Eating Well Made Easy: Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

This Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce recipe is a fresh, flavorful, quick meal that won’t break the bank.

Flank steak is actually not a steak at all. While typical steak cuts come from the sirloin, or top of the cow, this cut comes from the lower abdominal muscles. In some regions it is referred to as a London Broil. This cut is long and thin, being only about an inch thick at it’s thickest point. It is very lean, which makes it a great candidate for marinating. A flank steak can be grilled or braised. It is then sliced across the grain for serving. A flank steak is not cut into individual portions, rather it is cooked whole and then portioned after slicing.

There is a basic science to any marinade. Essentially, you need fat, acid, and flavor (seasoning) to create a tenderizing marinade. The fat can be olive oil, butter, coconut milk, or even full fat yogurt. The fat source helps the meat to maintain moisture when it is cooked. It also evens out the flavor profile so the acid does not become an overwhelming component of taste. The acid will then work to break down the connective tissue of the meat. Typical marinade acids include citrus juice, alcohol, vinegar, or buttermilk. Seasonings can vary widely, but may include salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs. As a starting point for creating a marinade, most recommend a 3:1 ratio when it comes to fat and acid. So for example, you could being with three parts oil and one part orange juice, and then continue to build a flavor profile with seasonings.

For this marinade recipe, I deviated from the traditional 3:1 starting place. All said and done, this marinade became a 2:2 fat-acid ratio. I found that it worked well for the flank steak cut. Upon cooking, the cut was tender, but also tangy with just a hint of zing from the lime juice. While I might increase the fat for other steaks, I found that the extra zing paired nicely with the fresh flavors of the chimichurri sauce. So all said and done, I used olive oil for the fat content, orange juice, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar for the acid, and “No Soy Sauce”, pepper, and garlic for the seasonings.

After marinating the flank steak for most of the day, I brought the steak close to room temperature, and grilled the steak over medium-high heat. It was a cold 45 degrees outside the day I grilled this particular steak. Because of that, I kept the grill lid closed more than I probably would have otherwise. I did 6 minutes on the first side with the lid open, then I flipped the steak and closed the lid of the grill for 8 minutes. Finally, I flipped the steak once more for another 2 minutes with the lid closed. Because the steak is thinner at one end than the other, I wound up with one tip being well done while the other end was medium rare. This served our family well being that people could reach for the cuts they most preferred.

As for the chimichurri sauce, it’s simply a matter of adding items to the blender. I used an whole bunch of parsley and cilantro, minus most of the stems. I added one small onion, salt, white pepper, red pepper flakes, lime juice and apple cider vinegar, and then used just enough olive oil to get the blades to turn the contents into a paste. Go slow with the oil as you can always add more, but can’t take it away. Add just enough to get to your desired consistency.

This Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce could be served over a salad or with a side like these Chimichurri Roasted Potatoes. Adapt! Make this recipe your own and enjoy.