Here’s a steak salad recipe that is easy to make and has huge flavor. The flat iron steak is cooked in a hot cast iron pan and finished with butter and garlic. The salad is made from butter lettuce and radicchio and tossed in a homemade lemon and horseradish vinaigrette.
I love using flat iron steak, it’s such an economical cut and the marbling is off the charts. Which means it has more flavor and it not as easy to overcook as other more lean cuts of beef. Of course it does not hurt to finish the steak with two big pads of butter and garlic, and baste it for the last minute of cooking!
How Do I Cook Flat Iron Steak?
The first thing you need to do is let the flat iron steak come to room temperature before you cook it. Cold meat in a hot pan or oven will cook unevenly and be tough. Season the steak with a generous pinch of salt and pepper on both sides while it rests. If you want to add some spices or dried herbs, go for it!
It’s best to use a cast iron pan for cooking the flat iron steak, as it will create a fantastic crust and sear mark, but you can also use a non-stick or metal skillet. Pre-heat the pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, and add the steak.
Let the flat iron steak cook for 2 minutes and then flip. Cook another 2 minutes, flip, and lower the temperature of the pan to medium-low. Cook 1 more minute and flip the steak again and add the butter and smashed garlic cloves.
Cook the steak for 1 more minute while slightly tipping the pan and spooning the melted butter over the steak continuously. Remove the steak from the pan and allow it to rest for 5 minutes under loose tin foil. If you want the flat iron steak cooked to medium, flip and cook another 1 minute.
How Do I Know When My Steak Is Done?
The best way to know when you flat iron steak is done, is to use a digital probe thermometer. It’s especially good to use for large cuts of meat because you can leave it in the meat while it cooks in the oven. I like to pull my flat iron steak from the pan when it reaches 130F, and it will carry over another 5 degrees while it rests.
How Do I Make A Lemon Vinaigrette?
This recipe from my lemon and horseradish vinaigrette is really easy to make and so tasty. To start add some raw apple cider vinegar to a bowl along with lemon juice, stone ground or dijon mustard, monk fruit sweetener, salt, and pepper. This dressing in keto thanks to monk fruit.
Whisk well and slowly add 1/4 cup of really good extra virgin olive oil while whisking the entire time. The homemade salad dressing will thicken up thanks to the emulsion of fat and vinegar. Taste for seasoning, you may need more monk fruit or lemon juice.
Make sure to only dress your salad right before eating it, otherwise the lettuce will get wilted.
How Long Can I Store Homemade Salad Dressing?
Homemade salad dressing will last for 7 days stored in the fridge in an air tight container. You can not freeze dressing, as it will split the emulsion.
What Oils Are Best To Make Salad Dressing With?
The best oils to make homemade dressing with are avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil. They are heart healthy and optimal for the keto and paleo diet. Canola oil and soybean oil are very popular is store bought salad dressings, but they are heavily refined, processed, and bad for you.
It’s very common for oils to become solid when stored in the fridge. All you have to do is let them come to room temperature and they will become liquid again. It is 100% safe and normal.