Flank steak does well hot off the grill or served the next day in another dish, such as fajitas or a steak salad.
Flank steak does well hot off the grill or served the next day in another dish, such as fajitas or a steak salad. (Bill Hogan, Chicago Tribune)

Q: Looking for a beef steak fajitas marinade recipe for grilling published in the Trib in 1992-93. It was great! Leftovers made great fajita tacos. Lost it when I moved, and have been looking since that time. Have tried many but none that tasted as good.

— Jeanette Armbrust, Batavia


A: Turns out the recipe is actually from 1994. The grilled marinated flank steak with a chipotle marinade came from W. Park Kerr, author of the 1994 book "The El Paso Chile Company's Burning Desires." It was published June 30, 1994, in the Tribune as part of a story on summer barbecuing by former Tribune food writer William Rice.

Rice quoted Kerr as writing in the book: "I always throw an extra flank steak on the fire, knowing there will be steak salad on the menu tomorrow."

I haven't tried the recipe; let me know how it works out.

Email questions about food and drink to Bill Daley at wdaley@tribpub.com. Send snail mail inquiries to: Bill Daley, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60611. Please include a telephone number where you can be reached during the day.

Twitter @billdaley

Grilled marinated flank steak

Prep: 15 minutes

Marinate: 2 hours

Cook: 7 minutes

Makes: 8 servings, with leftovers

Adapted from W. Park Kerr's "Burning Desires."

Chipotle marinade, see recipe below

2 or 3 small flank steaks (about 3 3/4 pounds total)

2 cups wood chips, preferably hickory


Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1. Pour the marinade over the flank steaks in a shallow nonreactive dish. Cover and let stand at room temperature, turning them once or twice, 2 hours.

2. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high heat. Wrap the wood chips partly in foil, creating a small packet that is open at the top. Set the packet on the hot coals or hot lava stones; position the grill rack about 6 inches above the heat source.

3. When the wood chips are smoking heavily, place the steaks on the rack. Cover; grill, 3 1/2 minutes. Turn steaks; grill, 3 1/2 minutes. Rake the coals to one side of the grill, or on a gas grill, lower the heat to medium, and continue to grill the steaks, 6 minutes for medium-rare.

4. Transfer steaks to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let stand 10 minutes. Carve the steaks at a slight angle across the grain into very thin slices; serve hot, warm or cold with salt and pepper to taste.

Chipotle marinade: In a blender, combine 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, 2 garlic cloves, chopped, and 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar; process until fairly smooth. With the motor running, add 1/2 cup olive oil; the marinade will thicken slightly.