Seeing as June is National Steak Month and I’m a bona fide beef-grilling mama, I knew I had to share my Molasses Pepper Crusted Steak as soon as possible. I originally made this super-easy, mouth-watering hunk of meat for Beef Loving Texans, it was an act of love that involved one of my favorite cuts of beef – Flat Iron.

Flat Iron steaks are super tender, second only to tenderloin – yet cost half or two-thirds the price per pound. Plus, this now-trending cut of beef has yet to fail me on the grill thanks to the uniform rectangular shape. You may have passed up a Flat Iron, as they look a little thin on the meat tray, however, due to the method of the cut, they actually puff up on the grill to become surprisingly thick and hearty.  If you don’t see this must-try steak cut in the meat case, just ask the butcher and he should be able to hook you up! Read on to get more details about this 30-minute grill recipe and to learn the nutritional benefits of blackstrap molasses.So, what is molasses anyway, other than the secret ingredient grandma used in gingerbread and baked beans? Well molasses a byproduct of sugar-making process. First, sugar cane is mashed into juice and boiled to make cane syrup. It’s then boiled a second time to make “regular” molasses and then boiled a third time to make the revered blackstrap molasses, the molasses of choice. Don’t dismiss blackstrap molasses as just another carb-loaded sugar. True, while it is kin to table sugar, blackstrap offers actual nutritional benefits that the granulated white stuff or cane syrups just don’t have.  Blackstrap molasses boasts vital vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and selenium. For example, approximately 5 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses contain 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium, 95 percent of iron, and 38 percent of magnesium. So, when you need a sweetener for baking and grilling, pick blackstrap molasses for good measure. It’s not sickeningly sweet, rather a bit earthy and bitter – which pairs well with the pepper. 

The only thing tainting the awesomeness of molasses is an unfortunate event that happened way back when – The Boston Molasses Disaster of 1919. I hesitated to share, but it’s just too freaky. Apparently, a storage tank of molasses at manufacturing plant unexpected busted open releasing 2 million gallons of molasses in a 15-foot by 160-foot wide wave that destroyed everything in sight – 21 died, 150 were injured and causing a $100 million (today’s value) in property damage. 

All, but let’s get back to a happy place. Beef. Summer. Grilling. Flat Iron Steak. You can’t beat grilling a steak, it only takes about 20 minutes max, and if you want to use a marinate for flavor . . . just another passive 30 minutes (you can devote this time to prepping the remainder of the meal or visiting with guests).

Also, if you’re looking for pairing ideas to go along this Molasses Pepper Steak, check out the initial blog post I did last year during recipe development – the Iron-Boosting Blue Cheese & Spinach Salad and Maple Butternut Raisin Quinoa are delish with it!  You also find my original, charming photography (haha), these new dark and moody pictures of my super star steak are courtesy of the Texas Beef Council photographer.

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Molasses & Pepper Crusted Flat Iron Steaks

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

Adding smoky sweet flair to steak is easy with this grill recipe. Works well with beef tenderloin, flat iron & strip steaks. Perfect for summer entertaining!

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 6 to 8 ounce flat iron, top sirloin, tenderloin or strip steaks
• 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespooins olive oil
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• to taste: salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk together last 8 ingredients and pour into zip-top bag containing steaks. Seal tightly and flip a few times to evenly distribute marinade. Set in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes – 2 hours, flipping bag occasionally.
2. Preheat gas or charcoal grill to 400°F. Remove meat and discard marinade. Season with salt and more pepper to taste.
3. Place steaks on oiled grates and grill for approximately 7 – 9 minutes on one side, or until moisture starts to pool on the top and beef releases easily from grates with tongs.
4. Flip once, grilling on the other side for 6 – 8 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 135°F with meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of steak.
5. Transfer steaks to platter and let rest for 5 – 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.