The Foolproof Method For Grilling a Juicy, Flavor-Packed Steak

While it might seem easy enough, marinating steak is tricky business: either the bits of herbs, garlic, and sugar from the marinade char and add a unpleasant, blackened flavor to the crust, or the steak fails to sear properly from being too damp with liquid. With a simple order-of-operations swap — marinating the steak after grilling — these problems become null. The steak still soaks up considerable flavor from its postgrill bath, which conveniently takes place during the steak's crucial resting period, and the flavors remain bright and bold.

It gets better: since the marinade never touches raw meat, it doubles as a sauce that can be drizzled on the steak for added oomph. And as the marinade is applied to the steak after it's done cooking (for a mere five minutes), it's ready far faster than traditional recipes. All in all, it's an exceptional way to cook a steak.

Notes

If your market doesn't have skirt steak (as mine did not), flank steak is a great substitute. If you don't have a grill, cook the steaks in a very hot grill pan or cast-iron skillet.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce 2 scallions, sliced thinly, plus the green parts of 1 scallion for garnish 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 (12-ounce) skirt steaks, cut crosswise into 4-inch pieces and trimmed Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

Combine the soy sauce, worcestershire, scallions, 2 tablespoons sugar, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until incorporated and the sugar has dissolved. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, and sprinkle all over with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. For a charcoal grill: Open the bottom vent completely. Light the large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When the top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set the cooking grate in place, cover, and open the lid vent completely. Heat the grill until hot, about 5 minutes. For a gas grill: Turn all the burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all the burners on high. Clean and oil the cooking grate. Grill the steaks (uncovered and directly over coals if using charcoal; covered if using gas) until well browned and the meat registers 125°F for medium-rare, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to 13-by-9-inch pan, and poke all over with a fork. Pour the marinade over the steaks, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a carving board, and slice thinly against the grain. Sprinkle with the green parts of 1 scallion and the parsley. Pour the marinade into a serving vessel. Serve, passing the marinade at the table.