Last Updated on 17th December 2021 by
A London broil is a type of meat that has been marinated first, and then seared and broiled. That makes for a pretty tender dish that is easy to bite into and that is juicy and succulent if prepared properly.
A London broil can be any kind of meat, really, but it is usually cut of beef. It doesn’t have to be a particular cut of beef, though, as it can be a top round, chuck round, sirloin, and many other cuts. The name London broil refers not to the cut of meat or the type of meat being used but simply how it is prepared. If it has been marinated, seared, and broiled, then it’s a London broil.
Some places around the world will use the term London broil to refer to any cut of top round, but that is not a true London broil and not what I am covering here today and showing you how to make.
You can make the London broil in an Instant Pot, and this is a very simple and low effort way to make it- so easy that practically anyone can do it. It’s so simple that most people can do it on their own with very little difficulty as long as they know one key element- how long to cook London broil in Instant Pot. Once you know that, the rest is simple. It’s difficult to mess up the dish at that point, so I will cover in detail how long to cook it for and how that specific duration makes a difference in your meat and the way it turns out.
How Long to Cook a London Broil in an Instant Pot
Start by marinating your London broil. It should be marinated in seasonings for about three hours. You can let it marinate for longer, and many people will allow theirs to marinate overnight, but I would peg three hours as the minimum marination time.
The marinade you use is up to you, but I like a tomato and vinegar-based marinade, with a few herbs to season it, such as parsley, thyme, and garlic.
When you take it out of the fridge and the marinade container, you should pat the meat dry. You don’t want it overly wet when you go to sear it. You can sear it in the Instant Pot by first adding a bit of oil to the pot and heating it up. Once the pot is hot, you can add your beef to it.
Be sure to sear the beef on all sides as it cooks in the Instant Pot. You want an even searing for an even texture. After the meat has been seared, you can add in the rest of the marinade as well as some extra liquid like stock or sauce to broil your meat in. Lock the lid down and then cook on high pressure. How long to cook the meat for to make your London broil? Cook it for about 20 minutes.
Some recipe sites will advise different methods and different cooking times as well. You may want to look at some different recipes for each time you make this dish and find a new one each time to change things up.
How long to cook London broil in Instant Pot? Serious Eats recommends 5-6 minutes to sear the meat, and then you can broil it for about 20 minutes. They recommend cooking it in the
As you cook your London broil and test these methods out for yourself, you will find what works best for you. You will discover what texture you like from your meat and how well cooked you prefer it.
You may want to check out a few different marinade recipes. There are a number of different ingredients you can use as your marinade base, like tomato sauce, vinegar, barbecue sauce, and more.
Tips for Making the Perfect London Broil
Making sure the London broil comes out right can be tricky. It may take some trial and error, and I recommend that you take your time with each step and follow the directions carefully your first time through. Try to focus on the London broil as much as possible and not get distracted by trying to make other foods at the same time. That’s a good idea for any food you are making for the first time. It’s best to pay close attention to the new dish you are trying to make and not have your attention diverted.
If you find that the meat is not very flavorful when it is done cooking, you can add some salt and pepper or a dry rub to it. Your mistake is probably in the marinade, though. The marinade recipe you used might not be very flavorful, or it might not have had time to soak into the meat, and you will want to marinade the meat for longer next time.
When you marinate meat, be sure to coat all of the meat when you first put it into the bag or container of marinade. I find that a plastic bag works best for marinating, but some people will use a plastic airtight container instead. I think the bag works better at getting the flavor to absorb into the meat because it comes in contact with the meat directly, whereas many of the sides of a plastic container will never come into contact with the meat if you use that method.
You want to be careful that you don’t over-sear the meat during the searing step. You can cook it just enough to start changing the color of the meat on the outside. Overcooking the meat in this step can result in dried out meat or meat that is too tough.
One word of warning about using the recipe I have given you and the cooking time I suggested is that you can overcook a small cut of meat. If your cut is under three pounds, it may overcook in those 20 minutes. You can reduce the cook time for the broiling step to ensure that your meat isn’t overcooked and dried out and tough. You can also use the stew option on the Instant Pot rather than the high pressure setting. This will help ensure that it cooks more slowly rather than cooking too much and drying out.
I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!