Love marinating? Learn to love flank steaks

Flank steak is not the most tender cut of meat, but it could be one of the best tasting. And it's often a good bargain.

The flank is a long, flat and fibrous muscle, so it needs to be either seared and served moderately rare or braised until tender. Either way, carving this steak into thin slices across the grain at a 45 degree angle makes for a more pleasant bite.

The flank is thin and boneless (with almost no waste), so it's a perfect candidate for marinades, which will penetrate well.

This ginger-soy marinated flank steak can be grilled and enjoyed on its own or turned into this Asian-inspired sandwich by surrounding it with crunchy toasts, sweet and spicy mayo and a generous handful of peppery, fresh watercress.

Marinate the steak in the morning for a quick and delicious supper from the grill.

Ginger-soy marinated flank steak sandwiches

Marinade:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce, or more to taste

4 scallions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

1 1/4 pounds flank steak

Spread:

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce

For the sandwiches:

8 (3/4-inch-thick) slices crusty country-style bread

1 tablespoon extra-virgin oil

3 cups loosely packed watercress or arugula

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in oil, ginger, chili-garlic sauce and scallions.

Place the steak in a shallow glass dish. Add marinade and turn to coat on both sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, turning once.

Heat a gas grill to medium-high or light a charcoal fire.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, honey and chili-garlic sauce. Set aside.

Brush both sides of the bread slices lightly with olive oil.

Grill the steak until the underside is well browned, about 5 minutes. Turn and grill about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare. While the steak is grilling, place the bread slices around it to toast, about 1 minute per side.

Remove the steak from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes, before slicing. Cut it across the grain into thin slices. Spread a thin layer of the chili-garlic mayonnaise on each toasted bread slice. Arrange steak over 4 of the slices. Top with watercress or arugula and the remaining bread slices.