Brooklyn Porterhouse with Cilantro Marinade

Despite the name, this isn’t a porterhouse cut. It’s a Brooklyn steakhouse approach to flank or skirt steak: a big, flat piece of beef marinated overnight in a punchy paste and grilled fast over high heat. The “porterhouse” title nods to the borough’s steakhouse swagger, and the cilantro marinade delivers flavor that a plain salt-and-pepper steak can’t touch.

The marinade is mashed into a paste from roasted garlic, Dijon mustard, fresh cilantro, grated lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Roasted garlic (not raw) gives the paste a sweet, mellow depth instead of sharp bite. Eight hours to overnight in this mixture and the flavors penetrate deep into the thin cut.

Five minutes per side on a hot grill or under the broiler gives you medium-rare, which is where flank steak is at its best. Slice thin on the diagonal, against the grain. This is a lean cut with long muscle fibers, and cutting with the grain gives you chewy, stringy strips. Against the grain and you get tender, flavorful bites.

Pro Tips

• Use roasted garlic, not raw. It mashes into the paste smoothly and adds sweetness rather than sharpness
• Marinate for the full 8 hours or overnight. Flank steak is lean and dense, so it needs time to absorb the marinade
• Grill or broil over high heat for a quick sear. Slow cooking dries out flank steak
• Slice thin on the diagonal against the grain. This is what makes flank steak tender instead of chewy

Variations

• Use chimichurri instead of the cilantro paste for an Argentine-style grilled flank
• Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the marinade for a smokier profile
• Serve over arugula with shaved Parmesan for a steakhouse salad