Food - Drink
Is London Broil Steak Originally From England?
By JOHN TOLLEY
"London broil" is the name of both a steak cut and dish, and usually refers to flank steak, a lean cut that can be tough if not prepared with care; it must be cooked quickly and sliced thinly across the grain to ensure that the meat is tender. While you might be familiar with the cut, its origins may be much more surprising to you.
Despite its name, one of the places you can't find London broil is London; most butchers, chefs, and home cooks there have never even heard of the cut. This dish was actually first cooked in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the general theory is that the cut was named "London" to imbue it with an air of European sophistication.
In restaurants and cookbooks, London Broil is still often flank steak, but one that has been bathed in a piquant and acidic marinade for several hours before being seared and sliced. London Broil as a dish might also be prepared with top round, another lean, beefy cut that lends itself to strong seasoning and a solid sear.