Steak with Chimichurri

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Argentinian style strip steak that is tender and beefy, grilled to perfection, and served with a classic chimichurri dressing or sauce made from parsley, garlic, cilantro and more. Delicious and easy meal.

Servings:

Calories: 737kcal

Equipment

Food processor for making herb sauce
Wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet for freezing steaks
Wood chips for smoky flavor
Heavy duty aluminum foil for protecting soaked wood chips optional for coal grills only
Tongs for flipping steaks

Ingredients

Chimichurri

¼ cup hot water
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 ⅓ cup fresh parsley leaves
⅔ cup fresh cilantro leaves
6 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Steaks

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
4 boneless strip steaks 1 ½ inches thick, trimmed
4 cups wood chips
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Chimichurri

In a small bowl, combine hot water, oregano, and salt and let sit until oregano is softened, about 15 minutes.
Pulse parsley, cilantro garlic, and pepper flakes in a food processor until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Add the water mixture and vinegar and pulse to combine. Transfer to a small bowl.
Whisk olive oil into the mixture until emulsified. Set aside.

Steaks

Combine cornstarch and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in bowl. Use paper towels to pat the steaks dry then place on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Take the cornstarch mixture and evenly distribute between the steaks, rubbing the entire surface of each steak with mixture.
Place steaks in freezer, uncovered, until very firm, about 30 minutes.

Prep Grill

Prep the wood chips.
For gas: place unsoaked wood chips on an aluminum pie plate to be set on a cooking grate, set aside
For coal: Soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes and drain. Using 2 large pieces of foil, wrap soaked chips in 2 foil packets and cut 2 holes at the top. Set aside.
Prep the Grill:
For Gas: Turn all burners to high and heat grill with lid down until very hot, about 15 minutes. Then place your wood chunks, in the pie plate, on the grate. Close the lid and heat until wood chunks begin to smoke, about 5 minutes.
For Coals: Place coals in a briquette lighter and light. Once top coals are partially covered with ash, pour them evenly over the grill. Then place wood chip packets on the coal.
For both cooking methods: Clean and oil grate.

Cook Steaks

Season steaks with salt and pepper. Place steaks on prepared grill, cover and cook until beginning to brown, 2-3 minutes
Flip steaks and allow other side to brown, another 2-3 minutes.
Flip steaks again and cook, uncovered until well brown on the first side, 2 to 4 minutes.
Flip steaks once more (for third and final time) and continue to cook until meat registers 115 degrees F for rare or 120 degrees F for medium rare, another 2 to 6 minutes longer. Use an instant read thermometer to get the steaks' internal temp. Remove when reaches your desired doneness.

Serving steaks

Transfer steaks to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice each steak 1/4 inch thick. Serve, passing chimichurri sauce separately.

Notes

Flipping the steaks three times as they cook limits flare ups, and helps ensure an even cook.
Strip steaks offer the best balance of beefy flavor and pleasantly tender and moist results. However, if you would rather try a less expensive cut, boneless shell sirloin is a good option.
Chimichurri sauce is the classic accompaniment here. If you prefer, you can omit the cilantro and just use more parsley. And adjust the heat by adjusting the amount of red chili pepper flakes.

Nutrition