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This easy London Broil recipe highlights the bold, beefy flavor of top round steak and requires very little work.
Your only job as a cook is to avoid overcooking the meat. This cut of beef should be served medium-rare.
Much like tri-tip roast, top round steak is an inexpensive yet flavorful cut of beef. London broil refers to a cooking technique for this cut.
It is traditionally prepared by broiling or grilling a marinated top round or flank steak and then cutting it into thin strips. But I like to cook it on the stove, in a cast-iron skillet.
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- Ingredients
- Variations
- London Broil Instructions
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Storing Leftovers
- More Beef Recipes
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this London Broil recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- For the marinade: Balsamic vinegar, soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative), Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and cumin. You can use any mustard you like, but I like the creaminess and flavor of Dijon mustard.
- Top round steak: I usually get it at the butcher counter at Whole Foods. It's also available in many supermarkets, such as Kroger.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is to add more spices to the marinade. Good options that I tried and liked include smoked paprika (½ teaspoon), chili powder (½ teaspoon), and cayenne pepper (¼ teaspoon).
London Broil Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients - balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, garlic powder, and cumin.
Place the steak in a resealable bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and rub it all over the steak. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Place the bag on a plate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. If you're home while the steak is marinating, flip it occasionally.
Remove the steak from the fridge an hour before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, for about 3 minutes.
Remove the steak from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle it on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place the steak in the hot skillet. Cook it for 3 minutes without moving. Flip to the other side (it should be deeply browned and slightly charred on the first side) and cook for 3 more minutes, again without moving it.
Using oven mitts, remove the skillet from the heat. Tent it with foil to allow the steak to rest and finish cooking from the skillet's heat for 5 minutes.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Slice it thinly and serve.
Expert Tips
London broil is a lean and flavorful cut that can easily become tough. To ensure your steak comes out tender, you need to do three things:
- Marinate the beef before cooking. Marinating, especially with a marinade that contains vinegar, tenderizes the meat.
- Cook the steak to rare (120°F) and certainly to no more than medium-rare (135°F). Note that the USDA says we should cook steaks to 145°F.
- Slice the cooked steak thinly. Slicing it thinly is another trick that aids with chewing it. Other tough cuts of beef, such as flank steak and skirt steak, are also sliced thinly.
Recipe FAQs
What cut is a London broil?
This recipe is typically made from the top round. The round is the rear leg of the cow, and it's divided into the eye round, bottom round, and top round.
The top round is a tough cut that requires marinating and a quick, high-heat cooking method.
What if my steak is still frozen?
If you have a frozen top round steak, it's perfectly fine to marinate it while it's still frozen. I often do. Simply place the frozen steak in a resealable bag with the marinade and place it in the fridge overnight.
Should I add oil to the skillet?
If your cast-iron skillet is well seasoned, there's no need to add oil to the pan before frying the steak. If you'd like to add fat to the skillet, it's best to use fats appropriate for high-heat cooking, such as avocado oil or ghee.
Serving Suggestions
London Broil is a versatile main dish. You can serve it with any side. I often serve it with one of the following:
- Mashed cauliflower
- Steamed asparagus
- Sauteed mushrooms
- Microwave sweet potato
- Creamed spinach
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
Alternatively, I serve it with a side salad, such as asparagus salad, tomato salad, or the salad shown below of tomatoes, hearts of palm, cilantro, and olives:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Thinly sliced and served cold, they make the perfect topping for salads such as this arugula salad.
Sometimes, I use them in this Cobb salad instead of chicken.
I also like to make a plate, as shown below, of cold beef slices with fresh-cut veggies, salsa or sriracha mayo, and quick pickles or store-bought pickles:
More Beef Recipes
- Broiled Flank Steak
- Ribeye Roast
- Reverse Sear Steak
- Oxtail Stew
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Recipe Card
4.98 from 148 votes
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Easy London Broil Recipe
This easyLondon Broil recipehighlights the bold, beefy flavor of top round steak and requires very little work.
Prep Time4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1.5 pound top round steak 1 - 1.25 inches thick
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Marinate the steak:
Whisk the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, garlic powder, and cumin in a small bowl.
Place the steak in a Ziploc bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and rub it all over the steak. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Place the bag on a plate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. If you're home while the steak is marinating, flip it occasionally.
Cook the steak:
Remove the steak from the fridge 1-2 hours before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, for about 3 minutes.
Remove the steak from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle it on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place the steak in the hot skillet. Cook it for 3 minutes without moving.
Flip the steak to the other side (it should be deeply browned and slightly charred on the first side) and cook for 3 more minutes, again without moving it.
Using oven mitts, remove the skillet from the heat. Tent it with foil to allow the steak to rest and finish cooking from the skillet's heat for 5 minutes.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Slice it thinly and serve.
Video
Notes
- If you have a frozen top round steak, it's perfectly fine to marinate it while it's still frozen. I often do. Simply place the frozen steak in a resealable bag with the marinade and place it in the fridge overnight.
- If your cast-iron skillet is well seasoned, there's no need to add oil to the pan before frying the steak. If you'd like to add fat to the skillet, it's best to use fats appropriate for high-heat cooking, such as avocado oil or ghee.
- The best way to ensure the steak is done to your liking is using an instant-read thermometer. Rare is 120-125°F (a warm red center). Medium-rare is 130-135°F (mostly pink center with some red in the middle). However, the CDC recommends cooking meat to an internal temperature of 145°F.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for 3-4 days. Thinly sliced and served cold, they make the perfect topping for salads.
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Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 0.25recipe | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 721mg
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Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
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About the Author
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Mike Kramer
Trying to make this and follow the instructions but the ads make the instructions jump so I continually have to re-find the instructions. Not a good experience.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Mike,
That sounds incredibly annoying. I'm sorry. I will reach out to my ad provider to see if we can address this issue.Reply
Andy
This was delicious. This was my second time making this recipe. The first time, I followed your instructions and the steak was too rare to my taste. Tonight, I cooked it for 4 minutes per side instead of three and it turned out PERFECT.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Andy! Thank you for the feedback.
Reply
