Steal This Marinade: Owner of Kansas City's legendary JJ's Restaurant shares his secret to a great flank steak.
Kevin Frantze knows a thing or two about cooking a great steak. He is the owner of the Kansas City culinary institution, JJ's, on the Country Club Plaza. After growing up in Kansas City, Kevin headed west to Arizona for college. And then further west to San Diego, where he worked at some of the finest hotels and restaurants in the city, learning the business and honing his craft, for what now seems like his destiny. To return to Kansas City and take over the legendary restaurant his uncle Jimmy started back in 1985. Kevin did just that in 2024, continuing his family's legacy while introducing new flavors and ideas to the menu to that keep a restaurant worth coming back to for decades.
Maries River Wagyu crossed paths with Kevin on a warm summer evening last year with a chance meeting at JJ's excellent bar. Kevin told us about the history of JJ's and we told him about our purebred Wagyu beef. Upon returning to the farm, we sent Kevin a few samples of our Ribeye and New York Strip, and a wonderful partnership was born. One that we are thankful for every day.
One thing about great chefs and restauranteurs, their favorite cuts aren't always the traditional favorites. Kevin loves our Wagyu flank steak and was happy to share one of his go-to marinades when he fires up the grill at home.
Marinade Recipe
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 4 chopped green onions
Whisk the ingredients together and marinate 2 lbs. of flank steak (skirt steak works great too) in a vacuum sealed bag for about 8 hours. The pineapple tenderizes the meat and the soy sauce and green onion pack a surprising amount of flavor. Grill the marinated flank steak on high heat (450 - 550 degrees) for 4-6 minutes per side, aiming for an internal temp of 130 - 135 degrees for medium rare. You can also sear the flank steak and finish it in the oven.
We can't wait to try this simple and flavorful recipe and, dear readers, next time you're in Kansas City, be sure and get dinner at JJ's. Everything on the menu is excellent, but we're partial to their steaks. Bon Appetit!