- Cook the steak for 4 to 5 minutes each side, checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer for desired doneness (140 degrees F for medium and 160 degrees F for well done).
- Let steak rest on a large cutting board for 10 minutes to retain juices, then slice in either thick or thin slices with a large sharp knife and serve.
Notes
– The marinade is on the salty side, so unless you REALLY like salt I would not marinate the steak overnight. On the flip side, if you only like lightly salted marinades you could do a 4 hour marinade to lessen the intensity a bit.
– This dish goes well with roasted veggies and a carb-y side, like baked potatoes or rice pilaf. Any leftovers (if you have them) also work well in a sandwich or salad.
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