This smoked flank steak recipe makes a perfect flank steak every single time A simple marinade infuses the steak with citrus and spices and then is smoked to tender, juicy perfection.
This flank steak recipe is so tender and juicy, and smoking the beef enhances the flavor of the marinated steak. Lately, it's been a go-to dinner meal for me and my husband when we're craving steak.
We use it to create some of our favorite meal combinations such as smoked flank steak fajitas, topping on a salad, or simply served up on its own.
Flank Steak Smoker Recipe
This easy smoked steak recipe was inspired by my air fryer ribeye steak. I'm always looking for new ways to make steak, and after hitting a home run with the air fryer, I knew I had to try the smoker next. This juicy flank steak, full of smoky flavors, pairs well with my air fryer baby potatoes and this steakhouse baked potato recipe. Serve up with some bacon butter too.
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients that are easily found at your local grocery store.
- Flank steak
- White tequila
- Fresh lime juice
- Fresh orange juice
- Soy sauce
- Garlic cloves
- Onion
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Chili powder
- Sea salt
- Garlic paste
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this smoker flank steak recipe.
- Orange and Lime Juice: Fresh squeezed provides the best flavor to the marinated flank steak but you can use bottled orange and lime juice in place of freshly squeezed.
- Salt: If you don't have coarse sea salt, you can use table salt.
- Flank steak: This method and marinade will work on other types of steaks and cuts of beef. Consider trying it with london broil, boneless ribeye steaks and more. These cuts of meat may be thicker and require additional time in the smoker.
Variations
Want to personalize this flank steak in the smoker recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Mild - If you don't like heat, you can omit the chili powder.
- Extra Spicy - If you really love heat, try adding chopped jalapenos to the marinade.
- Bourbon - Try using bourbon in place of tequila for a different flavor.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy this air fryer porterhouse steak and my easy slow cooker flank steak. They're definitely keepers. My easy baked steak in oven is also a great family dinner choice.
How to Smoke a Steak
Follow along and see how easy it is to get started smoking a flank steak for your meal. It only takes a few simple steps to make this tasty steak.
Step 1: Marinate the Steak
Start by using a knife to score the flank steak by making cuts into the top of the steak without cutting all the way through. Place it in a resealable bag.
Roughly chop the onion, fresh oregano and garlic and add them to the bag with the steak. Next, mix together the marinade ingredients, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and soy sauce, in a bowl.
Reserve one-half cup and pour the remaining flank steak marinade into the bag. Marinate the steak for 2 hours and remove the steak, garlic, and onion from the bag and separate.
Step 2: Prep for the Smoker
Place the garlic and onions along with the reserved marinade in a saucepan and place it in the smoker.
Step 3: Finish Preparing Steak for Smoker
Combine the garlic paste and olive oil in a small bowl and brush the steak with it. Sprinkle the steak with cumin, pepper, ancho chili powder, and salt.
Step 5: Cook the Steak
Place the steak directly on the grill grates and cook for 5 minutes per side, leaving steak to cook after flip once. Then, brush it with the marinade. Brush with more marinade at 30 minutes.
Smoke the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees on a meat thermometer. No longer than 90 minutes.
Step 6: Rest and Serve
Remove the smoked meat from the smoker and let it rest on a wooden cutting board for about 10 minutes. Then, drizzle it with marinade and thinly slice. Enjoy!
Hint: Be sure your grates are thoroughly clean and coated with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Try this easy bell pepper & flank steak stir fry and my steak ranchero if recipes like this are your thing. My Cuban ropa viejo (slow cooker) is really good too.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to three months.
You can use the leftovers cold on sandwiches or salads. If you prefer to heat it up, wrap in foil and add any juices from the container, and heat in the oven at 350 degrees, just until heated through.
Tips
Although this is a straightforward recipe, I have some tips here that will help you make it the best it can possibly be.
- Add the smoked flank steak marinade to the steak and let it sit for at least 2 hours to let all the flavors penetrate it the steak.
- Don't move your steak after you place the raw side on the grate.
- Always let your meat rest at leat 10 minutes before cutting to let the juices reabsorb.
Switch things up with this best homemade steak seasoning. You won't be disappointed.
FAQ
Do you have questions about this how to make flank steak in the smoker? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this recipe.
Flank steak is a cut of steak that comes from the cow's lower chest or abdominal muscle. It's an inexpensive, flavorful cut.
The trick to making a tender steak is to marinate it well before cooking. Also, the way you slice flank steak will make a difference in the texture. For the most tender slices, cut against the grain in thin slices.
Yes, flank steak tastes the best cooked in a smoker or on a grill. The flavors the smoker and charcoal of a grill add to the meat make it taste even better.
The best way to determine the doneness of your steak is to use a thermometer. The smoked flank steak temperature should be 125 degrees for a medium-rare steak.
More Easy Smoker Recipes
Do you like using the smoker to prepare scrumptious meals? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
Smoked Flank Steak
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Smoked Flank Steak
Equipment
- smoker
Ingredients
- 1 Flank steak
- 1 cup white tequila
- 8 limes juiced
- 1 orange juiced
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup garlic cloves
- ½ white onion
- 4 sprigs fresh oregano
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 2 teaspoon garlic paste
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients you will need.
- Score the flank steak with a sharp knife.
- Add the steak to a ziplock bag with fresh oregano.
- Roughly chop the white onion and garlic and add to the bag with the steak.
- Combine tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and soy sauce in a bowl. Reserve ½ cup. Pour into the bag.
- Seal and let marinate for 2 hours.
- Remove steak from the bag.
- Remove garlic and onions from marinade and add to a saucepan with reserved marinade. Place into the smoker as it preheats. Preheat the smoker to 500 degrees.
- Combine garlic paste and olive oil in a small bowl and brush over the steak.
- Season with cumin, pepper, ancho chili powder, and salt.
- Place steak directly on the prepared grill grates. Cook 5 minutes per side, leaving it to cook after flipping once. Reduce smoker temperature to 225 degrees.
- After 10 minutes, brush with marinade. Cook until internal temp reads 125 degrees. Start checking after 60 minutes but should not take longer than 90 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let rest on a wooden cutting board. Drizzle with the marinade, then thinly slice.
Notes
- Add the smoked flank steak marinade to the steak and let it sit for at least 2 hours to let all the flavors penetrate it the steak.
- Don't move your steak after you place the raw side on the grate.
- Always let your meat rest at leat 10 minutes before cutting to let the juices reabsorb.
Nutrition
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