Red meat is always a point of conversation when it comes to diet in America. Our culture seems to have a bi-polar relationship with red meat that makes it difficult for the average individual to make an educated choice about it. I grew up on red meat, so it’s place at our table has never been in question, but what have been questions are 1) how much of it should we eat and 2) what kind should we buy.
Since our family is so complicated when it comes to finding foods that everyone can enjoy, red meat is an easy win for us. We have learned that red meat is more nutrient dense than white meats, although white meats have their place at our table as well. So we easily have red meats for dinner 2–3 times/week. But is that healthy? We think so. Red meat is full of fabulous, absorbable nutrients that our body needs to survive, and for most of us, the most important one is iron. Yes, our vegetables have iron too, but our bodies seem to absorb the iron better when it’s found in red meat.
So what types of meat should you buy? There seems to be this discussion today about grass-fed vs. conventionally raised beef. Chris Kresser has written the best article I have found about why grass-fed beef is a good choice. It’s not the only choice, and conventional beef is not bad for you. So don’t go buy grass-fed if it doesn’t fit in your budget. As a society, the reality is that we simply need more omega-3 in our diet than we are currently getting and grass-fed beef actually has more omega-3 nutrients than conventional beef.
Take a look at the vitamin aisle. Never has there been more omega-3 vitamins available, and never before have medical professionals been pushing them this much. This is because we have a serious deficit in our intake of omega-3 if we eat the standard American diet. The best source for omega-3 is still fish, but because we have limited amounts of fish as a family because of my son’s intolerance of it, finding meats that have more omega-3 is important to us. So, when we have the option to enjoy grass-fed meats, which are higher in omega-3 fatty acids, we make that choice.
So this past week, I grabbed a piece of grass-fed flank steak I had in the freezer and happened upon this meal for my family. It was a hit from the first bite — even the kids liked it! It was super tender (which isn’t always true of flank steak) and tasted amazing. And the best part — it was super easy to make! We served it over riced cauliflower and with a side of roasted vegetables. Yummy! To my dismay, there were no leftovers for breakfast the next day. Even my 5 year-old had 3 servings of meat. So I encourage you to give this recipe a try for one meal this week. If you love it, tell me about it.
MARINATED FLANK STEAK (INSTANT POT)
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
- 2 T. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 t. sea salt
Main Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 Tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 1 flank steak, up to two pounds
Instructions
- Make marinade by combining 1/2 cup coconut aminos and next 5 ingredients (through sea salt).
- Marinate steak in refrigerator for 6–8 hrs (can be less if on a time crunch).
- Turn Sauté feature on Instant Pot and add olive oil. Brown flank steak in Instant Pot. Once meat is browned, remove the meat and turn off Sauté feature.
- Add marinade to deglaze the pot. Add meat back into the pot.
- Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and bring it to high pressure. Pressure cook at high pressure for 15 min/pound. Let the pressure come down naturally for at least 10 minutes before quick-releasing any remaining pressure in the pot.
- Once pressure is released, remove meat and set aside. Whisk remaining coconut aminos and arrowroot starch until there are no more lumps. Add to pot with remaining marinade and cooking juices. Turn on Sauté feature and cook until sauce becomes thick.
- Slice meat and serve with sauce.