Smoked Brisket-Style London Broil

This smoked brisket-style London broil uses a white balsamic-based marinade and a brisket-style recipe to create a succulent, mouth-watering beef roast.

So, just go ahead and fire up your smoker, given that you now have a simple, delectable, and affordable way to enjoy beef cooked on your pellet grill.

What is London Broil?

The truth is that London broil is not a cut of beef. Instead, it is a method of cooking certain cuts of beef, most commonly the flank steak or top round steak.

The round steak is a cut obtained from the muscular hind section of the steer, whereas the flank is found just below the loin and behind the belly.

However, both come with a little fat to soften and flavor them while cooking.

I’m not so sure why the name of this method of cooking beef is referred to as London broil.

And I could not find just a reference to it having come from London, England. However, it seems to have been a well-known American restaurant dish.

London broil is a tougher cut of steak that is marinated before cooking. After that, it is charbroiled or grilled.

Then, it is sliced thinly against the grain and served medium-rare. This method of preparing, cooking, and slicing the beef helps make sure that it is juicy and succulent.

Marinated and Smoked London Broil

I’m sure you also love making London broils because I do. You might also be among the people who think this cut of meat is somehow inferior to your regular rotation of steak, round roasts, tri-tip, and chuck roast.

Well, I’m here to tell you and show you that you are wrong.

As you will find out, this smoked London broil gets an overnight marinade in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and chimichurri before it gets smoked, wrapped, and cooked brisket-style.

Can You Smoke London Broil?

Although London broil is traditionally broiled in the oven or grilled hot on the grill, you also have the option of cooking London broil in a smoker.

London broil, or, as you might know, top round, is one of the cuts of beef that most benefits from a great marinade and some time in the smoker.

Traditionally, it is lean and generally tough; a marinade will help add flavor, whereas the low and slow cooking process will help maintain moisture and tenderness.

3 Tips for Smoking London Broil

When it comes to London broil, most recipes involve high-heat cooking, such as grilling or searing, but smoking the meat at a low temp for a lengthy cooking time assures a perfectly even and juicy inside, with the additional woodsy, aromatic notes from the smoke.

Based on your preference, you can just crank up the heat towards the end of cooking to create a dark crust.

Below are things you need to know about smoking a London broil steak:

Choose the Best Wood Chips or Pellets

In truth, wood provides you with a range of personal choices. Stronger, more fragrant woods such as pecan, mesquite, or hickory will imbue a smokier flavor compared to lighter fruit woods such as applewood, which will provide you with a milder, fruitier note.

Use a Meat Thermometer

A meat thermometer helps get rid of the guesswork from the smoking process.

Some smokers have been equipped with a thermometer that constantly monitors the temperature of the roast as it cooks.

However, you are still free to open the smoker and check manually for doneness near the end of the cooking time.

Build a Balanced Marinade

As you might be aware, marinating helps soften meat, with the extra benefit of bold flavor.

You can make your own, and to do that, you need to start with vegetable oil or olive oil, then proceed to add orange or lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

Just like dry rubs, marinades can include a blend of pepper, chili powders, salt, brown sugar, and various aromatic seasonings such as onion powder or garlic powder.

Using a marinade rather than a dry rub has its advantages, and that includes the fact that the acidic ingredients can start to break down the connective tissue in this tough cut of meat.

Smoked Brisket-Style London Broil

With this recipe, you will take a London broil, marinate it overnight in a white balsamic chimichurri, and then smoke it like a brisket, which will come out extremely mouth-watering.

Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Rest Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 6 hours and 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of London broil

Marinade

• ¼ cup of white balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoons of chimichurri
• ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil

Rub for Meat

• 1 tablespoon of SPG (or your blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder)

Laid-Out Instructions

• First, you are to mix the marinade ingredients and place them into a plastic freezer bag along with the meat, then proceed to marinate overnight in the fridge.
• After that, proceed to fire up your smoker or pellet grill and get it to an even 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
• That being done, proceed to evenly coat the roast with the SPG rub and place it on the smoker.
• Afterward, it is time to smoke until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Then, you are to proceed to wrap the roast with butcher paper or tin foil and place it back on the smoker. Now, cook it until it reaches 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
• After that, remove it from the grill and allow it to rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Ensure that all this happens while it is still wrapped. Now, proceed to slice, serve, and enjoy.

Serving Suggestions

You can always have two simple side dishes with your London broil. You can have a loaf of oven-baked garlic bread, a salad with lettuce, cucumber, Italian dressing, and fresh tomatoes.

While the beef is cooking, you might be able to bake the garlic bread in the smoker.

If not, you can just heat it in your oven while the London broil is resting. You have the option of serving your London broil with a dry red wine like Zinfandel.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the Best Way to Reheat Leftovers?

In my opinion, sous vide is the best way to reheat leftover smoked London broil.

However, you can get it done on the stovetop or even in the microwave in a breeze.

How Do You Store Leftovers?

To store your leftover smoked London broil, you need to make sure that it is tightly wrapped in a tightly sealed container, which will allow it to last for 3 to 4 days, maximum.

Are There Any Substitutions for Coffee Rub?

Of course, there are alternatives for the coffee rub. You can always substitute your favorite all-purpose or beef-centric BBQ rub just fine if you happen not to like coffee rub, don’t have any, or are just not interested in using it.

In addition, you can just opt for the salt, pepper, and garlic blend as stated in this recipe, and it will be mouth-watering.

Final Thoughts

Your delicious smoked brisket-style London broil would be great served alongside a huge pile of homemade creamy coleslaw, a pan of grilled smashed potatoes, and homemade baked beans.

Note that this cut is not for you if you are a well-done steak person. The lack of fat in the London broil means that high temperatures equal dry meat.

Just follow the recipe for the best result, and this brings us to the end of this guide on “smoked brisket-style London broil.”