Chimichurri is my favourite sauce for steak. Bright herbs, garlic and red wine vinegar create a vibrant, punchy flavour that complements grilled beef perfectly. I like to marinate the meat in chimichurri for extra depth, then serve more sauce alongside the finished steaks. This sauce is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free, and packed with antioxidants from fresh herbs and garlic. The chilli is optional—leave it out for children or add it if you enjoy some heat.
Follow these simple tips for a perfect steak:
- Bring steaks to room temperature before cooking so they cook evenly.
- Preheat your grill or cast-iron pan until very hot to seal the surface and form a crisp crust.
- Rest cooked steaks for several minutes to let the juices redistribute and the muscle fibres relax.
- Slice across the grain to shorten fibres and make each bite tender.
Get those basics right and you’ll have a tender, juicy steak every time.
Sizzling Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Serves: Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cracked black pepper
- 180 mL (3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 80 mL (1/3 cup) red wine vinegar
- Handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Handful of coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- Optional: small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 4 x 200 g steaks of your choice (scotch fillet, sirloin or eye fillet work well)
- Extra sea salt flakes, to season
Instructions
- To make the chimichurri, crush the garlic, salt, cumin and pepper in a mortar and pestle or finely mince and mash together. Stir in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, coriander and chilli if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or vinegar for brightness.
- Reserve about one third of the chimichurri to serve with the steaks. Marinate the steaks in the remaining sauce for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavour.
- When ready to cook, bring the steaks to room temperature and pat dry. Season with a little extra sea salt. Heat a cast-iron pan or heavy grill over high heat until smoking hot.
- Cook the steaks for approximately 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or about 4 minutes per side for medium, depending on thickness. Adjust times for your preferred doneness.
- Remove the steaks from the pan and rest on a wire rack or plate for half the total cooking time to allow juices to redistribute.
- Slice against the grain and serve with the reserved chimichurri spooned over the meat or served alongside.
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