Yeah, that makes more sense. But you thought we’d be talking about a recipe in this post, not a foreign language.

Well, to make a long explanation short, apparently if you have this type of steak in a restaurant, the place a vacuum packed steak in a water bath for hours and then finish it up on the grill for a few minutes to get a sear on the outside.

This method creates a  particularly impressive effect on relatively inexpensive steaks like flank steak.

But if you don’t have vacuum packing capabilities, don’t despair. With a little preparation, you can make some flank steak that will melt in your mouth.

What you will need:

Flank steak

Seasoning for the steak (pick yours—from salt & pepper to a “steak rub”)

Gallon size zip top bags

A cooler with enough room for the amount of steak you are cooking

Access to lots of very hot water (as long as your water heater is turned up it can be tap water—120F is at least as high as you need)

Be forewarned, this method takes some time. You will need to plan, but most of that time is waiting time.

Season the steak as you would normally.


Place each flank steak (we made 2 for 4 adults and 6 kids, with leftovers) into a zip-top bag.


Run hot tap water into a cooler. I recommend doing this step in the bathtub. Put the steak and the probe sensor of your thermometer into the cooler and shut it up. You want the water to maintain at about 125-130F for medium rare.

Leave it in there for at least an hour. Check occasionally to make sure your water is still the desired temperature.


A few minutes before it is time to eat, turn on your grill on high. You are basically going to grill the meat only to get your desired char marks. The meat is already cooked on the inside, super tender and amazing in flavor.

When you take the meat off the grill, wrap it in foil and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. This allows the juices to recirculate and make the steak juicy!

When you're ready to serve, cut the meat across the grain.


This has to be the best way to get an inexpensive yet tender steak. The meat is also perfect for leftovers in philly cheese steak sandwiches or fajitas.


I also want to also give a shout out to my brother in law who taught me how to make this steak. Thanks Michael!