Organic Beef Striploin with Chimichurri

It’s summer, and you’re making steak. On the grill or indoors, it’s a perfect choice. Only, you’re in the mood for a fresh, vibrant sauce you can whip up without cooking. What do you choose? Ideally, something you can prepare fresh from your yard or herb garden. Even better, something you can make with ingredients you likely already have in the pantry.

Give chimichurri a try!

Perhaps you’ve heard of chimichurri — which can be served and enjoyed as a sauce, topping, condiment or marinade. It’s great with cuts of good quality meat and also perfect on potatoes, as a salad dressing or even as a dip for crusty bread. It has roots in Argentina and we’ve seen it called “Argentinian pesto.”

If you have a food processor, whipping up a batch of chimichurri couldn’t be simpler. That said, we enjoy the meditative pleasure of finely chopping the herbs, taking in their aroma, then blending the oil and vinegar with a wire whisk and tasting as we go.

This is an easy recipe to adjust depending on your tastes. You may choose to add a chopped shallot for more sharp and savory notes. Others wouldn’t think of leaving out dried or fresh oregano, which ups the herbal factor.

We like the blend of flat-leaf parsley and cilantro — especially when it’s picked fresh from your herb garden. Use only the leaves of the parsley as the stems can taste overly bitter; but do use the cilantro stems, as they are packed with flavor (learn more about that here). We also like the light and bright taste of red wine vinegar, but feel free to test out version with balsamic or apple cider vinegar if you like.

Here, we list a recipe for chimichurri with grilled organic beef striploin — an approachable steak delicious with a chimichurri accompaniment. We used the sous vide method to keep things cool in the summer heat, but feel free to cook on the grill with these tips.

Organic Beef Striploin with Chimichurri

Makes enough chimichurri for two steaks — plus leftovers!

Ingredients: For the steak:

2 10-ounce Organic Beef Strip Loin Steaks from Frontière Natural Meats

Salt and pepper

For the chimichurri:

¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves only; no stems)
½ cup cilantro (leaves plus stems)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp Kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Method:

For the steak:

Allow steaks to rest at room temperature for about half an hour. Place your sous vide circulator in a pot of water and set to 133°F for medium-rare doneness for 1-½ inch steaks.

Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks. Slip them into a freezer bag or food-safe vacuum bag. Seal with a vacuum sealer or with the water displacement method. Place the bag into the water, clip the bag to the side of the pot and set to about 129-134 degrees. Cook for at least one hour and up to four hours.

Once finished, remove the meat. Heat 1 Tbsp butter in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear each steak for 1 minute per side. Remove and let rest on a plate for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve with chimichurri sauce.

For the chimichurri:

Combine the chopped flat-leaf parsley, chopped cilantro, minced garlic and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, and add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust to your liking.

Serve immediately over cooked steak or as a dipping sauce, or keep in the refrigerator for a day or two.