Three Ways to Cook the Perfect Steak

• 1½ pounds trimmed flank or skirt steak

Position oven rack 6 inches from broiler. Turn broiler on high.

Place steak on rimmed, foil-lined baking sheet. Broil until sizzling and deeply golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue broiling until medium-rare to medium (130–135°F), about 5 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice thinly against grain. Top with accumulated juices or pan drippings and serve. Serves 4.

• 4 tomatillos
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Husk, core and coarsely chop tomatillos. In food processor, combine tomatillos with coarsely chopped cloves garlic, cilantro leaves, white vinegar, kosher salt and red pepper flakes (optional). Pulse until evenly chopped. While pulsing, drizzle in tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Rub steak with extra-virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook steak according to instructions. Top with chimichurri and serve.

“While it would be easy to pair this dish with Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon, let’s do something a little more fun,” says Anna-Christina Cabrales, beverage director and sommelier for New York City’s Fifty. She recommends the Broc Cellars 2014 Cabernet Franc from Santa Barbara.  “I think of Cabernet Franc for this pairing to accentuate the green herbaceous and vegetal tones of the steak,” says Cabrales. This particular one, she says, “has good energy, vibrant acidity and minerality—all the right elements to elevate the spice and body of this dish.”

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning (a combination of basil, oregano and rosemary)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 large pepperoncini (stems removed)
• ¼ cup pepperoncini brine

In blender, combine canola oil, dried Italian seasoning, cloves garlic, large pepperoncini (stems removed) and ¼ cup pepperoncini brine. Purée until smooth.

Pour into wide, shallow dish. Place steak in dish, and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate from 8 hours to overnight, turning steak once or twice.

Shake off excess marinade from steak, and discard marinade. Cook steak according to instructions.

This beefy, garlicky, herbaceous steak with a touch of heat calls for a big wine. Anthony Merlino, wine director at Le Farfalle in Charleston, South Carolina, thinks Paul Jaboulet Aîné’s 2012 La Chapelle (Hermitage) from the Rhône Valley, with its “aromas of black pepper, smoke, barbecue meat, oak and very ripe dark fruit,” is just the thing. “The smoke, meat and peppery spices are the perfect combination for the flank steak, pepperoncini and the Italian seasoning.

• 2 teaspoons ancho (or other mild) chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

In small bowl, combine  (or other mild) chili powder,  ground cumin, kosher salt, Mexican oregano,  garlic powder and  onion powder. Sprinkle generously over steak.

Drizzle steak with  canola oil. Rub spices and oil together to coat evenly. Cook steak according to instructions.

This spicy steak might suggest a crisp, cold lager, but look for something to draw out its earthy depth. Rachel Ziff, beverage director for New York City’s Paowalla, is no stranger to pairing dishes that are spicy but nuanced. She suggests Olga Raffault’s 2010 Les Picasses ($20,91 points), an earthy, fruit-forward Cabernet Franc from the Loire. “The balance of fruit and earth with this wine, coupled with its still-bright acid, makes this a dynamic pairing for the flavors,” she says. “There is freshness and body, and [it] will hold up to the spice and complement the flavors, as opposed to overpowering or getting lost.”