This Grilled London Broil is juicy and flavorful and cooks in just a matter of minutes. Making shallow cuts on each side of the meat helps it cook up just right and lets the flavor of the marinade really get into the meat.
If it isn’t already, London Broil should be a part of your regular dinner rotation. It’s an inexpensive cut of meat that can feed a large family and it’s super easy to cook. The only problem with cooking London Broil is that if you’re not careful, you’ll end up with dry, chewy, bland meat that is an unappetizing grey color.
But no worries thanks to Cook’s Country.
This recipe from Cook’s Country helps ensure juicy, flavorful steak that’s cooked just right. For the flavor, the steak is marinated for 2 hours in soy sauce, garlic, ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and a bunch of herbs.
The marinating takes place at room temperature. Not only does marinating at room temperature shorten the marination time, bringing the meat to room temperature before grilling helps to cook it more evenly.
The meat is crosshatched (shallow cuts done diagonally in each direction) on both sides. This not only helps the meat absorb more flavor, but helps the inside cook before the outside overcooks and develops that unsightly grey appearance.
The London Broil stays on the grill for just a short time since it should be served medium rare for tenderness. The meat is flipped over every minute to ensure it cooks evenly.
You won’t taste more flavorful London Broil than this!
Serve with steak sauce or even better, horseradish sauce, for a special, but economical family supper.
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Grilled London Broil
Ingredients
- 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) London Broil,, should be about 1 1/2 inches thick
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, cut a 1/2-inch crosshatch pattern, 1/4-inch deep, on both sides of steak.
- Place in a 1 gallon ziptop bag.
- Place remaining ingredients, EXCEPT black pepper and paprika, in a blender.
- Process for 30 seconds and pour into ziptop bag with steak. Turn to coat steak and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Turn all burners on a gas grill to high. Cover and let heat for 15 minutes.
- Mix together black pepper and paprika.
- Remove steak from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season with pepper/paprika mixture.
- Place London Broil on grill. Grill for 1 minute and then flip over. Continue to flip every minute until temperature reaches 125 degrees for medium rare or 130 degrees for medium. Total cooking time should be 5 to 9 minutes.
- Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: slightly adapted from Cook’s Country Aug/Sept 2012
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Which wood, cedar or alder or can I use both?
I wouldnt use either. For a London broil a mix of cherry and pecan is fabulous. Cedar would work but can quickly over power the meat. Alder is a bit to delicate for such a short cook time
Lovely steak. So delicious. Thanks for wonderful recipe!!
Great recipe! Just a few differences. I didn’t have sage or thyme. I used Olive oil instead of vegetable oil. Most importantly (because it’s so very cold outside, I used the oven broiler. Turned every 2 minutes approx. four times. Love th e marinade method. Definite Keeper!!
Glad you liked it Mary and it’s great to know the oven broiler worked!
This was the first time I cut it like instructed, normally I was taught to simply cut in a parallel format a inch apart. The diagonal cross cut made an enormous difference; the steak was more juicy and tender then ever! Thanks, great insights. Oh, for what it’s worth, the steak was large enough that I need my biggest platter to serve and it cost eleven dollars. It feed. Six adults with spare for the dog. You can’t get two decent steaks for under twenty dollars here in gulf coast florida. It made a impressive presentation; when I told my six friends it cost less than the six hamburgers I served on our last get together, their mouths dropped!
Our grill has decided not to work today; so, I’m going to try your broiler method of cooking the London Broil. Please tell me how far did you position the meat from the broiler?
The marinade itself would be a great steak sauce. Delicious!
I cannot eat medium rare but can eat medium well. Do you have any suggestions?
yeah, eat chicken instead.
What if you cooked it longer and got it to Medium Well? Any other questions? Like how to get out of a doorway when there is a closed door in the way?
That was funny, but soooooo MEAN.
I can’t help but laugh at Smarty Pants EchoFox saying :::: eat chicken instead !! Haaaa – Haaaa ! Ok here is the deal with me !!!! I’m living in a RV while renovating a house on property ! Do not have my gas grill here ! I have a charcoal grill a (good one) & only can cook in a confection oven I bought ! So plez help me on best way to cook London broil to make sure it’s tender? Nothing worst then a over cooked dry London Broil !!!!
Put coals on one side of your grill and cook steak on the other side. Indirect heat .. I usually cook direct over the heat for the first minute on each side then move to indirect.
Check out another Cook’s Country recipe for the oven. https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/872-oven-grilled-london-broil
To be nicer than some other people…London broil (which is actually top round) is probably not a cut of meat for you. As medium well London broil is a bit chewy and a lot not good. Maybe a sirloin or a strip steak would be a better choice
I have cooked London broil anywhere between medium to rare, slice it thin, and it’s always tasty and not tough. Medium well…I’m thinking it’s worth a shot to just cook it a little longer and see what happens.. In my area (eastern ohio), I just got a London broil for $2.99/#. So, for $6, I think it’s worth experimenting. The worst that’ll happen is it’ll be tough. Probably would still taste great with this marinade recipe.
If you worry about it being tough, use meat tenderizer and lots of vinegar then marinade for a long time. If your worried about germs start in fridge and then take it out for more than 2hours, since the h2o will be cold and take longer to reach room temp.
I usually marinate over night. Would that be over doing it? Maybe over night and then letting it sit out for 2 hours?
I have always marinated everything overnight, it makes all the difference. Tip…….If in a rush or don’t want to spent for all ingredients, grab a bottle of Paul Newman’s Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressings! It’s a great substitute in a pinch: I use it on chicken, steak, salmon. Amazing, but now that I’ve discovered this marinade, When time allows, I will make this marinade!
Ken M
Safety Harbor, Fl
No, in my opinion that is what you should do for London broil. Use meat tenderizer and it won’t be tough.
I made this for dinner last night and this recipe is amazing! Thanks for sharing. The only thing I did different was add dijon mustard instead of ketchup. Looking forward to leftovers today!! This is a keeper.
So glad you enjoyed it Nadine! Dijon mustard sounds like a great substitution. I will have to try that sometime!
Made this a month ago and it was terrific. My new “go to” steak recipe.
Yes, I really think it is the best way to cook London Broil that I have tried. 🙂
I was born and bred in London and have never heard of Grilled London Broil????
It’s a very American way of cooking top round steak. I’m not sure how it got the name London Broil.
London broil is actually a cooking method for the top round. It did not get its name in London although I can not recall the actual origination
Yes, I ‘ve marinated in the fridge over nite for this cut of meat. It comes out fine.
To be fair, there is more than one London. London Ontario….for one.
I was born and bred in London and have never heard of this Grilled London Broil???