A grilled ginger soy london broil is a lean beef dinner that uses a short, salty-sweet marinade and a fast sear over high heat to turn a tough cut into thin, tender slices. The flank-style cut takes flavor well, and the ginger-soy base keeps the meat juicy without a long list of ingredients. This recipe gives you exact quantities, grill cues, and slicing method so the result is predictable rather than chewy.
London broil is usually a top-round or flank steak cooked rare to medium and sliced against the grain. The marinade here uses fresh ginger, soy sauce, and a little honey to balance saltiness with light sweetness. You get a weeknight-friendly beef plate that pairs with rice, greens, or bread. If you enjoyed this, our manhattan cocktail is worth trying next. Making this grilled ginger soy london broil at home is surprisingly straightforward once you know the key steps.
Why You’ll Love These Grilled Ginger Soy London Broil
- Short marinade time of 2 to 4 hours gives real flavor without an overnight wait.
- High-heat grilling builds a browned outside while keeping the center sliceable.
- Simple pantry marinade uses fresh ginger, soy, garlic, and oil you likely have.
- One cut feeds four people when sliced thin across the grain.
- Leftovers hold up in the fridge for quick next-day lunches.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1.5 lb London broil (top round or flank steak), about 1.5 inches thick
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil, added after grilling
Ingredient Substitutions
Soy sauce: Replace with an equal amount of tamari for a gluten-free version with nearly identical salt and color. Tamari is slightly less sharp, so the marinade reads a touch rounder on the tongue. The browning and storage behavior stay the same, so no cook-time change is needed. The grilled ginger soy london broil works well for weeknight cooking when time is limited.
Honey: Use an equal amount of maple syrup if you want a darker, earthier sweetness. Maple thins a bit more in the bag, so the meat may caramelize slightly faster near the edges. Keep the same grill time and watch for flare-ups from the extra sugar. Storing leftover grilled ginger soy london broil correctly keeps it tasting good for days.
Neutral oil: Swap with an equal amount of avocado oil for a higher smoke point and cleaner taste. Avocado oil holds up better if your grill runs hot, reducing off-smoke during searing. The texture of the finished steak is unchanged. For the best results with this grilled ginger soy london broil, read through all the steps before starting.
Fresh ginger: Use 1 tsp ground ginger for every 2 tbsp fresh if you are out of the root. Ground ginger spreads more evenly but lacks the bright bite of grated fresh pieces. Add it directly to the liquid marinade and whisk well to avoid clumps. For another easy option, check out our about us.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the 1.5 lb London broil in a zip bag. Whisk soy sauce, grated ginger, garlic, honey, neutral oil, rice vinegar, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes, then pour over the meat. Seal and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, turning once at the halfway point.
- Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat, around 450°F. Oil the grates with a folded paper towel on tongs to prevent sticking.
- Remove steak from marinade and let surface moisture dry for 5 minutes on a tray. Pat lightly if wet; a damp surface steams instead of sears.
- Grill the steak 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, until the outside is browned and the center reaches 130°F on a probe thermometer. Move to a cooler zone if flare-ups occur.
- Rest the steak on a board for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute. Skipping this step pushes liquid to the plate when sliced.
- Slice against the grain in 1/4-inch strips. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.
Pro Tips
Dry the meat before it hits the grill so the outside browns instead of stewing in marinade liquid. A wet surface lowers grill temperature on contact and slows crust formation.
Use a probe thermometer rather than guessing by time alone; medium-high heat varies by grill model. Pull the steak at 130°F for medium-rare and 135°F for medium.
Slice as thin as you can manage across the muscle fibers. London broil is a lean cut, and thin slices shorten the fiber length so each bite feels tender. For more on temperature technique, see grill thermometer use from The Kitchn.
Marinate in a flat bag so the liquid covers more surface. Turning once keeps seasoning even and prevents pale patches on the underside.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Cutting with the grain is the most common error and makes the meat ropey. Look at the long muscle lines and cut across them at a right angle.
Overcooking past 140°F turns this lean cut dry because it lacks interior fat. Use the rest period and a thermometer instead of extended grill time.
Skipping the rest before slicing lets red juice run out on the board. A 10 minutes rest keeps more moisture in the slices. You might also like our pornstar martini fruity.
Serving Suggestions
Set the slices over steamed jasmine rice with quick caprese flatbread on the side for a mixed plate. The bread adds a cool tomato note against the warm beef.
For a low-starch meal, lay the steak on romaine with cucumber and a light dressing. Thin beef strips work well in grilled cheese style wraps the next day if you have leftovers.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate sliced or whole cooked steak in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep it away from raw proteins and discard if left out more than 2 hours.
Freeze portions for up to 2 months in a sealed bag with minimal air. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat slices in a skillet over medium-low heat until the beef reaches 165°F internally. Avoid prolonged boiling, which toughens the lean meat. Pair this with our recipe barrel for more ideas.
Recipe Variations
Spicy Version
Add 1 tsp chili garlic paste to the marinade with the ginger. The heat concentrates near the surface during grilling, so slice thin and serve with cooling cucumber. Expect a sharper finish than the base recipe.
Korean Style
Replace honey with 1 tbsp brown sugar and add 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds to the marinade. The sugar builds a glossier crust, so watch flare-ups on medium-high heat. The flavor leans nutty and sweet.
Low-Carb Plate
Serve the beef over more greens instead of rice and skip the honey by using 1 tbsp extra rice vinegar. The plate stays under 10g carbs per serving while keeping the ginger-soy profile. The meat tastes cleaner and a bit more acidic.
Tea-Smoked Option
Add 1 tsp loose black tea to the marinade bag for a subtle smoky edge that complements the grill. Strain the liquid if using leaves, and grill as written. The color deepens slightly without changing cook time.
Grilled Ginger Soy London Broil
Description
A grilled ginger soy London broil uses a short salty-sweet marinade and a fast high-heat sear to turn a lean flank-style cut into thin, tender slices. It is a weeknight-friendly beef plate that pairs with rice, greens, or bread.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Place meat in bag
Place the 1.5 lb London broil in a zip bag, laying it as flat as possible so the marinade will later cover more surface area. Make sure the bag is large enough to seal without trapping air around the steak.
-
Mix and add marinade
Whisk soy sauce, grated ginger, garlic, honey, neutral oil, rice vinegar, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes in a small bowl until the honey dissolves and the mixture looks uniform. Pour the marinade over the meat in the bag, then seal and refrigerate.
-
Refrigerate and turn
Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours so the flavor penetrates the lean cut without an overnight wait. Turn the bag once at the halfway point so the underside does not stay pale and under-seasoned.
-
Heat and oil grill
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat, around 450°F (232°C), with the lid closed to stabilize the temperature. Oil the grates by rubbing a folded paper towel on tongs dipped in oil across the bars to prevent the steak from sticking.
-
Dry steak surface
Remove the steak from the marinade and let surface moisture dry for 5 minutes on a tray at room temperature. Pat it lightly with paper towels if still wet, because a damp surface steams on contact instead of searing to a brown crust.
-
Grill the steak
Grill the steak over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, until the outside is browned and the center reaches 130°F (54°C) on a probe thermometer. Move the meat to a cooler zone if flare-ups occur so the exterior does not scorch before the inside is done.
-
Rest the steak
Rest the steak on a cutting board for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute through the lean fibers. Skipping this step pushes red liquid onto the plate when you slice and leaves the meat drier.
-
Slice and serve
Slice the steak against the grain in 1/4-inch strips so each bite is short-fibered and tender. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve with rice, greens, or bread.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 320kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14g22%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Cholesterol 65mg22%
- Sodium 720mg30%
- Total Carbohydrate 9g3%
- Sugars 7g
- Protein 36g72%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Storage: Refrigerate sliced or whole cooked steak in an airtight container for up to 3 days and discard if left out more than 2 hours.
- Reheating: Reheat slices in a skillet over medium-low heat until the beef reaches 165°F (74°C) internally; avoid boiling which toughens the lean meat.
- Pro tip: Dry the meat before grilling and use a probe thermometer, and try radicchio salad alongside for a low-starch plate.
- Marinate flat: Use a flat bag and turn once so the liquid covers more surface and prevents pale patches.
