July is National Grilling Month and the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association reports that summer holiday weekends continue to be one of the most popular times for grilling. According to research commissioned last year, a whopping 73 percent of consumers plan to grill on July 4th.

Just in time to help you grill to impress, we welcome back Greg Ziegenfuss, Executive Chef for Butler’s Pantry in St. Louis, Missouri, sharing his personal grilling tips, and a delicious on-trend recipe for Thai-Marinated Grilled Flank Steak.

A Delicious Mashup

Grilled Flank Steak. Photo: Butler’s Pantry.

Chef recently shared a recipe for another Thai-inspired dish: Spicy Shrimp with Plantains and Mango Salsa. You’ll find that recipe here, and you’ll want to reference it, as this grilled flank steak pairs perfectly with the mango salsa as well. Chef’s inspiration comes from a flavorful mashup of memories of family barbecues combined with a recent trip to Thailand.

“Summer has always been a time for grilling in my family,” Ziegenfuss says. “I have fond memories of family and friends gathering while my father, cold drink in hand, spent hours grilling each meal to perfection. My mother reveled in the garden, thrilled to take a break from turning on the hot oven, while she carefully considered each side dish that could be created from summer’s bounty.”

Learning From A Master

Chef relates he learned the basics of grilling, at a young age, from his father. He’s built on that foundation with his own learning and skills developed over the course of more than 40 years of restaurant and catering experience. His secrets to grilling success?

Always allow food to come to room temperature before grilling.

“If using hard wood charcoal, my preferred fuel for the BBQ, remove your protein from the refrigerator and then start your fire. By the time the fire is ready, the refrigerated items should be at room temp.”

Clean your grill while it’s still hot (after each use).

“Not only does the heat make your grill easier to clean, the time spent cleaning the buildup is also the amount of time that you should allow your meat to rest before carving.”

Use a marinade – especially for tough cuts of meat.

“When preparing a marinade, pack all of the taste sensations into each bite with hints of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami and fat. For good cuts of meat and fish, you can opt for a simple marinade of olive oil, sea salt, cracked pepper and a squeeze of citrus.”

A hydrated chef is a happy chef! Keep cold beverages on hand at all times.

We hope you’ll give this delicious Thai-Marinated Grilled Flank Steak a whirl with your family and friends the next time you’re grilling!