How Long To Cook London Broil In Oven At 425 | Nail The Sear

Bake 6–8 minutes per side at 425°F, rest 10 minutes, and pull at 130°F for medium-rare.

London broil is one of those cuts that can feel unpredictable. One night it’s juicy and sliceable. The next, it’s chewy and dry. Most of that swing comes down to two things: heat management and stopping at the right internal temperature.

If you’re using a 425°F oven, you’re in a great zone for a fast finish after a hard sear. You’ll get browned edges, a warm center, and less time for the meat to dry out. The catch is that time alone won’t save you. Thickness and your target doneness decide the clock.

What Controls London Broil Cooking Time

“London broil” is usually a thick steak from top round, bottom round, or flank. Round cuts are lean, so they don’t forgive overcooking. Treat it like a steak, not a pot roast, when you’re cooking it hot at 425°F.

Four variables change the minutes in the oven:

• Thickness. A 1-inch steak finishes fast. A 2-inch steak needs more time and benefits from a wider rest.
• Starting temperature. Meat straight from the fridge takes longer and can brown before the center warms.
• Sear strength. A deeper sear adds heat to the surface, shaving minutes off the oven step.
• Target doneness. Medium-rare gets you tenderness on these cuts. Medium pushes you closer to firm and dry.

Cooking London Broil At 425 In The Oven: Timing By Thickness

Use this method when your london broil is steak-thick and you want a fast, high-heat cook. If your cut is huge and labeled as a roast, a slower roast-style approach may fit better than 425°F.

Step 1: Set Up The Meat So It Browns And Stays Juicy

Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Moisture on the surface steams the crust instead of browning it. Salt both sides, then let it sit 20–30 minutes on the counter if your kitchen is cool and you’re cooking right away.

If you’re marinating, wipe off heavy, wet marinade before searing. You still get the flavor, and you don’t burn a sugary coating in the pan.

Step 2: Preheat The Oven And The Pan

Heat the oven to 425°F. Put a cast-iron skillet or heavy oven-safe pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Give the pan a few minutes so it’s truly hot. Add a thin film of high-smoke-point oil.

Step 3: Sear Hard, Then Move To The Oven

Lay the london broil in the pan and don’t nudge it around. Sear 2–3 minutes, until the surface is well browned. Flip and sear the second side 2 minutes. Then slide the whole pan into the 425°F oven.

If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, sear in a skillet, then transfer to a preheated sheet pan or shallow roasting pan. Move fast so you don’t lose heat.

Step 4: Cook To Temperature, Not To The Clock

Start checking early. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part, aiming for the center. Pull the meat a few degrees before your final doneness. Resting finishes the job.

For whole cuts of beef like steaks and roasts, U.S. food-safety guidance lists 145°F with a 3-minute rest as the minimum safe temperature. FSIS safe temperature chart lays out those minimums and the rest-time concept.

Many people still choose medium-rare for tenderness and texture. If you do, use high-quality beef, clean tools, and steady temperature control. A thermometer is your guardrail.

Step 5: Rest, Then Slice Thin Against The Grain

Move the london broil to a board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 8–12 minutes. This pause lets juices settle and carryover heat finish the center.

Then slice thin. Look for the muscle fibers and cut across them, not along them. With top round or flank, that one move can turn “tough” into “pleasantly chewy.”

Broil Or Bake At 425: Which Setting Works

At 425°F, regular bake gives you steady heat from all sides. That makes timing easier, especially after a skillet sear. The broil setting can brown fast, but it can also create a bigger gap between a charred surface and a cooler center on thick pieces.

If you want a little extra color without switching to full broil, place the pan on the upper-middle rack and let the sear do most of the crust work. Keep the oven door closed during the finish so the heat stays consistent.

If you skip the sear and rely on the oven alone, expect longer cook times and a paler surface. You can still get decent results, but start the meat on a preheated sheet pan and plan on a longer rest so the center evens out.

Think of the chart as a starting point, then let your thermometer make the final call. Two pieces with the same weight can cook differently if one is thicker.

London Broil At 425 Time Chart

The times below assume you sear first, then finish in a 425°F oven. They also assume a steak-like cut that’s 1 to 3 inches thick. If your meat is colder than 40 minutes of counter time, add a few minutes and start checking earlier with a thermometer.

Thickness	Pull Temp (Center)	Oven Time At 425°F (After Sear)
1 inch	125°F (medium-rare)	4–6 minutes
1 inch	135°F (medium)	6–8 minutes
1.25 inches	125°F (medium-rare)	6–8 minutes
1.25 inches	135°F (medium)	8–10 minutes
1.5 inches	125°F (medium-rare)	8–10 minutes
1.5 inches	135°F (medium)	10–12 minutes
2 inches	125°F (medium-rare)	12–15 minutes
2 inches	135°F (medium)	15–18 minutes
2.5 inches	125°F (medium-rare)	18–22 minutes
3 inches	125°F (medium-rare)	24–28 minutes

Why list “pull” temperatures? Because a rested steak climbs a few degrees after it leaves the oven. A thicker london broil often rises 5–10°F during rest. That carryover is your friend when you want a warm center without overshooting.

How To Check Temperature So You Don’t Miss The Window

A london broil can go from tender to firm in the time it takes to set the table. Checking temperature the right way saves you from guesswork.

Where To Place The Thermometer

Push the probe into the thickest part from the side, not from the top, so the tip lands near the center. If you hit the pan, back up and try again. Metal throws off readings.

How Often To Check

For anything under 1.5 inches, check at the first “early” minute in the table, then check again each 1–2 minutes. For thicker cuts, check each 3 minutes once you’re within 10°F of your pull target.

Why A Rest Is Part Of Cooking

Resting isn’t a garnish step. It’s the final part of the cook. The center keeps warming while the outer layers cool. If you slice too soon, juices run and the meat eats drier.

FSIS also notes that rest time is part of reaching a safe endpoint for many meats. Their food thermometer guidance explains how to use a thermometer and why resting is built into safe temperatures. FSIS food thermometer guidance is a solid reference if you want the official method.

Flavor Moves That Fit A Hot 425°F Cook

Because london broil is lean, you get the best payoff from flavor that’s on the surface and from slicing that feels generous. A few simple moves help.

Seasoning That Browns Cleanly

Salt and black pepper are enough. If you add garlic powder, keep it light so it doesn’t scorch during the sear. If you want a hint of sweetness, brush it on after the sear, right before the oven step, not before.

Marinade Timing That Doesn’t Turn Mushy

Acidic marinades work, but don’t leave them overnight. Two to six hours is often plenty for top round. Longer can soften the surface too much and make slicing less tidy.

Sauce At The End Beats Sauce In The Pan

If you like pan juices, build them after the meat comes out. Add a splash of broth or water to the hot pan, scrape the browned bits, then whisk in a knob of butter off the heat. Pour over slices, not over the whole slab.

Fixes For Common London Broil Problems

If your results have been hit-or-miss, the cause is usually one of a few patterns. Use the table as a quick diagnosis, then adjust the next cook.

What You Notice	Most Likely Cause	What To Do Next Time
Gray meat with little crust	Pan wasn’t hot, meat was wet	Dry the surface well and preheat the pan longer
Burnt outside, cool center	Heat too high during sear, meat was fridge-cold	Let it sit 20–30 minutes, sear 2–3 minutes per side
Tough, chewy slices	Overcooked or sliced with the grain	Pull earlier and slice thin across the fibers
Dry even at medium-rare	Too long in oven or rest skipped	Use the pull temp, rest 8–12 minutes
Salty outside	Salted too far ahead on a thin cut	Salt right before sear, or 20–30 minutes ahead, not hours
Uneven doneness end-to-end	Cut was tapered, hot spots in pan	Fold thin end under, rotate pan halfway through oven step
Soggy surface after resting	Foil wrapped tight, steam trapped	Tent loosely so steam can escape

Leftovers That Stay Tender

London broil leftovers can be better than the first plate if you treat them gently. Slice what you’ll eat, then chill the rest as a whole piece so it loses less moisture.

Fridge Storage

Cool the meat within two hours, then store in a sealed container. Keep slices with any pan juices if you made them. That liquid helps on the reheat.

Reheat Without Drying It Out

Warm slices in a skillet with a splash of broth over low heat, just until heated through. Microwaves work too, but use short bursts and place a loose lid over the dish so it warms evenly.

London Broil At 425 Checklist

• Dry the surface, salt, and let it sit 20–30 minutes if you can.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F and heat a heavy pan until it’s hot.
• Sear 2–3 minutes on the first side, 2 minutes on the second.
• Finish in the oven and start checking early with a thermometer.
• Pull at 125°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium, then rest 8–12 minutes.
• Slice thin across the grain and serve right away.