How to Cook Flat Iron Steak

Flat iron comes from the featherblade, beneath the shoulder blade. The whole featherblade has a tough seam of sinew running through its centre. To produce a flat iron steak, our butchers seam the meat away from either side of that sinew, leaving a long, flat steak that is tender enough for quick cooking.

That distinction matters. Leave the featherblade whole and it is an excellent cut for braising and slow cooking. Seam it out properly and you have flat iron, which we cook hard and fast and serve pink.

It has a fine grain and plenty of beef flavour. For me, medium-rare is where it eats best. Val Warner recommends 53°C, or 54–55°C if you prefer it closer to medium.

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For medium-rare, allow around 6–8 minutes in a very hot pan, followed by an 8-minute rest. Thickness matters, so use time as a guide rather than the final test. An instant-read thermometer is much more reliable.

For medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of around 53°C. For medium, aim for 54–55°C.

Turn the steak regularly once you have established a good crust. Flat iron is relatively thin, so frequent turning helps it cook evenly without overcooking the outside.

1. Remove the steak from its packaging and pat it thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
2. Heat a heavy frying pan or cast-iron skillet until very hot.
3. Lightly oil the steak rather than the pan, then season well with salt.
4. Lay the steak in the pan and leave it undisturbed for around 2 minutes to establish a good crust. Turn and repeat on the second side.
5. Continue cooking, turning approximately every 30 seconds, until the centre reaches around 53°C for medium-rare. This will usually take 6–8 minutes in total.
6. Rest somewhere warm for around 8 minutes.
7. Slice across the grain. This last bit matters with flat iron. Cutting across the muscle fibres makes a noticeable difference to tenderness.

• Don’t overcook it. Flat iron is at its best pink. Take it much beyond medium and you start losing what makes the cut so good.
• Use a thermometer. For medium-rare, I look for around 53°C. It is much more dependable than pressing the steak with your finger.
• Get the surface dry. Moisture is the enemy of a good crust. Pat the steak properly dry before it goes into the pan.
• Don’t be frightened of turning it. Once you’ve established the first crust, turning every 30 seconds helps a relatively thin steak cook evenly.
• Rest it properly. Give it around 8 minutes before cutting.
• Look at the grain before you cook it. Flat iron has an obvious direction to the muscle fibres. Remember which way they run and slice across them when you serve.

Flat iron is excellent served simply. Cook it medium-rare, rest well and slice across the grain. A tomato salad and good bread are enough, or serve it with green peppercorn sauce or flavoured butter, French fries and a sharply dressed green salad.

For something with more heat, try Andy Oliver’s Flat Iron Steak with Chilli Jam Salad recipe, where the steak is sliced thinly and paired with chilli, herbs and acidity.

For the barbecue, George Ryle’s Flat Iron Tacos with Marrow Bone Salsa recipe is a great use of the cut. The steak is grilled, sliced and served in corn tortillas with a charred salsa enriched with roasted marrow bone. It’s a more substantial, smoky way to use flat iron and works particularly well for sharing.

Porcini mushrooms are another good match. Sauté them with garlic and parsley in the same pan used for the steak, then finish with lemon juice, the resting juices and a knob of butter.