Flanken is a cut of beef ribs that is popular in Asian and Jewish dishes and among American outdoor grilling enthusiasts. The meat and bone are cut lengthwise, resulting in strips of meat with bone medallions inside them. It can be boiled, stewed, marinated, or grilled and is often marinated overnight for added flavor and tenderness. It is also a main feature of several famous dishes.
Flanken is a specific cut of meat used for preparing beef ribs. It’s often used in Asian dishes, but has found a following among American outdoor grilling enthusiasts for its ease of cooking. Flanken is also great for boiling or stewing meat and is served as part of a Jewish dish of the same name.
This cut of meat differs from others in the way the meat and bone are cut and presented. Instead of cutting the meat between each rib, the ribs are cut lengthwise. This results in strips of meat with bone medallions inside them. Traditionally, the meat and bone are sliced approximately 0.62 cm thick.
There is often confusion as to what exactly constitutes flanking. “LA Kalbi” is another version of the flank cut, about 0.125 inches (0.3 cm) thick. It has become popular in Los Angeles restaurants specializing in Korean food, hence the name. While there is controversy as to whether the thinner cut was developed solely in restaurants in Los Angeles, Hawaii, or Germany, it is still considered a flanken-type cut.
Opinions vary on the reasoning behind this rib-cutting method. Thinner cutting allows for faster cooking times and can result in more tender meat. The bone-in medallions, which can easily pop out once the meat is cooked through, can also make eating easier than gnawing through the meat off the large ribs. Having the meat cut across the grain can also allow any marinade to penetrate more deeply into the meat.
This cut of meat can be added to many different dishes and cooked in a variety of ways. It can be boiled or stewed with other ingredients, or marinated or dried with spices and grilled as a main course. Because the meat is a bit tough, cooks often marinate it overnight to add flavor and make it tender.
Flanken is also a main feature of several famous dishes. In the Jewish dish of the same name, flank is often served with a side of horseradish. It is a common cut used in Korean dishes, which are marinated in soy sauce-based sauces and grilled. Flanken isn’t as ubiquitous in the United States as the “rack” of prime rib, but many cooks appreciate it for its grilling properties. The thinner cut of the meat allows for quicker cooking times, and the chewy rib meat adds variety in the summer, when burgers and sausages are the usual cookout.
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