Flanken: The perfect cut for a summer grill

At our Kingston, N.Y., butcher shop, we marinate very few cuts of meat, said Joshua and Jessica Applestone in The Butcher’s Guide to Well-Raised Meat (Clarkson Potter). Ever since we founded Fleisher’s Grass-fed & Organic Meats, in 2004, we’ve tried to ensure that our customers get to appreciate the true, unadorned flavor of the meats we sell.

Flanken is one of the exceptions. An inexpensive cut of beef that’s well suited for braising, it can also soak in a marinade for up to 12 hours without losing its “earthy, rich” flavor. That’s an important trait in the summer, when a slow-cooked dinner is less appealing than a quick grill. At Fleisher’s, we think it’s important not to waste any part of a steer, so we encourage outdoor cooks not to think of steaks and burgers as their only options.

What is flanken? Short ribs that are cut Korean barbecue–style, meaning the butcher cuts horizontally across the rib cage to produce long, thin pieces of meat “studded with ribs.” We like the Korean style of cooking and serving it, too.

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Recipe of the week

Flanken, Fleisher’s-style

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

1-inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup mirin

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup canola oil

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tbsp toasted Asian sesame oil

1 tbsp Asian chile sauce, such as Thai sriracha or Korean gochujang

3 lbs flanken, cut 1-inch thick, 2 to 3 ribs across

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp kosher salt

1 head butter lettuce (optional)

¼ cup coarsely chopped scallions (white and green parts)

Put garlic to taste, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, canola oil, maple syrup, sesame oil, and chile sauce in a bowl and mix well. Pour marinade into a thick, sealable bag, place flanken in bag, and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 12 hours in refrigerator.

Heat grill to high and brush oil on the grill grates. Remove meat from marinade and lay it out on grill, reserving the marinade. Grill meat until done, about 3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to burn ribs; the high sugar content of the marinade causes them to char easily.

Transfer ribs to a platter and set aside. Pour reserved marinade into a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and syrupy.

To serve, drizzle flanken with reduced marinade and sprinkle with cilantro, sesame seeds, and salt. To eat, pull meat off the bones, wrap it in lettuce leaves, and sprinkle with scallions. Serves 4.