substitute for flank steak?

[Sweet Pea]

I've got a mad craving for crispy (deep fried) ginger beef tonight, but the recipe calls for flank steak, which my local grocer doesn't carry. What can I use instead?

[fran48]

FYI, london broil is the name of a finished dish, but is sometimes used to refer to the cut, which is also known as flank steak! They are both cut from the round portion of the beef. Here is a site you can find all the cuts at.
http://www.foodsubs.com/MeatBeefRound...

[Bada Bing]

Flank is not from the round, although the website that you mention does (misleadingly) let one suppose it might be.

To the OP: I second those who say that almost any cut when cut thinly will suffice. I'd go for sirloin myself. But if you desire the cross-grain cutting effect of flank, then you could inquire about skirt, hangar, and flatiron steaks. I'm thinking that a market without flank would not have any of those, though. If you have a Latin market nearby, try them!

[kerwintoronto]

What did you end up going with Sweet Pea?

[Sweet Pea]

I left work before seeing the last few posts, and went out of my way to go to a butcher to get flank steak! Thanks for all the advice, though. I'll keep it in mind for the future.

[heatherkay]

If they have any pre-cut meat for fajitas, that is supposed to be skirt steak.

[mhoffman]

If you're going to slice it thin, batter it, deep fry it, and coat it in pungent sauce, you can get away with a lot in the cut department.

[rabaja]

Flat Iron steak would probably work, although it's hard to find. If you ask your butcher they may have it, just not out in the case. I've had good luck asking, though.

[Sweet Pea]

I don't have a butcher nearby, unfortunately, so I'm at the mercy of my local grocery store's meat counter. They usually don't have any of the cuts mentioned! But the have roasts (various cuts) and steaks (sirloin, striploin, filet, etc.) Would any of those work in a pinch?

[Darren72]

Honestly, if you cut the meat thinly and against the grain, most cuts will work. The steaks you listed above will probably be a little better. I would probably go with the sirloin because it has a nice beefy flavor.

[cheapskate]

Probably the closest thing to flank would be skirt or hanger steak, but I'd bet that you could use plain old London Broil and still come out with something pretty darn good. I would not use filet/tenderloin.

[Darren72]

The closest substitute is probably skirt steak. If they don't have flank, they may not have skirt either. (Hanger would be excellent also, but it even harded to find.)

If you cut it thin enough, chuck would work.

What do they have?