Chef critique
Provençal Camp-Grilled Flank Steak
A well-structured and thoughtfully timed camp recipe that appropriately seasons the components and efficiently uses resting time to cook the side dish. Minor adjustments to the steak's target temperature and the marinade mixing method will improve the final result.
Score: 8/10
Suggested fixes
- Lower the target temperature for the flank steak to pull at 130°F and rest to 135°F for medium-rare, ensuring a much juicier and tenderer result.
- Change the marinating instructions to either whisk the ingredients in a small bowl before pouring into the bag, or simply add them to the bag, seal, and massage/shake to combine.
Issues
- medium / flavor: The recipe instructs to pull the flank steak at 140°F to rest to 145°F (medium-well). Flank steak is very lean with coarse muscle fibers and will become excessively tough and chewy at this temperature.
- low / cookability: The instructions tell the cook to 'whisk' ingredients inside a zip-top bag, which is awkward and often impossible without making a mess or puncturing the bag.
Strengths
- Perfectly timed parallel cooking (the vegetables cook precisely during the steak's resting time).
- Ingredient quantities, including fractions of tablespoons and divided ingredients, are meticulously tracked across steps.
- Salt ratios accurately follow the 1.25% meat and 1% vegetable guidelines.
- Sensible camping setup utilizing both a grill and a stove simultaneously.