Spiced Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
If you give me a house plant I will kill it. This isn’t a threat. It’s a promise. For some reason, I can’t keep a single plant alive. Even the heartiest, hard-to-kill varieties that my florist swears don’t need regular watering or lovely afternoon light can go down in a spectacular display of crisp, shrivelled leaves that eventually become something the cat incessantly chews and then vomits. However, if we’re talking about anything that grows outside, on my property, I’m a horticultural genius. Take my herb garden. It is a flourishing and wild bed of herbs including cilantro, mint, lemon thyme, chives and sage. Scarlett and I love to stroll friends and neighbours passed it giving them the impression that I possess some kind of green thumb; never revealing the sad state of greenery inside the house.
With such a hearty mix of herbs at my disposal, I’ve taken to pulling them fresh from the garden and mixing them into salads. However, my favourite way to use them is for a chimichurri (a sauce/condiment from Argentina but used widespread in South America). It’s intense and bright flavour make it a great pairing with the rich, meaty taste of flank steak. And if you’re looking for a simple but impressive dish for summer entertaining, the cheaper cut of a flank steak is a great choice since it is best prepared by quick cooking at high heat–meaning you have more time at the party, less time in the kitchen. But this also makes a lovely family meal that will give you plenty of tasty leftovers.
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try and if it becomes part of your summer dinner lineup. If so, whatever you do, don’t send me flowers to thank me! (Originally posted on July 22, 2016)
Ingredients
- 1 beef flank steak (900 g)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- For the Chimichurri
- 1 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Method
Score the meat in a wide crosshatch pattern on both sides. To do this, drag the tip of your knife lightly across the meat, no deeper than a 1/4 inch, in parallel lines about an inch apart form each other. Then repeat from the other direction to create a diamond pattern. Flip the meat and score the other side.
In a small bowl, whisk salt, coriander, cumin, oregano and pepper.
Sprinkle the spice rub on both sides of the flank steak. Allow to marinate for 40 minutes or up to overnight.
Meanwhile, place basil, parsley, cilantro, oil, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, anchovy paste, salt and pepper in a blender. Process the mix, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth. Pour into a jar or container with a lid and set aside.
Preheat the grill on high. Once it’s hot, oil the grates. Brush corn and pepper with oil and grill for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning frequently. Add flank steak and grill covered for about 6 to 7 minutes. Turn and cook covered for another 6 to 7 minutes. Remove when the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Transfer steak to a cutting board. Let it rest, covered with foil, for 5 to 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.
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Hey, thanks for stopping by!
We're Ceri and Laura, a couple of magazine-editors-turned-food-bloggers. Also, we're mothers obsessed with delicious, healthy, family food. We're constantly thinking of ways to make your time (and our own!) in the kitchen easier and more productive, but still nostalgic for the days when dinner was cereal eaten over the kitchen sink.
2 Comments
ACHF
November 11, 11:33Great recipe, which we have done several times after having it recommended by a friend. You may wish to edit the list of ingredients though. a 900 Kg Steak would be more meat than you would expect to get off an entire cow. (I assume this is supposed to be 900 grams…just under 2 pounds.)
Laura
November 23, 09:20Oh my heavens! You are so right. What a good catch. Thank you so much. That’s hilarious and bad all at the same time. Thank you for taking the time to reach out. Stay safe and well, Laura