Smoked London Broil
On February 16, 2022 (Updated April 15, 2022)
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Skip broiling your London broil in the oven, and fire up the smoker for the most amazing smoked London broil ever. This meat is marinated and infused with great smoky flavor for a top-notch steak.
Can You Smoke London Broil?
Even though London broil is traditionally broiled in the oven or grilled hot on the grill, you can also cook London broil in a smoker.
London Broil (or top round) is one of the cuts of beef that most benefits from an awesome marinade and some time in the smoker. Traditionally lean and generally tough, a marinade will add flavor while the low and slow cooking process maintains moisture and tenderness.
Smoked London Broil Marinade
The best way to smoke a London broil is to marinate it for at least 4 hours (ideally up to 8 hours) before cooking it in the smoke. This marinade combines simple ingredients for a classic London broil.
Here’s what you need to make this marinade:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl or a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Add the meat to the marinade and massage to evenly coat. Place the marinade in the fridge for 4-8 hours.
How to Smoke a London Broil
After you’ve given the meat long enough to marinade, you’re ready to fire up the grill and get the meat cooking. Here’s how to smoke a London broil.
- Preheat. Fire up your favorite smoker and get the temp running at 225 degrees F. I recommend using oak, cherry, or pecan for this recipe. These woods will impart just the right amount of smoky flavor without overpowering the meat itself.
- Smoke. Remove the meat from the marinade. Shake the meat lightly to remove any excess herbs. Place the meat directly on the grill grates of the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for around 45 minutes. Remove when the meat has reached 125 degrees F (for rare steak) or 135 degrees F (for medium-rare).
- Sear. If you’re interested in giving your meat a nice, tasty crust (believe me, you are), preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in some avocado oil or another high-heat oil. Place the meat in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Rest and serve. Remove the meat from the skillet to a cutting board or serving dish. Rest the meat for 5-10 minutes. Next, snag a sharp knife and slice the meat VERY THIN against the grain. This will give you the most tender bites of meat.
- Enjoy. Dig into your beautifully smoked London broil and give yourself a pat on the back for making such a delicious dinner.
How Long to Smoke a London Broil
With your smoker running steady at 225 degrees F, it will take approximately 45 minutes to smoke a London broil to medium-rare.
Keep in mind, this time may vary slightly depending on the type of smoker you are using and the thickness of your meat. Estimate for 45 minutes, and give yourself some leeway on time.
Rather than keeping an eye on the clock, use a meat thermometer to gauge when your meat is finished cooking. Smoke this London broil until it reaches 125 degrees F for a rare steak or 135 degrees F for a medium-rare steak.
Tips for Smoking London Broil
Here are some tips for making a tender, juicy London broil cooked to perfection.
- Don’t cook this steak above medium-rare. If you’re a well-done steak person, this cut isn’t for you. The lack of fat in the London broil means that high temps=dry meat. Shoot for 130-135 degrees as your guide for a juicy and flavorful steak
- Sharpen those knives (and knife skills). London broil is ideally sliced thin, against the grain. I like to angle my chef’s knife at 45 degrees and slice pieces that are less than 1/4 inch thick. These thinner slices will melt in your mouth
- Smoke, then sear. You can technically cook this London broil from start to finish at 225 degrees F. I personally like to add a little charred crunchy crust on the exterior during the last few minutes of cooking. You can do this in a heated cast iron skillet or over some nice hot coals.
More London Broil Recipes
If you’re looking for other London broil recipes cooked on the grill, check out our top recipes below!
Smoked London Broil Recipe
Here’s hoping you loved this smoked London broil recipe from Hey Grill Hey. We’re in the business of making BBQ accessible to the “everygriller,” so if you’re looking to become a backyard BBQ hero, you’re in the right place!
Please let us know how your meat turned out by leaving us a comment below. You can also get in on the conversation on social media by searching for @HeyGrillHey.
Smoked London Broil
Ingredients
- 1 1.5-2 pound beef top round roast also labeled London Broil
Smoked London Broil Marinade
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 5 cloves minced garlic
Instructions
- Make the marinade. Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a zip top bag or a non-reactive glass bowl.½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup honey, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, 5 cloves minced garlic
- Mix and massage. Place the London broil in the marinade, and massage or toss the steak to ensure it is evenly coated on all sides.1 1.5-2 pound beef top round roast
- Marinate the steaks. Place the bag or container of marinating steak in the refrigerator and allow the steak to marinate for 4-8 hours.
- Preheat. Heat your smoker to 225 degrees F with your favorite hardwood. I love oak, cherry, or pecan for this recipe.
- Smoke the London broil. Remove the steak from the marinade, shaking lightly to remove any excess herbs. Place the meat on the smoker and close the lid. Smoke for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness, 125 degrees F for rare, or 135 degrees F for medium rare. I don’t recommend cooking London broil any more done than this, for the sake of texture and tenderness.
- Sear. If you want to add a nice crust to your steaks, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Drizzle the pan with about 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, place the smoked London broil in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned.
- Rest, slice, and serve. Transfer finished London broil to your cutting board and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing, thinly, against the grain. The slices should show circular muscle fibers, not long strands of muscle, and break apart easily when pulled.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was amazing! Turned a cheap piece of meat into meal my family wants to have again.
Can you leave out the honey?
Yes!
This was first London broil on the pellet grill and OMG it was amazing! I followed the recipe exactly, took the meat off at 125* and did the sear. I’m definitely doing this recipe again!!
Perfectly tender London Broil with great flavor. The color was just what you want all throughout and the smoke ring was beautiful. As the author suggests do not skip the searing step, that extra moment is well worth the flavor and texture it adds. Paired mine with some twice baked potatoes and a salad and it was a hearty delight.
This was ridiculously good!!! I did omit the hungry and we didn’t miss it. Poked the steak all over with a fork so the marinade would penetrate well. Definitely doing it again!!!