Grilled Steak with Chimichurri
Updated: Aug 17, 2022
When it’s hot outside, it’s the perfect time to light up the grill. When you’re looking to break away from burgers and elevate your barbecue dinner, grilled steak is an excellent option! Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks to get the most delicious grilled steak.
1. Pick the Right Cut
The process of making the perfect steak starts long before you turn on the grill. First, the cut of meat makes a big difference. For a quick cook method like grilling, it’s better to use a relatively tender cut of meat with good marbling.
Some of our favorite cuts for grilled steak are ribeye or strip steak. Tough cuts like chuck roast are great for slow cooking and braises, but the connective tissue needs to be cooked low and slow to break down and tenderize. Filet mignon is an expensive option that tastes delicious but is quite lean. For this reason, it can become very dry if overcooked.
When picking out a steak, look for even marbling, which means great flavor! The quality of the meat also matters. Beef labeled prime will be of higher quality and more well-marbled than choice beef.
2. Season in Advance
Salting ahead of time, or marinating, helps tenderize tougher cuts of meat. Even for tender cuts, salting enhances the texture and flavor. A good general rule is 1-2 teaspoons of salt per pound of meat.
You’ll also want to allow enough time for the salt to work its magic—at least one hour, up to overnight. Salt has the ability to penetrate surfaces through osmosis, meaning it can literally season food from within. So, while it may look like a lot of salt at first, if you allow it enough time, the salt with evenly distribute itself throughout the steak.
When you salt the steak, it will pull out excess moisture from the meat (don’t worry, this doesn’t mean the steak will turn out dry! It’s just osmosis doing its thing.) However, moisture inhibits browning, so to get a crisp outer crust, you want the outside of the steak to be dry. You can remove the excess liquid with paper towels before grilling.
3. Grill to the Perfect Temperature
Start with a steak that’s been at room temp for about 30 minutes prior to cooking. This will help the steak cook more evenly.
When you turn on the grill, you’ll want to create two “zones” with a high flame on one side, and a low flame on the other. Start cooking over high heat to sear the outside of the steak, creating char marks which will add that grilled flavor. Then, move the steak to the other side of the grill to finish cooking over low heat.
Use an instant-read thermometer to see when the steak is done. The cook time depends on the thickness of the steak and the heat of the grill. For a medium rare steak, you’ll want the temperature to read 125 degrees internally.
4. Rest Before Slicing
It’s important to let the steak sit for 5 minutes after cooking, before slicing. During this resting time, the fibers relax and redistribute the juices. This results in a juicier, more tender steak.
When it’s time to slice and serve, slice against the grain. Meaning, you want to cut perpendicular to the way the natural muscle fibers are running. This will break apart the fibers and makes the steak less chewy, for the most tender steak imaginable.
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If you’re looking for a side dish to serve with your steak, Chakalaka is the perfect side to a grilled steak, or really any grilled meat! It pairs well with the charred, rich taste of the meat and provides balance to the overall meal. And it’s a nice hearty side guaranteed to have your guests leave full and happy.
Yield: 2 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes (active) + 1 hour (inactive)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Steak Ingredients
1-1.5 lbs. ribeye or strip steak, about 1-1.5” thick
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 ½ teaspoons table salt)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Chimichurri Ingredients
1 bunch (~ 2 cups) fresh parsley, washed, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 cloves of garlic (~ 1 tablespoon minced)
2 tablespoons ice water
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Place the steak on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator for at least one hour (or overnight). Remove the seasoned steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
To make the chimichurri: remove parsley from the ice water and shake to remove excess water. Combine parsley (stems and leaves), shallot, vinegar, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of ice water in a blender or food processor and pulse until fairly smooth. Slowly add the olive oil a little bit at a time, pulsing after each addition. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the grill with high heat on one side and low heat on the other side. Cook the steak over high heat for about 3 minutes on each side. After the outside is well seared on both sides, transfer the steak to the side with low heat and continue to cook until it registers 125 degrees internal temperature for medium-rare.
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with chimichurri sauce and Chakalaka on the side.