There are times when making classy junk food is just fun. Done right, it can be delicious. Like many college students I have eaten an inordinate amount of “ramen” in my day. At 25¢ a package it is a cheap way to full an empty belly. But, with just a few extra items, a bowl full of salt and starch can turn into a bowl of decadence. Cue this recipe that utilizes venison flank steak.

Located on the outside of the deer’s rib cage, the flank steak is an often underutilized cut of meat. Most of the time it is peeled off of the ribs and tossed into the “grind” pile. That is a shame. Marinated, quickly grilled and sliced thin the meat is delectable.

To find the flank simply look under the front quarters and on top of the ribs. This area holds the “brisket” cut, or the breast meat off a deer. Behind that, on each side, is the flank meat. It will only ever be about 1 inch thick. It should peel off the ribs with little work but it will be covered in fat and silver skin. Clean the flank as well as you can without losing too much meat. Slide the tip of the knife under the silver skin and slide it along the meat. Discard the silver skin. I typically loose about 30 percent to trim, but that is way worth it.

The next step is to marinate the flank steak for as little as 4 hours or up to 24. Then, grill the flank steak. This adds a great smokiness to the dish. I add a poached egg, fresh vegetables and a dash of Shichimi Togarashi to give the whole dish a kick of flavor.

Gochujang Marinated Flank Steak with Ramen

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 each deer flank steak (about 1 pound of venison, total)
• 1 tbs Gochujang
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 2 tbs water
• 1 tsp Shichimi Togarashi      

Ramen Ingredients:

• 6 cups water
• 1 tbs vinegar, white
• 2 packages “Oriental” ramen
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 4 eggs
• 1 mango, cored and sliced thin

Cooking Instructions: 

Add all marinade ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl. Combine with a fork until the mix is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. Add the flank steak and coat evenly with the marinade. Cover bowl with clear film and leave in the fridge anywhere from 4-24 hours.

Heat grill to medium-high. Take the venison directly from the refrigerator to the grill. Do not pre-warm the meat at all. Cook flank steak no more than 3 minutes on each side. Remove and let rest before slicing. Slice the steak thin to be served on top of the ramen bowl.

In one medium sized sauce pan add 4 cups water, bring to a boil. In a separate sauté pan add two cups of water, add the vinegar and bring to a simmer. Add the ramen (including the flavor pouches), broccoli, carrots and kale to the four cups of water. Bring back to a boil and remove from heat.

Gently crack the four eggs into the vinegar-water and let simmer until the egg whites completely set, but the yolk is still runny, about 2 minutes.

Portion the ramen, broth and vegetable mix into four bowls. Top each bowl with a poached egg, sliced mangos and the sliced flank steak. Enjoy! 

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