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If you’re looking to amp up your steak night, you have to try my Grilled Chipotle Flat Iron Steak recipe. The easy to make marinade adds a ton of flavor to the already beefy flat iron steak. It’s the perfect mix of tender, beefy and flavorful. The chipotle marinade adds hints of smokiness and spice while the citrus add zest that creates a flavor worthy of trying.

Be sure to check out my Grilled Steak With A Crying Tiger Sauce and Grilled Steak With Cowboy Butter for other tasty ideas.

Sliced flat iron steak, garnished with parsley.

What Is A Flat Iron Steak?

Raw flat iron steak on a tray, limes and orange in a bowl.

If you are not familiar with this cut, it’s like a cross between a filet mignon and a NY strip.  It is cut from the top blade and is extremely tender and very-well marbled. It used to be called the Butcher’s cut because butchers that were familiar with it, would grab it for themselves. It’s tender like a filet mignon and beefy like a NY strip. It really is, the perfect steak.

Even though the flat iron is packed full of beefy flavor, it also takes on marinades very well.   I decided to go down the southwest route.  In a blender, add chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, minced garlic, crushed red peppers, Mexican oregano, cumin, fresh cilantro, salt and olive oil.  Blend all these ingredients together until you get a smooth orange liquid. This is our marinade. It’s also AMAZING on chicken if you want to try it with a different protein. Check out my Grilled Huli Huli Chicken for a sweeter alternative.

Flat Iron Steak Grilling Tip

This cut is best cooked over high direct heat and ideally over charcoal. Because it’s thin, it only needs a few minutes on each side for the perfect medium rare finish.

For a less spicy alternative, don’t use the whole can of chipotle peppers. Use 1-2 peppers only.

Pour the marinade over the flat iron steak, making sure to coat the entire piece and let it marinade in the fridge for 2-3 hours. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it will be. If you can, prepare it the night before and marinade it overnight.

Flat iron steak covered in a chipotle marinade.

Dad’s Seasonings

Must have grillin seasonings!

Grilling The Flat Iron Steak.

When the steak is ready, start the grill and preheat it to 450 degrees.  You want the grill to be at a high enough temperature to get the perfect cook and sear on your steak. Place the marinated steak directly on the grates for direct heat grilling. If you’re doing this inside, you can use a cast iron skillet set over high heat on the stove. Flip the steak every 2 minutes until it reaches your desired internal temperature.  

  • Medium-rare: 120-130°
  • Medium: 130-140°
  • Medium-well: 140-150°

The frequent flipping cooks the steak evenly and creates a better crust. Cooking it over charcoal will also add a ton of flavor to the steak.

Flat iron steak on a charcoal grill.

When the steak is ready, remove it from the grill and bring it inside to rest. It’s important to let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the juices to redistribute and you will get a much better final product. Trust me, the wait is worth it! Finally, slice, serve and enjoy!

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Is the flat iron a good cut of steak?

Flat Iron is the second most tender cut (after the tenderloin) and it’s much cheaper! It’s an excellent cut of steak.

What is another name for the flat iron steak?

The flat iron steak is also known by these names: blade roast, shoulder top blade roast, top boneless chuck, petite steak, butler steak, lifter steak.

Similar Grilled Steak Recipe Ideas:

If you tried this Chipotle Grilled Flat Iron Steak or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!

5 from 1 vote

Flat Iron Steak

If you’re looking to amp up your steak night, you have to try my Grilled Chipotle Flat Iron Steak recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 People

Ingredients 

  • 3 lbs Flat iron steak
  • 7 oz Chipotle pepper in adobe sauce
  • 1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1/4 cup Olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro
  • 2 Lime – juiced
  • 1 Orange – juiced

Instructions 

  • In a blender, add chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, minced garlic, crushed red peppers, Mexican oregano, cumin, fresh cilantro, salt and olive oil.  Blend all these ingredients together until smooth.
  • Pour the marinade over the flat iron steak, making sure to coat the entire cut and let it marinade in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
  • When ready, preheat the grill to 450 degrees and set it for direct heat.
  • Place the marinated steak directly on the grates and flip every 1-2 minutes until it reaches your desired doneness.
  • Remove the steak from the grill and allow it to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  • Slice, serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • For maximum flavor, marinade the steak in the fridge overnight.
  • This cut is best cooked over high direct heat and ideally over charcoal. Because it’s thin, it only needs a few minutes on each side for the perfect medium rare finish.
 
  • For a less spicy alternative, don’t use the whole can of chipotle peppers. Use 1-2 peppers only.

Nutrition

Calories: 879kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 9025mg | Potassium: 1268mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 11mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!

About Maciek

I make easy meals that anyone can replicate at home. I’m not a professionally trained chef, just your average guy that likes to fire up the grill. So follow along and see what’s cooking today!

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5 from 1 vote

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Recipe Rating




1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    This is one of my favorite marinade recipes. It’s spicy yet flavorful, and perfect on a flat iron steak! I hope you like it as much as we do!