Recipe: Dry-rubbed Flank Steak with Grilled Corn Salsa

A few summers back when I was living overseas, my German friends liked to use a half-English/half-German phrase all the time that I found absolutely delightful: “chillen und grillen.” (OMG, I just Googled it to make sure I was spelling it right and there’s even a song by that name. It appears to be German reggae. Just let that sink in for a sec.)

Anyway, all jokes aside, it’s definitely the time of year to chill and grill, which is what you’ll find me doing pretty much all summer long. Even things that I might ordinarily prefer to pan-sear or oven-roast are going on the grill at my house because I love grilling that much.

And seriously, who would say “no” to a little chillen und grillen on a sunny day? Here’s one of the recent hits from this copywriter’s household.

Picture and original recipe credit goes to Bon Appétit. Recipe modified by me.

Dry-Rubbed Flank Steak with Grilled Corn Salsa

Ingredients: Dry Rub

• 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. ancho chile powder
• 1½ Tbsp. finely ground coffee beans (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic
• 1 tsp. English mustard powder
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. ground cumin

Ingredients: Steak and Salsa

• 1½ lbs. flank steak
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for grill
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 3 ears of corn, shucked
• ¼ red onion or 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 C. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (omit or sub parsley, if you don’t like cilantro)
• ⅓ C. fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Note: You can make the salsa up to a day ahead. Just cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

The Nitty-Gritty

1. Start by soaking the corn. Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base, pull off any silk, then fold the husks back into place. Soak the corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for about 10 minutes.
2. While the corn is soaking, make the dry rub. Combine the brown sugar, coffee, chile powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, granulated garlic, mustard powder, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl.
3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and oil the grate.
4. Remove the corn from the water and shake off any excess water. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until lightly browned all over, 8–10 minutes; let cool. Cut kernels from cobs and place in a medium bowl.
5. Add onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro (or parsley), and lime juice to corn and toss it all together; season to taste with salt and pepper. Set salsa aside.
6. Coat the flank steak with all of dry rub. Really pack it on there, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil to help rub adhere.
7. Grill the steak, turning occasionally and moving to a cooler spot on grill as needed to control flare-ups, until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130°. That should be about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on your grill.
8. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
9. Optional: Return steak to grill just to crisp up exterior, about 1 minute per side.
10. Transfer back to cutting board and slice against the grain. Serve topped with salsa.

The original recipe did not call for coffee in the dry rub, nor did it call for soaking the corn. You can omit both of these steps from your own versions and it’ll still be delicious. But, for me personally, adding the coffee and soaking the corn give it a little something extra.

If you try any fun variations, let me know!