Try A Braided Steak To Wow The Crowd At Your Next Cookout

Braided steak is the latest viral cookout trend, and for good reason. It's a killer presentation that makes for a show-stopping centerpiece on a picnic table — but there's more to this trick than meets the eye. Braided steak has more nooks and crannies to hold onto marinades, sauces, and seasonings, so you get a melt-in-your-mouth meal without a bunch of basting and babying. And all those ridges mean more surface area to develop a delicious, crispy char on your grill, or even the white-hot coals of a campfire.

Braiding your steak before cooking it can also turn a tougher cut of meat into a fall-apart tender crossover between a steak and a roast. Long, flat cuts get a particular boost when braided. The long muscle fibers in the meat can make skirt and flank steaks tough and chewy; they're usually cooked hot and fast and served thinly sliced across the grain, breaking the fibers into short, chewable morsels that are perfect for stir fry, fajitas, and tacos. But braided steak takes advantage of those tricky muscle fibers, which hold together when sliced and twisted. You still slice the steak after cooking, but instead of thin strips, you end up with a meaty slab that's more like a roast with a tasty, charred crust and a medium-rare center (or whatever doneness you prefer). It's a big, budget-friendly upgrade that requires very little effort.

Start with a long, flat cut of beef, like a skirt steak, flank steak, brisket, or tubular cut, like a pork tenderloin or filet. Make two slices down the length of the steak, going with the grain, to make three strips of meat, stopping about an inch short of the end of the meat to leave the three strips attached. For an extra savory surprise, you can twist slices of bacon around the strips of meat before braiding, but this is totally optional. Braid the three strips together like a ponytail — alternate crossing the left-hand and right-hand strips over the center strip until you reach the end — and pin the ends together with a toothpick.

Marinade your braided steak, if desired, and season liberally, being sure to get your seasoning in all the nooks and crannies, then cook. Braided steak is perfect for grilling, or you can wrap it in foil and throw it over the hot coals of a dying campfire. If you'd rather stay indoors, you can sear it on the stovetop and finish it in a 350 degree oven to your desired doneness. Slice your braided steak before serving. The strips of meat stick together when cooking, so the steak slices nicely, but they separate easily into bite-sized bits. As a bonus, leftover braided steak makes for a killer steak sandwich, hot or cold.