Recipe :Tailgate Steak and Pepper Subs

9/27/2014

***Disclosure: This recipe is sponsored by DataRank and Kingsford Charcoal. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

Do I have any football fans out there? We have a unique football dilemma. You see, while we live in the Cleveland area, which is very passionate about Brown's football, my family roots for Chicago. Yep. Da Bears. My husband was born in the Chicago area, and has been a lifelong Bears fan. I figure, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Since I have to watch the games anyway, I might as well root for the hubby's team.

Needless to say, we don't have a ton of tailgating opportunities, being Bears fans living in Dawg Pound country. So, rather than skip all the fun of grilling foods for the game, surrounded by loads of hungry fans, we bring the tailgating to our house on game day. We even bought a small, charcoal grill for such occasions. (After all, you don't get the same flavors using a massive propane grill!)

One thing we love to prepare on game day is Marinated Steak and Pepper Subs. These handheld entrees definitely pack a whole lot of flavor, and they're so easy to make, too!

If you'd like to try this dish, you're going to need a nice, high-quality flank steak. I like the USDA Choice Steaks from Walmart. They have amazing flavor and are always a wonderful value.

You're also going to need some peppers. We also find these at Walmart. I love peppers of all kinds, but have found that Bell Peppers are the most kid-friendly, since they're not terribly spicy. This time, we chose red, yellow, and orange bell peppers.

Now comes the fun part. Making the flavorful marinade! This, my friends, is where all the flavor comes from. I make a simple marinade using Soy Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, a touch of Red Wine, some Olive Oil, garlic, and some very special spices. (Don't worry! I am including the recipe in this post.)

You're going to want to marinate your steak and peppers as long as possible. I try to marinate overnight, when possible. If that's not doable, a couple hours will suffice.

Once your steak and peppers are ready to go, it's time to break out the grill! Yes, this is a tiny little grill. Like I said, we just had to have a charcoal grill, since we really love the flavor that comes from cooking food over Kingsford Charcoal. There's just nothing quite like it, don't you agree?

Anyway, once your charcoal is lit and spread out, just place the steak on the grill. Be prepared to drool, because the aromas that will fill the air are absolutely amazing.

After the flank steak has been on the grill for a few minutes, it's time to add the peppers. These don't take nearly as long to cook, so you will want to watch them closely. It's best if you place them on the grill skin side down. This keeps the delicate flesh from burning, and also gives them a nice, smoky sear.

The peppers will be done rather quickly, so make sure you've got a dish set aside to put them in while the steak finishes cooking. As you can see, these peppers are perfectly done. They are nice and tender, and there's just a hint of blistering on the skins. You want this. Trust me. You do.

We actually made 2 batches of peppers, since we absolutely love them. Anyway, back to the star of the show...The steak! As you can see, my flank steak has a wonderful sear on it. This is what you're going to want to see, since this sear makes all of the delicious natural flavors of the meat stand out while keeping juices in.

When grilling a flank steak, it takes about 15 minutes or so to get a perfect medium-rare doneness. Be sure to flip it at least once during the cooking process to ensure that both sides of the steak have that nice "crust".

Once the steak has finished cooking, remove it from the grill and set it on a platter to rest. You're going to want to let it sit for about 5-10 minutes before slicing. If you don't, all of the juices will seep out while you cut the meat. Not only will that make a mess, it will also make the steak less juicy. And no one wants that!

Slice the steak into thin strips, about 1/4 inch thick. Then combine them with the peppers. (Doesn't this look amazing?!) Now it's time to build some subs!

To make the subs, you can either grill them wrapped in foil, or you can pop them into the oven. We chose the latter, since we were losing daylight quickly, and Monday Night Football had already begun!

To assemble these subs, simply take some of the steak and pepper mixture and place them onto the sub roll. Top this mixture with a healthy dose of Mozzarella cheese.

If you're grilling them, wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and place them on the grill for about 10 minutes, over medium heat. Them remove them, unwrap the foil, and dig in!

For oven preparation, place the subs on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes. This will make the cheese nice and gooey. Yum!

I like to serve these subs with sweet potato fries, cole slaw, corn on the cob, or a nice pasta salad. Really, any side will do! There is so much flavor in these subs that you might not even want a side! And that's okay, too. These babies are pretty filling, after all!

These subs are really the ultimate game day treat. Dan, my husband, loves being "manly" and firing up the charcoal grill before the game. He has been known to do this, even in the dead of winter. And here in Ohio, winter can be pretty brutal! (What is it with guys and grills, exactly?)

If you'd like to try my Marinated Steak and Pepper Subs during your next game day feast, you're in luck! Since I am all about sharing, I am giving you my recipe!

Brandy's Marinated Steak & Pepper Subs:

Ingredients:

One large Flank Steak. (I like the USDA Choice Steaks at Walmart.)
2-3 large peppers. (I like bell peppers, any color will do!)
Sub Rolls
Sliced Mozzarella Cheese (We go heavy on the cheese, so any amount is fine.)

For the Marinade:

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Red Wine (optional)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Rosemary
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Dash hot pepper sauce (I like Louisiana Crystal Sauce)
Pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare marinade. Just mix all of those ingredients together until well-blended. Set aside.
Slice bell peppers into strips or chunks. You want them large enough that they won't fall into the grill! (We learned this through trial and error!) Set aside.
Place Flank Steak into a dish or Ziplock Bag. Pour marinade over the steak. Add peppers, making sure they're coated well. Allow this mixture to marinate at least 2-3 hours, but preferably overnight.
Prepare your charcoal grill. We like Kingsford Match Light Charcoal because it lights easily and heats up quickly.
Place Flank Steak on the grill. Allow it to cook for about 8 minutes. Flip your steak. Admire the beautiful sear marks.
After this time has passed, which is about halfway through cooking, add the peppers to the grill. (They take a lot less time to cook.)
Grill the peppers until they're tender, and the skins have a bit of blistering on them. Once they reach this point,remove them and set them aside.
Check your steak for desired doneness. For a perfect medium-rare, total cook time is only about 15 minutes. You can adjust cooking times to your own personal tastes. I have found that about 25 minutes total cooking time gives well-done results.
Once the steak is to your desired doneness, remove it from the heat and place on a platter. Allow the meat to "rest" for 5-10 minutes. This helps keep those juices in!
Slice steak into strips that are about 1/4 inch thick. Add peppers. Mix them up to blend flavors.
Grab your sub rolls. Place some of the steak and pepper mixture onto each roll.
Top with Mozzarella Cheese. Add as much as you'd like! I'll never tell!
To Grill Subs: Wrap in foil. Place on the grill over medium heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, till the cheese is nice and melted.
For Oven Preparation: Preheat Oven to 350 F. Place subs on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Enjoy!