London broil steak is a top round steak that is cooked to perfection using a simple marinade crafted from ingredients such as olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce.
Use our easy recipe to make a juicy London broil that your whole family will love!
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The result is a flavorful steak perfect for special occasions or weeknights. A lean cut of beef can be intimidating, but our top-round steak is tender and addicting from the first bite to the last.
Would you believe me if I told you that tomorrow night, you could have a delicious steak dinner on the table in around 15 minutes if you start marinating it right now? Well, it’s true! That’s why I love this easy London broil recipe so much.
Restaurant-quality affordable steak that is cooked to perfection in only minutes could be yours.
I’m going to share an easy recipe to make a traditional London broil that the whole family will love, including step-by-step photos to help you along the way. I love serving it with our easy-to-make Cowboy Butter (pictured above).
If you love beef, make sure to try our easy top round roast beef and eye of round roast recipes.
What Cut of Steak is Best for London Broil?
You may find a steak labeled “London broil” at your local grocery store, but this is not the name of a specific cut of beef.
London broil steaks are typically lean cuts of beef roast, such as top round, top sirloin, coulotte, skirt steak, or flank steak.
These steaks are leaner because they are often from areas of the cow where the muscles work harder, meaning the beef is also tougher. Some cooks shy away from leaner steak because it can dry out if not prepared mindfully.
More desirable cuts are generally marbled and have a high-fat content, but that also makes them more pricey.
One of the reasons we love this recipe is the cost. London broil steaks are generally less expensive cuts of meat, and the preparation and method of cooking make this flavorful steak a success every time.
Tips For a Perfect London Broil
This steak is best cooked to an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. If you cook it too long, it will become tough.
(Don’t forget that beef will continue to cook and rise an additional 4-7 degrees while resting.)
If possible, marinate your beef overnight. The marinade helps break down the fibers in the meat, making it more tender and helping to prevent dryness while cooking. Marinating also distributes the flavor throughout the cut of steak.
Ingredients to make Roasted London Broil
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our easy London broil recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Can I use other ingredients to make the London broil?
You sure can. You can use garlic powder, onion powder, my favorite Montreal steak seasoning, or any of your favorite seasoning blends.
For a change of pace, use soy sauce, lemon juice, or lemon zest in the marinade. The beef is a blank canvas and can be seasoned to your taste preference.
How to make London Broil
- Remove the steak from the packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Use a fork to pierce the steak. This helps the London broil marinade to penetrate the steak, giving lots of flavor to the beef. You don’t want to skip this step!
- Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce to a small bowl.
- Whisk together to make the simple marinade.
- Place your beef in a Ziploc bag or in another airtight container.
- Add the marinade to the bag and seal. Place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to marinate, though overnight is best.
*Remove the beef from the refrigerator half an hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Add the salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, and chopped garlic cloves to a small bowl.
- Stir together to combine the seasoning mixture.
- Remove the beef from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off. Place the meat on a wire rack and pat it dry on all sides with paper towels. Discard the remaining marinade.
- Spread the seasoning mixture on both sides of the meat.
- Place an oven rack on the highest shelf of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (or broil).
- When your oven is preheated, place the London broil on the top rack and cook for 7 minutes.
- After 7 minutes, flip the beef to the other side and cook an additional 7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F. using a digital meat thermometer. For best results, cook to this internal temperature.
(If you desire a more well-done steak, cook to your desired temperature. Keep in mind that the beef will continue to cook and rise 4-7 degrees while resting. The more well done it cooks, the tougher it will become).
- Tent the beef with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for 15 minutes before slicing to allow time for the juices to redistribute.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the steak against the grain into ¼-inch thin slices. Serve with your favorite vegetables and compound herb butter (or melted butter).
Don’t wait for special occasions to make this tender London broil. It’s perfect for busy weeknight dinners or a special date night. I promise this delicious juicy London broil will not dissappoint~
Serve it with mashed potatoes or buttery smashed potatoes, along with roasted asparagus for a complete meal.
Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container or well-covered with plastic wrap for 4-5 days.
Recipe FAQ’s
Just as the name suggests, cooking the steak using the broil setting of your oven is the traditional way to make this delicious steak.
You can prepare a London broil as you would other steaks, such as on the grill or seared in a pan, but we prefer the broiler method. It’s quick and easy and makes the steak taste spectacular.
The perfect London broil is successful due to two main components: a tenderizing marinade and being cooked at high heat.
To avoid a tough London broil, make sure to marinate it long enough to tenderize the meat (overnight is best) and cooking it to a medium-rare internal temperature of 125 degrees F.
You should always slice a London broil thinly and against the grain.
Look for lines that run down the length of the meat and slice perpendicular to these lines. This breaks up the muscle fibers into shorter pieces, making bites more tender.
Always marinate your meats in the refrigerator.
Marinating at room temperature allows for the growth of dangerous bacteria that can cause serious illness.
More Beef Recipes You’ll Love!
Easy London Broil Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs london broil roast top round, top sirloin, coulotte, or flank steak
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
Instructions
- Remove the London broil from the packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Use a fork to pierce the roast. This will allow the marinade to penetrate and add flavor to the beef.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and Worcestershire to a small bowl. Whisk together to combine the marinade.
- Place the beef in a ziploc bag or container.
- Add the marinade to the bag and seal. Place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to marinate. Overnight is best.
- Remove the London broil from the refrigerator half an hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Remove the London broil from the marinade allowing any excess marinade to drip off.
- Place the beef on a wire rack and pat it dry on all sides with a paper towel.
- Discard the remaining marinade.
- Add the salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, and garlic to a small bowl. Stir together to combine the seasoning mixture.
- Spread the seasoning mixture on both sides of the meat.
- Place an oven rack on the highest shelf of the oven and preheat your oven to 500 degrees (or broil).
- When your oven is preheated, place the London broil on the top rack and cook for 7 minutes.
- After 7 minutes flip the beef to the other side and cook for an additional 7 minutes.
- London broil is best cooked to a medium-rare temperature of 125 degrees. The more well-done it cooks the tougher it will become.If you desire a more well-done steak, cook it to your desired temperature. Keep in mind the beef will continue to cook and rise 4-7 degrees while it's resting.
- Tent the beef with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing to allow time for the juices to redistribute.
- Slice the roast against the grain into ¼-inch thick slices. Serve with your favorite vegetables and compound butter (or melted butter).
Henry T says
Delicious! Great recipe, so easy I put the london broil in the marinade before work and it was perfectly marinated by the time I got home.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Henry! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the London broil, its one of our favorite cuts of beef!