Just realized I was ruining my flank steaks for years

My buddy Dave who runs a smokehouse in Austin told me I was slicing flank steak wrong. He said I needed to go against the grain at a 45 degree angle, not straight across. I thought I knew better since Ive been cutting meat for 8 years. Last weekend I tried his method on a 2 pound flank and the difference was night and day. The meat was actually tender instead of chewy. Anyone else get stubborn about cutting technique and then regret it?

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1 Comment

karent7522h ago

Oh man, the "I know what I'm doing" trap. That's exactly how I am with pretty much every kitchen trick I learn. I spent years burning garlic because I thought high heat was the only way to cook anything. Then a friend showed me low and slow for aromatics and I felt like an idiot. It's like that thing where you get set in your ways and your brain just refuses to consider there might be a better way, you know? Even something as simple as how you hold a knife can be totally wrong for years and you don't even realize it until someone gently points it out.