Our friend Mikey (we’ve been best friends since 1968) has been staying with us while he house hunts. He self describes as a 64-year old with the palate of a 5-year old. It’s a pretty accurate self-assessment.
While I make really amazing vinaigrettes and dressings, he prefers his Catalina dressing from a bottle. Arrow straight to my heart! A couple weeks back, I surprised him with a homemade Catalina dressing. Predictably, his response was, “I prefer the bottled dressing.” Considering the preservatives in the bottle, he will probably outlive me by decades… well-preserved, of course.
This presented me with a conundrum. I now had a small vat of Catalina dressing, which is a bit sweet for my taste, though I know it’s well-loved. This dressing brought to mind my mother, and how she used salad dressings and vinaigrettes as marinades. And that brings us to today’s recipes — for homemade Catalina dressing, and Marinated Grilled Flank Steak.
This is a really easy, and flavorful meal — the sugars in the dressing help to give the steak a nice char, also adding a nice dimension to the flavor of the meat. I grilled some asparagus on the side. When we served it to Mikey the other night, he tested a piece of steak and asked what the marinade was. I told him it was the homemade Catalina, at which he laughed and admitted, “Wow, it’s good!”
~ David
Marinated Grilled Flank Steak
Click below to print recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak **
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Catalina dressing (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper. Place steak in a sealable plastic bag. Spread 1/4 cup of the dressing on one side (in the bag), flip and do the same for the second side. Massage a little if necessary to coat the entire steak. Marinate for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.
- An hour before cooking, bring the meat to room temperature.
- Preheat a gas grill to high. When ready, remove the steak from the bag using tongs, and place on the grill for 30 seconds to sear. Reduce heat to medium-high and cover. Let cook for 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness). Turn and cook 3-5 minutes longer (again, depending on thickness). Remove from the grill and place on a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes.
- Slice against the grain at a 45° angle and serve on or beside a salad (you can dress the salad with more of the Catalina dressing if you like).
- Serves 3-4.
- ** Note: I cut the steak in half along the grain before marinating so that I can serve smaller pieces, especially if I am serving it over a salad.
- __________________________________________
- Homemade Catalina Dressing
- • 1 large shallot
- • 1/4 cup ketchup
- • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- • 3 tablespoons sugar
- • 1 teaspoon paprika
- • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- • 1/2 cup canola oil
- • salt, to taste
- • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cut the top end off the shallot, then wrap tightly in wax paper. Microwave for 20 seconds. The shallot might “sing” a bit, but that’s just air escaping. Cut off the root end (be careful, it will be hot!) and then cut in half lengthwise. Let cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, take off the outer skin and place cooked shallot in a tall measuring cup along with the ketchup, vinegar, sugar, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Using a stick blender, purée these ingredients.
- Then, with stick blender running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until used up and dressing is emulsified. Season well with salt and pepper, and blend again.
- Make about 1 cup.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Jeff the Chef
May 21, 2022 at 5:17 amMan, I haven’t had Catalina dressing in a long, long time. I would not’ve thought to use it as a marinade, though! Nice!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 6:42 amIt really works well, how many other dressings do, too. Thanks, Jeff.
Chef Mimi
May 21, 2022 at 5:48 amSheesh. I know from my own husband’s tastes how frustrating and limiting it is to cook for someone like that. But My 5 year old grand son eats smoked salmon, olives, and sushi. So it’s sad to me that some people growing up never get exposed to anything good or fresh or real. Anyway, your meal does look great. Great post!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 6:44 amWhen I was a kid, we were told we had to eat everything on the plate. It may be the reason why I do eat just about everything! I was so happy when my nieces were eating brie and grapes at the young ages of 3 and 4.
Stephanie Zarpas
May 21, 2022 at 6:55 amHi David! Where on your site can I find your vinaigrettes and dressings? A quick check didn’t turn them up. I’m known for my vinaigrettes, as well!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 6:44 amHi Stephanie, I actually don’t think I have any of my salad dressings on the site… Let me look around, and then I’ll PM you I find any.
Stephanie Zarpas
May 22, 2022 at 7:55 amThanks, David! Maybe that’s a category for a future post? So many people are intimidated by the thought of making their own salad dressings. And as we know, homemade dressings are infinitely better than bottled.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 27, 2022 at 9:53 amMaybe I should, Stephanie… not only are they better tasting, they are much better for you!
Ron
May 21, 2022 at 7:20 amDavid, like Jeff, I haven’t thought of Catilina dressing in many years. When I read Catilina dressing in your post it took me back to my teens when my mom made Dorito Salad that used Catilina dressing. Now you’ve inspired me to make the dressing for two reasons: use it as a marinade and make Dorito salad.
Now, as for Mikey! As I remember from TV commercials of my day, Mikey never liked anything…
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 6:58 amWell, Ron… You have made a friend and Mikey! (Actually, we call him Mike.) But he read your comment, and would love your recipe for Dorito salad. Any chance you would be willing to share that with me? I’m sure that commercial was modeled on the actual man. 🙂
Melissa
May 21, 2022 at 7:33 amI’ve never actually heard of Catalina dressing before (we were a Russian dressing household–i.e. mayo and ketchup). It’s too sweet for me to use on salad but it sounds like it would make a great marinade. I’ll give it a whirl next time I acquire some flank steak.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 7:00 amI definitely agree in the “too sweet” part, Missy. But, as a marinade, it is fantastic! Definitely give it a try!
John / Kitchen Riffs
May 21, 2022 at 8:15 amGreat idea to use salad dressing for a marinade. We’ll often use a homemade vinaigrette to marinade chicken we”re going to grill. Haven’t thought to use a bottled salad dressing. Maybe for the same reason you haven’t — we just don’t have any on hand! Well, except for our one weakness, which is blue cheese salad dressing that you find refrigerated (usually in the produce department). We make a mean homemade version, but some of the refrigerated ones are darn good. Speaking of darn good, dandy recipe — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 7:02 amI’ve never had the refrigerated blue cheese dressing, but I never mind making my own! Taught a group of students how to make salad dressings (including blue cheese) and they were shocked at how easy it was. I also had two bottled dressings on hand and had a chemistry student “translate” all the chemicals within. They were all stunned.
Jane
May 21, 2022 at 8:54 amLarry and Mike will end up together in the “Preservative-Only” Assisted Living home together! My Great Grandfather drank Slivovitz occasionally and died at 105 – we always said he was well-pickled, so maybe Mike and Larry know something we don’t! Will definitely have to try this recipe. You could do anything to steak and Larry would be happy!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 7:04 amI would venture to say that Slivovitz is a natural product and any pickling that was done was good! Good to know Larry is a steak fan — might just be what you get for dinner when you come!
Mike
May 21, 2022 at 9:09 amAs the aforementioned Mikey, I feel compelled to comment. The marinade was very tasty and enjoyable which I found annoying. Growing up, David and I had very different relationships to food. And he is an artist. Music, painting, language, photography textiles. Also annoying. David composes food like Bach and the Goldberg Variations. The bass line and chord progressions might stay the same but the melody is changed each time, even sometimes discarded. So he may present the same dish, but each time there is something a little ( or a lot) different. And each it’s always good, often better. Did I mention annoying? At a fine restaurant, my Mom often comments “David could do it better”. She’s not wrong. Annoying on several levels. So if it’s all annoying, why am I at David’s home at least 3 nights a week for dinner? If you follow this blog and make some of the recipes, you know why. Now if I can figure out how I can get him to make me a Dorito Salad….
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 7:07 amOkay, seriously… this is mr best/nicest comment I’ve ever received! Thanks, Mike. (Yeas, dear readers, we mostly call him ‘Mike.’) And, per your passive-aggressive request, I have asked Ron to share his Dorito Salad recipe with me.
Eha
May 21, 2022 at 4:26 pmWhat a fantastic Sunday morning read – Catalina dressing and Doritp salad, both of which are total strangers and a delightful comment from Mike letting us know a few ‘family secrets’ ! Love the look of the food, usually marinate most meats ere cooking and often use salad-dressing type baths tho’ not from a bottle ! Too many ingredients I do not need or like in the latter ! As far a teaching children to develop ‘mature’ palates . . . in our house it happened by chance – my daughters felt so babyish and ‘insulted’ when they noticed my husband and I eating ‘sophisticated’ food items missing on their plates that they insisted on such also – if initially they found some tastes strange they did not dare say so, did they 🙂 ? But likes developed as did our smiles behind their backs . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
May 22, 2022 at 7:10 amYou and I are definitely on the same page regarding the number of ingredients in a bottled salad dressing! When we were young, we were taught to eat everything on our plate… And we did! To this day, I eat everything except that to which I’m allergic. I really credit my parents for my love of food, although it’s very interesting that they were not very adventurous themselves… For example, the most ethnic restaurant I ever went to when young was an Italian restaurant. We never saw any kind of Asian, South American, or European foods (other than French or Italian).
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
May 22, 2022 at 10:09 amHaving to deal with “the palate of a 5-year old” as a chef in many establishments, I can definitely understand the frustration!
Using dressing/vinaigrette for marinade is always a good idea. The steak looks perfect. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 27, 2022 at 9:54 amThanks, Ronit! I like to take every diner’s needs — whether pickiness or allergy — as a challenge! It’s fun (to some extent).
The-FoodTrotter
May 22, 2022 at 12:48 pmIt does look so flavoursome! I rarely have steak because I’m not that skilled when it comes to the searing… I should try your recipe 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 27, 2022 at 9:56 amThanks, Romain. I don’t ever recall much steak (other than steak-frites) being served in France. Being very beef-forward here, I was taught very young how to grill and know when it is dine without a thermometer. Definitely an art, at which I pass but am not fully skilled!
Gerlinde de Broekert
May 22, 2022 at 9:31 pmWhat a great post. I married a person like Mike and tried to change his taste buds over the last 40 years . I have never heard of Catalina dressing nor Dorito salad.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 27, 2022 at 9:57 amSounds like you didn’t succeed… but at least you tried! I am really hoping Rin shares his Dorito salad recipe!
Pauline
May 24, 2022 at 3:16 amI’ve never made catalina dressing,I don’t think it is such a thing over here, but I can tell from the ingredients it is delicious. Looks like the flank steak chars beautifully, it’s like our rump steak, full of flavour. I’ll try catalina dressing sometime when I cook steak. We used to marinade steak a lot, but we don’t tend to much now. great post, thanks David.
Cocoa & Lavender
May 27, 2022 at 9:58 amIt is really full of flavor, Pauline — probably my favorite. Funny, while I would never “darken” a salad with Catalina dressing, I will marinate with it!
2pots2cook
May 24, 2022 at 4:33 amOh dear, how I enjoy your sense of humor! What a refreshing minutes you gave me today! And, yes, love the dressing! Until next break at “your place”, bye bye 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
May 27, 2022 at 9:59 amThanks, Davorka — glad I can provide some entertainment! 🙂
Valentina
May 25, 2022 at 12:24 pmI like that you’re friend owns it! Having the palate of a five year old, that is. 😜 I love the idea of marinating meats (and poultry) in salad dressings. Especially those that are homemade! I’ll try this for my steak-loving son. ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
May 27, 2022 at 10:00 amI loved Mike’s comment… he has a wicked sense of humor and I’m glad he was okay with this crazy post!
Mary Norcross
May 28, 2022 at 3:05 pmHi David,
Your flank steak marinade recipe arrived just in time for our annual Memorial Day cookout. I am putting it up against our family favorite marinade (Marinated Flank Steak O’Brien-Nojack) taken years ago from the Reader’s Corner in Gourmet Magazine. I will let you know the results of the taste test! May the tastiest steak win!
Cocoa & Lavender
May 29, 2022 at 1:05 pmThis sounds like a wonderful competition in which to participate! I’m very excited to find out how I did…
I hope you’re getting the emails now. Fingers crossed!
Raymund
June 1, 2022 at 5:17 pmOhhh never had I though using a salad dressing on a steak, love the idea
Inger
June 3, 2022 at 9:28 amGreat solution! Gee–so many bottled dressing list water first and sugar second. Not surprising they have no flavor. I do sometime buy a refrigerated creamy dressing like Marzetti Caesar or Parmesan Peppercorn, but never anything vinegar based or shelf stable.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 4, 2022 at 8:41 amNot to mention all the chemicals listed after the water and sugar! My other issue is the amount of garlic in them!
John
July 3, 2022 at 3:05 amI must concede I’ve never heard of Catalina dressing, though I am intrigued by its flavour profile. I do like the sound of using it to marinate beef, but Dean’s not a big red meat fan. I may be trying this with chicken very soon.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:44 amI think this would be perfect with chicken, John. I didn’t realize the Dean doesn’t eat a lot of red meat. I even imagine this being good with some sturdy fish like swordfish.
Christina Conte
July 20, 2022 at 6:04 pmGood for you, David! Hope you converted your friend! 🙂 The steak sounds and looks delicious, and I’m not a huge steak fan, so that’s saying something! Getting caught up here as I was out of town for 6 weeks (2 weeks in Europe and the rest of the time travel days, NYC, and helping my parents pack up their house and driving out to LA from MI). I’m pooped!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 8:04 amI have loved following your travels, Christina — but was sad to see your folks leave their home. But onward and upward for them (and you)! As for converting my fiend? It won’t happen — stubborn is stubborn! 🤣