This quick and easy Chimichurri Steak packs tons of bright, fresh flavor! Featuring either tender flank steak or beefy skirt steak along with a homemade chimichurri sauce that can double as a marinade! A sizzling steak and luscious chimichurri are the perfect combinations for summertime grilling!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
½tspEACH: Ground Cumin + Crushed Red Pepper Flakes(use ¼ tsp pepper flakes for mild)
For Steaks:
1 ½ to 2poundsSkirt or Flank Steak – at room temperature
Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper- to taste
Optional: (to taste)Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Ground Coriander, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder- (whatever seasoning for steaks you like!)
Instructions
Start chimichurri: To the bowl of a small food processor, add the shallot and garlic. Pulse to roughly chop the vegetables, scraping the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the parsley, cilantro, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and a heaping ½ teaspoon pepper. Pulse until everything is roughly chopped to a small dice. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add liquids + seasonings: Add 1/2 cup of the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, cumin and crushed red pepper flakes to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until all the ingredients are finely chopped and combined, but the mixture is still chunky (and not pureed!). Taste and adjust for seasonings and consistency, adding more salt or oil as desired. (Tip: If you over-chopped the ingredients, instead of pulsing the liquid ingredients into the chimichurri, stir them!) (Making in advance? Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
Prep the steak: Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper; plus, whatever seasonings you love using. (Tip: I listed mine above.)Cook steak: Cook steak using your preferred method below – grill, oven-broil, stove-top.
To grill the steak: Preheat grill to high heat (450-500-degrees Fahrenheit) and oil grates. Place steak on the hot grill and cook to your preferred internal temperature, about 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare (130-135-degrees Fahrenheit). (Note: Cooking time will vary depending upon the thickness of your steak and the actual heat of your grill.)
To broil steak in the oven: Preheat oven to high broil (500 degrees F). Line a large sheet pan with parchment for easy clean-up. Add steak to the pan and broil, flipping halfway through cooking, for about 4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare (130-135-degrees Fahrenheit). (Note: Cooking time will vary depending upon the thickness of your steak and the strength of your oven.)
To cook steak in a skillet: Heat 1-2 tablespoons of neutral oil (canola or vegetable) in a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the steak and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed, until deeply browned. Flip the steak and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until deeply browned. Turn off the heat and let the residual heat of the cast iron pan continue to cook the steak for about 5-10 for medium rare (130-135-degrees Fahrenheit), or until the steak is cooked to your preferred internal temperature. (Note: Cooking time will vary depending upon the thickness of your steak. If you like your steak well-done you will need to keep the heat under the pan to low / medium-low heat. Flip and cook steak until done to your liking.)
Rest: Remove steaks from heat element and place on a clean cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Slice steak: Use a sharp boning or carving knife to thinly slice the steak against the grain. (Tip: Look for the lines running through the steak. You'll want to cut perpendicularly - through - the fibers; not parallel to them.)
Serve with Chimichurri: Thinly slice the steak against the gain and transfer to serving platter or individual plates. Spoon fresh chimichurri sauce over the steak. Serve with your favorite steak side dish(es) and enjoy!Tip: Looking for more flavor? Turn some of your chimichurri sauce into chimichurri butter. Top your sizzling steak with pats of butter and drizzle with sauce for the most robust flavor! (See notes!)
Notes
Flank vs Skirt Steak: Flank steak is more tender; however, skirt has a more intense beefy flavor. (Shown in the photos is flank steak.) When shopping you will notice flank steak is much wider, while skirt steak is long and thin.
Steak size: If your steak is large and you want to marinate or cook in a skillet, you may need to cut the steak in half, through the middle and against the grain to form 2 smaller steaks.
Tenderize the steak: Before cooking, use the tip of a sharp knife to cut away any tough connective tissue visible on the surface of the steak. Do this by making very small, angular cuts in the same direction as the grain of the beef. Keep your cuts about an inch apart and don’t cut through the beef! Repeat process on both sides of steak and season as desired.
Steak doneness: Please see the temperature chart below for steak doneness. When your steaks are resting (after cooking), there will be carry-over cooking and your steak will continue to increase in temperature by about 5 degrees for this recipe. (I like my steak perfectly medium-rare, so I pull mine when it hits 130-degrees.)
120-125° Rare (very soft to the touch – gives ways with no resistance)
130-135° Medium-Rare
140-145° Medium (slightly soft to the touch – soft but gives way with some resistance)
150-155° Medium-Well
160-165° Well (firm to the touch – all resistance)
Chimichurri Sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Chimichurri Butter: To really make this chimichurri steak recipe shine, try topping your sizzling steaks with soft chimichurri butter! Simply mix a few tablespoons of softened butter with a dollop or two of chimichurri sauce; adjusting to taste. For the best taste, make sure chimichurri butter is softened to room temperature before using.
To use Chimichurri as a marinade: Place steak in a large non-reactive casserole dish (glass, stainless-steel and ceramic baking dishes all work great!). Pour half of the chimichurri sauce over the steak (reserving the remaining sauce for serving). Cover the dish and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight. Remove meat from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. Right before cooking, remove the meat from the marinade, scraping off and discarding any excess. Pat the steaks dry, season with salt and pepper, and cook on grill for best results.
Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 12 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.