This flat iron steak with a crying tiger sauce hits on all the flavor notes. Savory, spicy and tangy, this is a fast and easy meal you have to make.

What is a flat iron steak?

A flat iron steak is a cross between a filet mignon and a NY strip. It is cut from the top blade and is extremely tender and well marbled. Second most tender cut behind the tenderloin, it’s also much cheaper, making it the perfect steak.

Flat iron steaks are leaner than a ribeye, but are packed with rich beefy flavor.

What is crying tiger sauce?

A crying tiger sauce is a Thai dipping sauce that is so hot, it can make a tiger cry. This sauce is spicy, savory, tangy and aromatic. However, there are ways to make it milder and more tolerable for the more gentle pallets.

Crying tiger sauce is the perfect steak dipping sauce. The mix of the beefiness from the protein mixed in with the heat and freshness of the sauce creates the perfect harmony.

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Step 1: How to make the crying tiger sauce.

Unlike a chimichurri sauce, the flavor profiles of the crying tiger sauce are spicy, sour with hints of umami from the fish sauce.

To start, toast up some rice. To do so, place a pan over a medium heat on the stove top or grill, pour a tbsp of dry rice on top and patiently wait until the rice is light brown in color. No need to add any oil.

Next using a mortar and pestle, grind the toasted rice into a fine powder.

Add in the wet ingredients which include fish sauce, tamarind paste, freshly squeezed lime juice.

Mix in crushed red pepper flakes, sliced shallot and fresh cilantro. Adjust the pepper flakes to your liking. Some recipes call for birds eye chili which is extremely hot and I have decided to leave this ingredient out of my recipe. If you dare, feel free to add a teaspoon to your sauce.

Finally, add some brown sugar to balance the heat.

Mix the ingredients together and set aside.

Step 2: How to grill the perfect flat iron steak

I decided to keep the prep of the flat iron steak simple. The sauce should be the star. Drizzle some olive oil over the steak which will work as the seasoning binder. Next, season with Dad’s Steak seasoning all over. It has the perfect notes of butter and herbs which only enhances the natural taste of the protein.

Start off by heating up the grill to 450 degrees. You want the grill to be at a high temperature to get the perfect cook and sear on your steak.

Place the seasoned steak directly on the grates for direct heat cooking. Flip the steak every 2 minutes for a total of 10-15 minute cook time. The frequent flipping cooks the steak evenly and creates a better crust. It is also very important to not overcook the meat. This is a cut that gets tough really easily so it’s best to leave medium rare to medium for ideal cook.

Temperature Guide For Steal

• Medium-rare: 120-130°
• Medium: 130-140°
• Medium-well: 140-150°

Step 3: Slice, dip and serve

Finally, set aside the grilled flat iron steak for 10 minutes to rest. It’s very important to rest any protein after a cook. This process helps redistribute all those wonderful juices that will create a beautifully tender slice of meat.

Slice thin pieces of the grilled flat iron steak, dip it into the crying tiger sauce and enjoy!

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Steak with Crying Tiger Sauce

This savory, spicy and tangy flat iron steak with a crying tiger sauce hits on all the flavor notes. It's a must have meal.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 People

Calories 767kcal

Author Maciek Zurawski

Ingredients

Steak Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs Flat iron steak
• 1/2 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Steak seasoning

Crying Tiger Sauce Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Rice
• 1.5 tbsp Brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 tbsp Tamarind paste
• 3 tbsp Freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tbsp Crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup Cilantro
• 1 Shallot (small)

Instructions

• Place a skillet over medium heat on the stove top or grill, add the rice and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently.
• Using a mortar and pestle, grind the toasted rice into a fine powder.
• To the powdered rice add fish sauce, tamarind paste, freshly squeezed lime juice, crushed red pepper flakes, sliced shallot and fresh cilantro. Adjust the pepper flakes to your liking.
• Add brown sugar and mix the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
• Drizzle some olive oil over the steak and season with steak seasoning.
• Preheat the grill to 450 degrees and set for direct heat.
• Place the seasoned steak directly on the grates for direct heat cooking. Flip the steak every 2 minutes for a total of 10-15 minute cook time.
• Remove the flat iron steak off the grill once it hits an internal temperature of 120-125 degrees and rest for 10 minutes.
• Slice the steak across the grain and serve with the crying tiger sauce for dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 767kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 225mg | Sodium: 2383mg | Potassium: 1356mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 11mg

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