Our First BBQ in NYC: Grilled Flank Steak with Avocado Relish

Tim and I have outdoor space in our new apartment! For those that don’t live in NYC, this is a rarity!   We’ve already tried to make our little patch of patio a bit more attractive with some plants and flowers.  Our bright orange patio chairs arrived and a table is on its way.  Of course, no outdoor space would be complete without a grill.  Gas grills are illegal in Manhattan so we ordered an old school Webber Kettle Grill.

The grill arrived Tuesday night and the rain abated yesterday afternoon so last night we christened the grill!  I had bought a flank steak the other day so we decided to give this Cooking Light recipe a whirl.

Just a couple of notes on the recipe, I used olive oil because I didn’t have avocado oil on hand.  I used two cloves of garlic in the marinade.  Next time I might use a touch more salt and some red pepper flakes as well.  For the avocado relish, I doubled the recipe because that was our only side dish.  I sprinkled some green Tabasco on my cooked steak which was a nice touch!

Even though we are not experience charcoal grillers and our technique has some room for improvement, there was something so fun and delicious about grilling in the middle of the West Village.  And, the avocado relish was a delicious companion to our first steak off the grill.

Tim at the grill with his sous chef Angus
Tim at the grill with his sous chef Angus


Grilled Flank Steak with Avocado Relish

Cooking Light, May 2009

  • 2 teaspoons grated lime rind, divided
  • 4 teaspoons avocado oil or fruity extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup diced peeled avocado
  • 1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper (about 1 small)
  • 4 lime wedges

Combine 1 teaspoon rind, 2 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.

Score a diamond pattern on both sides of steak. Rub both sides of steak with oil mixture. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

Place steak on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rind, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, diced avocado, tomato, red onion, lime juice, and jalapeño pepper in a small bowl. Serve sliced steak with the relish and lime wedges.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *