You’ve probably been there. You see a beautiful, thick slab of beef at the grocery store labeled London Broil. It’s cheap. It looks lean. You imagine a steakhouse-quality dinner for a fraction of the price.
Then you cook it.
Suddenly, you’re not eating dinner; you’re exercising your jaw on something with the structural integrity of a radial tire. It’s frustrating. Honestly, it’s enough to make you swear off the cut entirely. But here’s the thing: London broil isn't actually a "cut" of meat. It’s a cooking method. Usually, what you’re buying is top round or flank steak. These are hardworking muscles. They’re full of connective tissue and lean protein fibers that bunch up and tighten the second they hit heat.
If you want it to melt in your mouth, you can’t just throw it in a pan and hope for the best. You have to break it down. You have to be a little aggressive.
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The "Jack the Ripper" Method: Mechanical Tenderizing
Most home cooks are way too gentle with their meat. If you want to tenderize London broil effectively, you need to get physical.
There’s a tool called a Jaccard tenderizer. It’s basically a handle with dozens of tiny, razor-sharp needles. When you press it into the beef, it physically severs those long, ropey muscle fibers. It’s a game changer. If you don’t have one, a standard meat mallet—the side with the scary-looking spikes—works too. You’re not trying to turn the steak into a pancake; you’re just trying to break the "webbing" of the protein.
Another trick? Scoring. Take a sharp knife and make shallow, 1/8-inch deep cuts in a diamond pattern across the surface. This creates more surface area for flavor to get in and prevents the steak from curling up like a dry leaf when it hits the heat.
The Science of the "Secret Weapon" (Baking Soda)
You might have heard of "velveting" in Chinese stir-fry. It’s why the beef at your local takeout spot is always impossibly soft. You can use that same logic here.
Basically, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) raises the pH level on the surface of the meat. This makes it harder for the proteins to bond tightly together when they cook.
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- Sprinkle about a teaspoon of baking soda all over the meat.
- Rub it in and let it sit for about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Crucial step: Rinse it off thoroughly. If you don't, your steak will taste like a chemistry experiment.
- Pat it bone-dry before seasoning.
It sounds weird, I know. But if you're dealing with a particularly stubborn piece of top round, this is the "nuclear option" that actually works.
Stop Relying Just on Acidic Marinades
We’ve been told for decades that soaking meat in vinegar or lemon juice tenderizes it. That’s... mostly a myth.
Acid doesn't penetrate very deep. It mostly just "cooks" the outside of the meat, which can actually turn the exterior mushy while the inside stays like a rock. If you’re going to marinate, you need enzymes or salt.
- The Enzyme Route: Fresh pineapple, kiwi, or papaya contains enzymes (like bromelain) that actually digest protein. Be careful, though. If you leave a London broil in pineapple juice for more than two hours, it will literally turn into beef jam.
- The Dry Brining Route: This is what the pros do. Salt the steak heavily at least two hours before cooking (or even the night before). The salt draws out moisture, dissolves into a brine, and then gets reabsorbed, breaking down the muscle structure from the inside out.
Heat Is the Enemy of Lean Beef
London broil has almost zero internal fat. No marbling.
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Because of that, there is a very narrow window between "perfectly tender" and "shoe leather." Most experts, including professional butchers like Heather Marold Thomason, will tell you that medium-rare (130°F to 135°F) is the absolute limit. Once you hit medium or well-done, the proteins have contracted so much that all the moisture is squeezed out.
If you like your meat well-done, honestly, don't buy London broil. Buy a chuck roast and braise it for six hours.
The Slicing Secret
You can do everything right—the marinade, the dry brine, the perfect sear—and still ruin the meal in the last ten seconds.
You must slice against the grain.
Look at the steak. You’ll see long lines running in one direction. Those are the muscle fibers. If you cut parallel to those lines, your teeth have to do the work of breaking them. If you cut perpendicular to them, you’ve already done the hard work with your knife. Aim for thin, 1/4-inch slices on a slight diagonal.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Best London Broil Ever:
- Buy the right thickness: Look for a cut that is at least 1.5 inches thick so you can get a good crust without overcooking the center.
- Dry Brining: Salt your meat today for tomorrow’s dinner. Let it sit uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge.
- The 10-Minute Rule: Never, ever cut into the steak the moment it leaves the pan. Let it rest under a piece of foil for 10 full minutes to let the juices settle.
- Use a Thermometer: Don't guess. Pull the meat at 125°F; the "carryover" heat will bring it to a perfect 130°F while it rests.