Flank Steak Stuffed with Brie & Zucchini (Family Favorites) and How to Cook the Perfect Steak This Father's Day

Ah yes...Beef is more than likely going to be "What's for Dinner" this coming Father's Day. According to the most recent Consumer Grilling Study, three out of four Americans say that the one meat they grill the most often is beef (69%); while chicken came in second (25%) and pork came in third (6%). I would tend to agree as it seems like we eat beef more often in the warmer, grilling months ourselves.

I don't know about you, but I'm a visual person. Show me and I can do it or figure it out. Tell me and you lost me. So I found this chart below to determine how long to cook your steaks as a guide, but try not to poke too many holes in the meat while cooking as the juices will flow out and cause your steak to dry out.  Cooking times do vary according to the cut of meat as well so for a more specific list, including the different cuts of beef and minutes to cook per side, click on the link to see this really helpful chart from Beef It's What's For Dinner.

As far as Father's Day plans, I'm not quite sure what we're going to do yet. Saturday is my rescheduled Book Signing from 1pm-3pm; then we're heading to a combined graduation party for my nephew(high school) and niece(college) where I'm bringing that Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Kalamata Olives, Capers and Sun Dried Tomatoes, and with the hubby traveling so much lately between his father's surgery, vacation and business trips, I think he'd prefer just hanging home for the day to recoup.

I'm thinking that I may make this family's favorites recipe for Flank Steak Stuffed with Brie & Zucchini from my cookbook. I can't believe I haven't made this recipe since I originally created it in August 2011 and it was one of our favorites...always on the quest to find new and exciting new recipes I guess! For this dish, I sauteed some zucchini with fresh rosemary, garlic and mushrooms. Then I added some slices of Brie, wrapped it up, sliced it individually and grilled it. I have to say it was AMAZING; however, you have to grill these on a higher temperature so that all of the cheese doesn't run out before the meat is done cooking.

Flank Steak Stuffed with Brie & Zucchini

Prep Time:  30 minutes                               Yield: 6

Cook Time:  Personal Preference                 Serving: 1 piece

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. Flank Steak
• 1 1/2 c. Zucchini, cut in half then sliced
• 1 c. Mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4oz. Brie, white rind removed and sliced
• Kitchen String

Directions

1. Using a meat tenderizer, pound flank steak until it is rectangular in shape and even thickness. 
2. In a pan, heat oil and sauté the zucchini, mushrooms, garlic and rosemary until the vegetables get soft.  
3. Evenly spread the zucchini mixture on top of the steak, leaving a 1/2" border around all sides; then add the cheese. 
4. Roll up the flank steak lengthwise and tie with six pieces of kitchen string; spacing them out evenly to where you will slice them. 
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the rolled steak into six individual pieces. Season with salt and pepper just prior to grilling. 
6.  and grill until desired doneness.  

Nutrition Facts

Calories 260, Carbs 1.8g, Fat 13g, Protein 32g, Fiber .5g, Sugar .7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Looking or other Beef Grilling Ideas? How about some of these reader favorites!

Ginger Soy Marinated Strip Steaks

Vanilla Fig Balsamic Marinated London Broil

Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak

Enjoy and Have a Happy Father's Day! 

Soy-Ginger Grilled Flank Steak

According to an article in the June/July issue of Taste of Home Magazine, grilling meat over high temps triggers the formation of carcinogenic chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCA's). They say if you marinate meats for at least 1 hour before you grill, you can cut the HCA formation by 57%-88%. Marinating meat in spicy liquids that contain oil, water, vinegar and herbs is especially effective. 

I always like to marinate before grilling anyway (and I didn't even know it was better for you!) as I feel it's adds it's own uniqueness to whatever you happen to be cooking whether it's chicken, pork, beef or fish (yes, I do grill shrimp for the hubby and kids!). Take this flank steak for instance. A few simple ingredients created this fabulous, flavorful meal. 

Soy-Ginger Grilled Flank Steak
1-2lb. Flank Steak

Marinade
1/2 c. Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1/4 c. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Add the steak to a resealable plastic bag and add in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. Discard marinade and grill to desired doneness. 

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak

I love that the weather is getting warmer (well most days) which allows me to grill more often. Yes, technically I know I could grill all the time for those die-hard year-round grillers out there, but there is something about trekking outside in the cold/snow that doesn't make it very appealing. So when shopping recently, I purchased a flank steak and couldn't wait to experiment with a new way to prepare it. I only started stuffing them myself several years ago after buying them already done at the butcher. Once you get the hang of it, it's really quite simple. You just have to make sure to roll and tie the meat tightly together. I also found that if you prepare it hours before you actually need it, then refrigerate it after cutting them down into the 6 portions, it does hold up better on the grill (very little oozing out!). And don't get me wrong, those two end pieces don't look as pretty as the rest, but they certainly taste the same. This combination of sun dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives and feta cheese was like heaven in your mouth and even if you don't like beef, it would also make a nice filling for stuffing chicken or pork...hmm...maybe that will be my next experiment!

Mediterranean Stuffed Flank Steak
1 1/2-2 lb. Flank Steak
1/2 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/4 c. Fresh Basil, chopped
8 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 c. Feta Cheese, crumbles
Kitchen String


Using a meat tenderizer, pound flank steak until it is rectangular in shape and even thickness. Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olives and cheese to a bowl and mix well. Evenly spread the mixture on top of the steak, leaving a 1/2" border around all sides.  Roll up the flank steak lengthwise and tie with six pieces of kitchen string; spacing them out to where you will slice them. Using a sharp knife, cut the rolled steak into six individual pieces. Season with salt and pepper just prior to grilling and grill until desired doneness.


Enjoy!  

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories 299, Carbs 3.8g, Fat 15.3g, Protein 34.2g, Fiber 1.2g, Sugar 1.8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Shared on Caroles Chatter 5/19/12