Sugar Steak with Bourbon

In Quebec, sugar steak is an old recipe - my father made this for us in the '50s and he learned it as a child in the late '20s. But we make with maple syrup. Softer, cleaner taste. Better coverage when preparing.

I made this tonight using a strip steak & grilled it outside. Didn’t actually taste the bourbon but it added to the overall flavor. A little kick from the crushed red pepper flakes and just a bit of sweetness from the brown sugar. I enjoyed it with a nice glass of red wine.

this was tasty, mostly sweet with a bit of heat. We did not taste the bourbon much, although I used good stuff.

I find this kind of funny, because my country has a breakfast dish called tapsilog, that translates in Tagalog as tapa with egg. Tapa is basically flank steak marinated with garlic, msg, soy sauce and sugar. It is often served with garlic fried rice, and a sunny side egg that is served over top, before the egg craze ever hit, we were doing it for breakfast for decades.

But the thing is, this dish is sometimes made in strips, served with diced tomatoes and fish sauce, a staple in FIlipino kitchens. Or a soy sauce and vinegar dipping sauce drizzled over the rice, and the egg is omitted.

But I've also had this in wide 2 x 4 inch strips, cooked either very well done and crusted, or how I like it, more tender and slow and low to get that awesome carmelization from the sugar.

I am really curious to try this without the bourbon alas, my cancer (liver) would not allow it. Is there a subsitute maybe for the liquor ingredient? My Canadian wife and son, aren't big on sweet marinades for meat, but I bet I could sneak this by them if I grilled it, and kept the red pepper flakes to a minimum...
I can't wait to try, thank you Food52 and Amanda, I love this site, even I am several years late in finding it.

If it is too sweet, just cut back on the sugar... Same with bourbon, as a chef, I stalk this site frequently, but rarely comment. People seem to have forgotten to employ common sense, I read some comments, and smack my head. If you think you can substitute something, go ahead, try it. I tried this with a steak in the smoker, and it was amazing, then seared it on high heat on the grill for a little char...WOW!

I'm upset I made this without reading the comments, as I trust Amanda's recipes blindly. The taste of this marinade was worse than any of the comments lead it out to be. I made it last night, not only wasting a perfect flank (as nobody had but a slice) and have woken up today with the same sickly sweet taste in my mouth. Meat was cooked to perfection and looked like it does in the pic (gorgeous) however, the bourbon is too strong and the sugar too sweet. No bueno

I love this steak with bourbon. Sounds great. It is an absolutely winner.

Steak and bourbon! YES PLEASE!

Made this recipe as directed, and despite being a HUGE bourbon fan, the bourbon was way overpowering for the meat. We did not care for this at all. I did not broil, but opted to grill it over an open flame.

This recipe looked and sounded lovely, but no one in my family really cared for it. Followed the directions regarding ingredients and marinating. Chose not to cook it under the broiler and was a little afraid grilling it for fear of fire, so opted to follow the suggestions of another commenter to heat a cast iron skillet on the grill until it was, er, rip-snorting hot. Texture and doneness was perfect, but we didn't enjoy the flavor - and it wasn't because we don't like bourbon. I have several recipes that call for it which we routinely make. There was just something about the caramelized sugar/bourbon flavor that was too cloying - sort of 'pruney' sweet.

sorry but this was absolutely disgusting. Broiled it and it was unediable. The bourbon was way overpowering and just made the flank disgusting.

I orignially tried broiling this, but the meat wasn't getting color so I brought it to the grill to finish it off. Are the photos of meat that was broiled?

Can this marinate over night?

This looks so good! I can't wait to try this on my Weber gas grill. It would probably also go well with mix chopped carrots and corn. Thanks for the recipe by the way.

Suggestions on a good wine to go with this? Nothing too too expensive?

if using a gas grill do you put meat directly on grill over indirect or direct heat?

what's the remaining sugar? I only saw sugar mentioned once.

we put a cast iron pan on the grill, heat it up for 10-15 min until it is smoking hot. We put nothing in the pan but salt, drop the steak in cook for a total of 5 min (1 inch steak) turn every min and perfect med rare every time. (nytimes recipe)

Amanda, can the resting in the fridge occur in a small, covered glass box rather than a plastic bag? (You know what I think about using plastic bags for purposes like this . . . ) Thank you. ;o)

HENDSCH, a 3 year old???? Really? Wake Up.

It burns off, & just the sugary taste is left.

Guys, this sounds fabulous and I really want to make it. But is it ok for a three-year old? Is all of the alcohol evaporating during the broil?

Ruth, if your fire alarm is as sensitive as mine then you have to keep it shut. Also, a broiler doesn't need air like a charcoal grill does. If you get a grill, the Weber is the only way to fly. It has three legs because you point the leading leg into the wind, open the bottom vent, and open the top vent. Want to cool it down, cut off the oxygen by adjusting adjusting the top vent first. Broiling is an art form. We bought a $38 George Foreman grill and have cooked everything from tasty Paninis to steaks galore, pancakes, and anything else you can think of.

Don't have a grill, if I put it in the oven on broil do I leave the door cracked open?

Great..totally understandable about having to use propane. Given an equal choice I will always use charcoal for the smoke factor. Probably give me some freaky cancer...but man does it make a fat Porterhouse sizzle. I am giving myself a new grill for my birthday as my Weber has served me since 1986. It's out in the western WA. rain and is used 5 nights out of 7. My wife was quite surprised at my choice of a charcoal/propane grill. I really like the propane hot plate for doing the odd jobs that are hard to do with charcoal. At the end of the day...it's all good.

Another recipe is half cup of brown sugar, half cup of low sodium soy sauce (Kikoman rules all other), quarter cup of Apple cider vinegar, eighth cup of olive oil, and one freshly squeased lemon. Marinate OVER NIGHT. Kosher or sea salt just before cooking along with freshly cracked black pepper. Charcoal grilled if possible...with fruit tree chips. Tent with foil and wait 10-15 minutes before cutting it into 1/4 inch slices. Always cut against the grain which is very easy to determine. Best meal in the cow eaters world. Serve with Sakura sauce. Mayo, ketchup, lemon juice, soy sauce, and a dash of Tabasco. With fresh greens salad, and grilled corn...man oh man, life don't get any better. And drink a nice malty beer.

Always cut your flank steak AGAINST the grain. Unless you like your meat horribly tough. I grew up eating flank steak (6 siblings...back then it was a cheap cut) Best cut of bovine if you have a charcoal grill. Propane might be great for Hank Hill but it sucks. And the ONLY way to start charcoal is with a chimney. No gas taste, cheap, and eco friendly. Yes, I consider myself a world reknowed flank steak expert.

Whoa. This was good and couldn't be easier (even for an ex-vegetarian!). Don't skimp on the quality of the booze...the flavor does shine through, which can be a good or a bad thing depending on whether the bottle is top or bottom shelf.

Made this for dinner tonight in a gas grill. There were no leftovers! Thank you for a great recipe that will be a repeat on out dinner menu.

I love bourbon and an easy recipe. Trying it tonight! Will let you know. Figleaf from Portland, Oregon!

This sounds SO delicious, and I love my steaks medium rare! Yummy.

Having not made this yet, and I really don't like bourbon (too strong a flavor) how about soy sauce? It's a natural meat tenderizer and the flavor with the sugar and pepper flakes would be wonderful....

@littlesister: if the bourbon taste was strong you can add a teaspoon of filtered water (good Bottle water). It will cut the bourbon and may lighten it just right. Similar to adding a small touch of water to a good single malt whisky

Don't use hanger steak! I find it has it's own strong flavor, very fatty and too many crevices, which both absorb too much of the marinade. Use only the steaks suggested. Also not a lover of bourbon, I use red wine. Also don't rinse the steak, just use less sugar.

Made this last night with some "faux" hanger steak (I'd never heard of this before, but others may know of it). It was okay but I thought it had a very strong bourbon flavor. I considered rinsing it after the marinade because I was a little bit afraid of the high sugar content, but I didn't want to miss out on a nice caramelized crust. Has anyone else tried rinsing it the way you would do a salt brine? The flavor wasn't bad, just strong!

Im going to try this except I'm cooking on a Big Green Egg.

I keep it open as small a small crack, not all the way But, do this otherwise when you open the door, you'll get a terrible "blast" in your face. Also if kept closed you might see smoke coming through top.

when you broil, do you leave the door of your oven ajar?

Katy's version is not shown. I would like to compare!

I would like to try this...I don't see Katy's version...the real sugar steak...following yours Amanda. Could you add it to this page? I made the Beef Bourguignon with my favorite Suite Petite - Chronic Cellars and it was the best ever! And the Ricotta Lemon Bars (had some meyer lemons) were completely addicting...I'd like to use the filling and make a tart with some blueberries in the spring. Thank you! Thoroughly enjoy opening your emails!!!

Save it for the grill!

For me, when you see a new recipe it's not time to jump in and try to alter/change it... try it, and if it's not to your taste, tweak it... and yes, I made Beef Bourguignon from Julia (she must have been in the army - makes Coq Au Vin look like fast food) and over the decades have tweaked it to my taste... but the technique is still there...

abatjour: I'm sure you meant: "my best friends always do flank on Friday evenings and pierce it first with their coat of maile device". Really, though, coats of maile (mail or maille) don't have nails. That would be an iron maiden that would have both a sort of coat of maile AND nails (inside). And definitely good for piercing meat, be it alive or dead.

i agree with the chastising comments but humbly still want to
pose this questions. sorry joe, sorry sara.

sounds quite lovely. flank steak is grand. but, has anyone tried
the recipe in a well-seasoned (flax seed oil is the trick) cast iron skillet? my broiler is not worth the name and outside is
not an option just now. maybe i'll have to do it with a small
experimental bit. my best friends always to flank on friday evenings and piece it first with their coat of nail device.

I vote for comments only AFTER trying a recipe. By the way, the Beef Bourguignon was outstanding!

Sounds very like the teriaki flank steak I used to make, where you mix brown sugar or maple syrup with soy sauce, add a coup[e of mashed garlic cloves and cover the meat. Let marinate in fridge at least an hour, better several hours and broil. Bourbon sounds interesting, but the whole thing seems like a lot of sugar intake for today's tastes... Maybe I'll just start with a good Manhattan and leave the steak alone!

my daughter and I might try this for Valentines day and her boyfriend too!

i am trying it this weekend

I have been scouring the internet looking for a copycat recipe for Stouffer's Bourbon Steak (frozen meal that is a HUGE hit with my hubby) Have any of you tried it and how does it compare to this recipe taste wise if you have. Any help would be great. With the cost of steak these days, I would hate to keep trying and failing to find that taste.

I thought this was awful. An almost sickeningly sweet taste which is strange on steak. Flank steak was strange too, seemed like it should be on a salad - not served as a main course. Maybe this glaze would be better on a thick steak like a NY Strip? Either way, won't make again.

I had a request of Steak for dinner tonight. I think this one it will be. Can't wait to try it.

this sounds devine!

This has Valentine's dinner written all over it! Sweet boozy meat! I'm definitely going to get lucky after serving this! :)

this christmas i made an eight pound true prime ribroastfor my frirndswho had come for christmas eve and day. it was garlicand herbcrusted prime ribwith abrown butter sauce The roast was about 7&1\2lbs . Irubbed it with a rubofsmall amountof garlic butterin the mixer addthe course sallt and the pepperand theminced garlic, the lemon juice the choped thymeand the chopped rosemary. runtill its well mixed. Remove from mixer and spread all over the prime. Took about 1&1\4hour to get to a perfect rare \medium rare just the way we like it.


































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This might be a little late, but congratulations on making Gojee's Top Meat Recipe of the Week back in August!

http://www.gojee.com/recipes/#!771

Amanda: I have a 6 - 6 1/2 LB. prime rib dry aging in my refrigerator.
I would like to use this recipe on it.

How many times do you think I should multiply the recipe?

Amanda--
Are you saying that you grill the steak directly over the flame after applying the sugar rub and marinating? Doesn't the sugar just turn into a black gooey mess on the outside of the meat?/

Hi Amanda,
My friends all adore my 'sugar steak' but I tend to be a bit more . . . flamboyant (?) with it. I think it tends slightly more towards Korean bbq as I add equal amounts of soy sauce and sake to the mix, rather than bourbon, I wonder if yours will just have the same result with less effort on my part? For what it is worth, I use chopped garlic and ginger, 1/2c of soy and sake, 1 T balsamic, brown sugar and sometimes a touch of honey (to caramelize even more). As you can see, more work! Can't wait to try your far simply sugar steak asap. thanks.
Laura

I made this while I was home in Texas for my family; we are usually very talkative during dinner that they tend to last for 2-3 hours. I grilled the flank steak, and saved the marinade, which I cooked in a saucepan, making sure to add a couple pats of butter... (I felt like Paula Deen was behind me, cheering me on in the process). Totally worth it-the sauce was absolutely gorgeous, almost like a caramel; a great counterpoint to the incredibly moist, grill-kissed steak. The recipe was more than just wow-factor, because no one spoke for the short amount of time that the steak was on the table.

After marinating for a couple of hours, I grilled the the steaks to med. rare. ( I used hangar steaks). There was a bit of flame from the bourbon and sugar but it was managable. I cooked the remaining marinade in a saucepan with a couple of Tbsps. Of water for several minutes, then swirled in 1 Tbsp. of butter off the heat. After a few minutes of rest, I sliced the steak and drizzled the sauce over the steak. A bit of sweet, with the bourbon and hit of heat. Great recipe Amanda. Thanks! Very delicious.

Made it for Sunday dinner! Everyone loved it! Thank you :)

I made this over the weekend using a bison flank steak. It was fantastic! Bison has a natural, subtle sweetness to it (high in iron) that marries perfectly with the bourbon and brown sugar, and I upped the red pepper flakes quite a bit. The next day I sliced the leftovers and stuffed them into a baguette along with some of aagersi's amazing pickled onions (no kitchen should be without them!) and whole grain Dijon. Oh my ......... Thank you so much for this, Amanda!

Dinner tonight: grilled sugar steak with bourbon, salad of roasted beets and greens, roasted baby potatoes, sauteed Tuscan kale. Can't wait to eat!!

This is going to be dinner very soon :)

This looks just fabulous! I've used brown sugar lots of times, but never thought to include something like bourbon. Genius!

Love the simplicity of this! Perfect.