Bourbon Soy Marinated London Broil

Summertime is always the best of what might be.”
― Charles Bowden

Fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant this time of year.  Sweet local corn, shelled butter beans and okra are overflowing at the Farmers’ Markets.  Local squash, zucchini and several types of green beans are piled high in bins.  Numerous varieties of Heirloom tomatoes will soon be making their appearance while beautifully ripe and juicy South Carolina peaches are at their peak and bursting with flavor.  Local blueberries and blackberries picked the morning they arrive at the market taste like a berry should.  This is the best of the season.

Grills and outdoor cooking keep the house cool.  Hot and hazy, lazy days are filled with family, friends and entertaining.   Picnics and al fresco dining are perfect in the evenings.  Grilled meats or fish, salads exploding with bright colors brimming with fresh fruits and vegetables are on the menu.  Ice cold drinks, chilled Proseco or white wine compliment the food.  This is how we eat during the summer.  Isn’t this what Summertime is all about?

Grilling, barbecuing and outdoor cooking will be even more frequent this summer in the South with temperatures already reaching over 100 degrees for days in a row.  We love a piece of local beef, pork or chicken prepared on the grill and paired with a few seasonal vegetables.  It is quick, easy and healthy.

 Beautiful London Broil from a local North Carolina farm

The most important thing to us when grilling meats or fish is to have a flavorful marinade or rub to keep the proteins moist and delicious.  Some cuts of meat, like London Broil or Flank Steak, can be tough, so marinating them for the right amount of time is very important.  Your meat will be far more tender when cooked.

This Bourbon Soy Marinade adds great flavor and tenderizes the meat.  Bluegrass Soy Sauce (from Bourbon Barrel Foods) is made in Kentucky and microbrewed in small batches.  They use “Kentucky grown Non-GMO soybeans, soft red winter wheat, and the purest limestone filtered Kentucky spring water.”  It is fermented in reused bourbon barrels, so the soy sauce has a slightly smoky flavor and subtle hint of bourbon.  When creating the marinade, I added Bourbon Smoked Peppercorns.  It creates a unique marinade with the saltiness of the soy and the smokiness of the pepper.  The olive oil and honey reduce the amount of salt from the soy sauce.  There is a nice flavor balance and the meat is perfectly seasoned.  You can’t go wrong when there’s a bit of bourbon added to your food. 😉  We also like to support the local Southern guys.

Marinate for up to two hours for best results

This beautiful London Broil was nicely marbled.  It was from a local farmer and is grass fed beef that is finished on grain and corn, so it does have some marbling (and it tastes oh, so good…).  If you choose to use grass fed beef that has never been fed grains, it will have less fat and be tougher, so I would suggest marinating it longer.  Preparing a leaner cut of beef sous-vide would yield the best results.

You do not want to overcook London Broil.  Searing the meat on the outside and then cooking to your preferred temperature is the best option for a moist and flavorful piece of beef.  If you are using a thermometer to check the temperature of the meat, medium-rare will be 128-130 degrees in the middle and medium will be about 135 degrees.  We suggest not covering the grill while you cook the meat.  It will make it smokier in taste, dry out the meat and you will lose the delightful flavor of the marinade.

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is July 1st and the July 4th holiday is this week.  I feel like we totally missed June since we were gone much of the month to Europe.  It was an incredible trip and took me a week to recover from the jet lag and hot weather we experienced in Italy, Greece and Turkey.  I look forward to sharing the photos and stories and will be working on those over the next few months.  I also have a very special chef interview coming out next week.

Enjoy your holiday!

Bourbon Soy Marinated London Broil

We like this marinade best with beef, but you could certainly use it on chicken or fish. You could add a bit more honey for an added touch of sweetness or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Bluegrass Soy Sauce
1 large (or 2 small) cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Bourbon Smoked Pepper

1 London Broil (approximately 2 pounds)

Directions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.

2. Place the London Broil in a 1 gallon size Ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the meat in the bag to distribute evenly. Place the bag in the refrigerator. Turn the bag every half hour to make sure the meat is thoroughly marinated. Do this for a minimum of one hour, up to two hours, if time allows.

3. Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature in the bag while you prepare the grill.

4. Remove the meat from the bag and place on the hot grill. Reserve the marinade and place in a small bowl. Grill the meat until your preferred doneness is reached (medium-rare is to 128-130 degrees and medium is 135 degrees), basting the meat with the leftover marinade. Remove the meat from the grill. Let the meat rest a few minutes once it is done and then slice and serve immediately.