Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Parsley, Garlic, & Olive Tapenade

This Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Parsley, Garlic, and Olive Tapenade takes an affordable and easy-to-love cut of steak and tops it with a rustic tapenade that explodes with bursts of briny olives, spicy garlic, bright lemon, and umami anchovy. 

While it's quick and easy enough for a weeknight, this recipe has weekend flair and would work for just about any of your guests as long as they eat meat. This recipe happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, AIP, and low-carb. 

For those of us who want to optimize our health by optimizing the food we eat, this recipe also ticks a lot of boxes. It features one of my favorite thyroid-supportive foods: grass-finished beef, which we'll talk about in more detail below.

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About Flat Iron Steak

Flat iron is an "unsung hero" kind of steak, and one of my favorite cuts of beef. Like flank steak, it's thin, flat, and makes a nice option for slicing and serving a crowd. Unlike flank steak, flat iron is quite tender and has a bit more marbling to keep it flavorful and juicy. 

Either flat iron or flank would work well here, but if you can find it, flat iron is preferable. Both cuts are more wallet-friendly than prime cuts like New Yorks, filets, or ribeyes, but if you wanted to splurge, you could certainly use those too! 

One thing to note about flat iron (or flank steak, for that matter) is that, in my opinion, it needs a topping, a marinade, or some way to jazz it up. This olive tapenade is a bullseye. My husband, who grew up on a Wyoming cattle ranch, said, "I don't usually like toppings or sauces on my steak, but this is really good."

High praise coming from someone who is not only a steak enthusiast but a purist. : )

Further Reading: How to Grill a Perfect Steak Every Time

Grass vs Grain-Finished Beef: Which is Better for Thyroid Thrivers?

For Thyroid Thrivers, grass-finished (a.k.a. grass-fed) beef is commonly recommended for us by experts, and there are clear reasons why. 

"Conventionally-raised meats...are almost always loaded with growth hormone and steroids that can affect thyroid function and create a toxic burden on the liver," says Dr. Izabella Wentz.

Nutritionally speaking, the difference between grass-finished and grain-finished beef is quite stark. That’s why so much emphasis is placed on that “grass-fed” label for those of us who are eating to reduce the symptoms of chronic thyroid or autoimmune conditions. 

Grass-finished Beef has More:

• Omega-3s – Grass-fed beef contains up to five times more Omega-3s than conventionally raised beef. Omega-3s can help reduce inflammation in the body, as well as boost immunity.
• Vitamin E – Acts as an antioxidant, which helps protect your thyroid against free radicals. Grass-fed beef can have more than twice the amount of Vitamin E than grain-fed.
• Vitamin A and other antioxidants - Grass-fed beef has been shown to contain significantly higher amounts of Vitam A and other antioxidants. Vitamin A is needed to activate thyroid hormone receptors, and can also reduce inflammation. 
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – Grass-fed beef contains twice as much CLA as grain-finished beef. CLA is a fatty acid associated with reducing body fat.

Grass-fed beef also features highly bioavailable forms of several key thyroid-supporting nutrients like B vitamins, iron, selenium, and zinc. To be clear, all beef features many of these nutrients, but grass-finished beef features those nutritional highlights listed above.  

According to holistic nutritionist Adrienne Klein, "You needn’t consume large amounts to get all the healthy benefits. Aim to add grass-fed beef to your diet just once or twice a week, and you will be making a worthwhile investment in your thyroid-healthy diet."

Further Reading: Beef: Is it Thyroid-healthy? 

Let's Talk About the Tapenade

This tapenade isn’t just a sauce; it’s a nutrient boost that supports your body while enhancing the taste of grilled steak, chicken, fish, or just about anything savory! Whether you're enjoying a casual weeknight meal or entertaining guests, this easy-to-make topping will elevate any dish with fresh, briny goodness. 

This rustic tapenade combines green olives, spicy garlic, bright lemon, and a touch of umami from anchovy, creating a flavor explosion with each bite. Not only does it bring rich Mediterranean flavors, but it's also packed with healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil and olives. These fats are not only delicious but essential for hormonal and brain health – both of which are particularly important for thyroid health.

We make this condiment at our house all the time! Add it to your next thyroid-friendly menu plan and you're sure to find all kinds of yummy uses for it. 

📺 Watch me make this Rustic Green Olive Tapenade on my YouTube Channel!

Thyroid Healthy Recipe Highlights:

• Grass-finished Beef (a.k.a. grass-fed beef) contains up to five times more Omega-3s than conventionally raised beef. Omega-3s can help reduce inflammation in the body, as well as boost immunity. Clean animal protein such as grass-finished beef or pastured pork contains thyroid-supporting nutrients like iodine, selenium, zinc, and tyrosine.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered one of the world’s healthiest fats. Some of its many scientifically-proven health benefits include anti-inflammatory properties, high antioxidants, and reduced risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease.
• Olives are a unique fruit that is low in carbs, high in antioxidants like Vitamin E, and high in healthy fats. The plant compounds in olives can support heart health, bone health, and cancer prevention. Olives must be cured and fermented to be eaten, meaning that they can be high in beneficial bacteria that can support gut health. 
• Garlic has many powerful healing properties, which can aid or alleviate some of the symptoms of thyroid conditions such as inflammation, cardiovascular issues, decreased immunity, and increased infection. It can also support the liver in its detoxification efforts.

Happy cooking, happy thriving, and enjoy the recipe (below)!

P.S. If you're anything like me, when I started down the path of thyroid-healthy eating I had questions-- lots of them. What I didn't have was a step-by-step system, to get me where I wanted to go. I wasted a lot of time piecing together bits of information about what to eat, what to avoid, and HOW to make thyroid-healthy dietary changes. That’s why I created the Thyroid-healthy Meal Plan Kickstart. Ready to harness the power of thyroid-healthy eating? Let’s get you kickstarted! Learn more HERE.

 

More Thyroid-friendly Recipes: 

• Tri-tip Street Tacos with Grilled Pineapple & Onion
• Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs
• Thai Beef Salad
• French Beef
• Deluxe Burger Salad with Special Sauce