London broil facts for kids
London broil is a delicious beef dish. It's made by cooking beef that has been soaked in a special liquid called a marinade. After cooking, the beef is cut into thin strips. Even though it's called "London broil," this dish and its name actually come from North America, not from London, England!
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What is London Broil?
"London broil" first meant a specific cut of beef called flank steak that was cooked under high heat. However, today, butchers might also call other cuts of beef "London broil," like top round. So, the name "London broil" now usually refers more to a special way of cooking and preparing the meat, rather than just one type of beef cut.
Different Kinds of Beef Used
Originally, London broil was always made with flank steak. This is a long, flat cut of beef. But over time, people started using other cuts too. Now, you might find "London broil" made from top round or other similar beef cuts. This means that when you see "London broil," it's more about the cooking style than a single type of meat.
How to Cook London Broil
Cooking London broil usually starts with marinating the beef. The meat soaks in a marinade for several hours. This helps to make the beef tender and adds lots of flavor. After marinating, the beef is cooked very quickly with high heat. This can be done in an oven broiler or on an outdoor grill. Once cooked, the beef is sliced into thin pieces. It's important to cut the meat across the grain to make it extra tender and easy to chew.
London Broil in Canada
In some parts of central Canada, "London broil" can mean something a bit different! It's often a patty made of ground meat. This patty is then wrapped inside a piece of flank or round steak. Some butchers might even wrap flank steak around a mixture of seasoned and ground flank steak. Other times, it might be a pork sausage patty wrapped in flank or top round steak. In Southern Ontario, you might find a "London broil loaf." This is where tender flank steak is wrapped around a filling made of minced and spiced veal. Sometimes, bacon is even added between the flank steak and the veal filling!
