How to Smoke a Flank Steak on a Pellet Grill (Using My Pit Boss)

I love steak!

I will eat and enjoy all the different cuts however my favorites are NY strip, ribeye, t-bone and flank steak.

This smoked flank recipe is one of the best steak recipes I have in my cooking arsenal.

Friends and family always ask me to cook it for our family events and always want the recipe!

Flank steak often gets a bad wrap as being one of the cheap, tough cuts of meat like to oyster blade steak.

But with some clever preparation and low and slow cooking, it’s as tender and tasty as any cut.

Cooking flank can be overwhelming for a barbecue beginner, so follow my 8 simple steps to cook this cut to perfection

What is Flank Steak?

Flank steak comes from the lower chest or abdominal muscles of the cow.

While it’s flavorful, it is very lean with almost no fat. This means it tends to be tough when cooked as is.

When marinated and slow-grilled it can be one of the most delicious cuts of beef to enjoy.

Some people get confused between the skirt steaks however they are different cuts of meat.

Flank steak is also commonly used for carne asada.

Don’t Have A Pellet Grill?

If you don’t have a pellet grill don’t worry! I have also smoked flank steak on my Weber Kettle and charcoal smoker. You can see my recipe for smoked flank steak here.

I have also grilled steak on a salt block as well as sous vide ribeye steak! Make sure you check out those recipes

The Secret Is In The Marinade

Cuts like brisket or ribs have a lot of fatty connective tissue.

 They tend to break down when cooking low and slow and release gelatin which can help keep the meat moist.

However, flank steak doesn’t have a lot of connective tissue or fat content.

Therefore it can dry out easily.

Flank steak needs to be marinated or braised to increase tenderness. You can follow my delicious marinade recipe below.

As a general rule of thumb, marinades need oil and acids.

What You Need for a Steak Marinade

• Table or Kosher Salt
• Red wine vinegar
• Black pepper
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic
• Soy Sauce

• Salt the meat first. When salted the meat is better able to absorb and keep moisture.
• Place the meat in a shallow baking dish, resealable container, or zip lock bag.
• Mix the ingredients together and pour over the entire steak.
• Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4-6 hours before smoking.

How to Prepare the Steak

Baste with oil and give a heavy coating of dry steak rub to help tenderize the meat. Use any dry steak rub or seasoning.

Leave the steak to sit at room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes

The Trick to Smoking Steak

The trick to tender flank smoked steak is to cook it at a low temperature using indirect heat.

Then finish off with a hot reverse sear. This helps lock in the juices and smoky flavor.

It will also give a juicy and tender center and an exterior crust that’s packed with flavor.

• Preheat the pellet grill to 225°F.
• Cover the steak with seasoning or bbq rub, and place on the grill grates.
• Leave it there to smoke.

How to Reverse Sear Flank Steak

When it’s about 10-15°F below the desired temp, remove from the heat. 

Crank the pellet smoker to the max. Return the steak to the grill when it’s reached temperature.

Cook 10 minutes to get a nice sear on each side to lock in the moisture and flavor.

What Wood Chip Flavors Work Well With Flank Steak?

If you like a strong flavoured smoky flavor, use mesquite or hickory pellets.

If you prefer a more subtle flavor go for like apple, oak, or pecan wood pellets. But they may not have the bacon-like flavors as the stronger wood pellets.

What Temperature Should You Smoke Flank Steak At?

To smoke flank steak set the temperature of the pellet grill to 225°F for the majority of the cook. 

Keep this temperature even throughout. Fluctuating temperatures can overcook and dry out the meat. 

What Temperature Is Smoked Flank Steak Done At?

The flank steak is done when the internal temp hits 125-130 degrees, however this is rare. See below for the doneness chart. The actual steak cook time will depend on your preference and the the size of your steak.

Check the doneness is by monitoring the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Insert the meat probe into the center to check the internal temp.

What You Need For Smoked Flank

• 1.5lbs of flank steak, trimmed
• 1 tbsp of Flake Salt
• 1 tsp of Garlic powder
• 1 tsp of Onion Powder
• ½ tsp of smoked paprika
• ½ tsp of ground black pepper
• ½ tsp of cumin powder
• ½ tsp of ground coriander

• Fresh Coriander
• Lime
• Cast iron skillet
• Pellet grill

How to Smoke a Flank Steak on a Pit Boss

• Preheat your smoker on the S setting, we’re going to do a reverse sear for this one.

• Combine your rub ingredients into a small bowl and stir with a spoon until combined.

• Liberally season your meat, during this step I’ve completed a plain salt and pepper flank as well if you’re not keen on the rub.

• Store in a container upto 24 hours before smoking.

• Once your smoker has reached the S Setting Temp (some may vary depending on your settings), put your flanks on.

• Monitor the temp through your meat probe, for me, I like to wait until it hits around 45C internal before I sear.

• Once it hits the desired internal temp, oven up the fire pit, crank the temp to maximum and put your flanks on for a sear.
  
  Normally this process can take between 3-4 minutes per flank.
  
  During this time you can also spray with some oil or apply some melted butter.

• Once your steaks are done, let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

• Once rested, slice the steaks up, garnish with coriander and lime.

The delicious smoky flavor takes a cheap cut of beef to a new level of deliciousness. Give it a try today!

Smoke On!

Charlie

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