This is the perfect grilled beef recipe that goes from the grill to your plate in under 30 minutes. Grilled flank steaks with fresh chimichurri sauce will excite your tastebuds, not put a strain on your pocketbook and delivers flavor like you have never tasted before.
For me, beef grilled over open flames has to be the quintessential way to cook. Whether it’s a charcoal, mesquite or oak wood fire, the flavors that develop with the smoke are amazing. Why? As the melting fat drips onto the hot embers smoke is released and perfumes the cut of beef. As some of the best chefs have said, “fat, it’s where the flavor is, let it perfume your food.”
How To Cook Flank Steak
This lean, flat cut of beef has to be one of the most delicious and barbecue friendly cuts you will ever enjoy. Your grill needs to be hot, screaming hot. So hot that when you hold your hand about three inches over the grill, you can only have it there for about a second. Searing flank steak takes about 5-7 minutes per side, cook the meat to medium-rare and no further. If you take it beyond that, your steak will be tough and over-cooked. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing it thin and cutting it against the grain.
What is Chimichurri
Chimichurri sauce is a bright and bold condiment or sauce that compliments grilled foods. Made from parsley, red chili flake, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano and olive oil. Throughout South America you can find many incredible recipes for this dish, however, its flavor roots are firmly planted in the hearts and kitchens of those in Argentina.
One way to experiment with this sauce is to change out the olive oil for unsalted softened butter. You will create a delicious chimichurri compound butter. Spread some of it over grilled corn, flatbread, grilled zucchini, or onions. It will keep in the freezer for about three months, but I doubt you will stay away from it that long. You can find the recipe here in this link.
Salmuera, What Is It?
There is an additional flavor component to this dish that steals the show. Salmuera, a basting brine made of water and salt that helps your protein become tender, moist and flavorful. While the meat is grilling over the hot fire, you baste the unseasoned beef, chicken, or pork with this concentrated brine. Here are some suggestions for adding additional flavors to your salmuera, you can find the recipe by clicking on this link.
- Garlic- peel and smash 3-5 cloves of garlic, add them to the brine after the salt has dissolved, and the brine is cooling.
- Peppercorns- Add 1 teaspoon of whole peppercorns to the brine as the salt dissolves into the water just before you turn the heat off for it to cool.
- Fresh herbs- chives, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and mint. Once the salt has dissolved in the hot water, turn off the heat and add in the fresh herbs. Steep the fresh herbs like tea for 7 minutes. Remove the herbs and allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
Enjoy this recipe, it’s easy to follow, comes together in minutes and delivers incredible fresh and bold flavors. Get your fires started, its time to cook!
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Ingredients
- 1 flank steak, about 3 lb
- 1 cup Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup Salmuera Basting Brine
Instructions
- Prep your flank steak by removing it from the package and inspecting it. Trim away and large fat pockets or tears in the steak. If there is any silver skin, use a sharp boning knife to remove it. Pat dry with paper towels, place it on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Place your salmuera basting brine in a squeeze bottle or metal bowl. If you do not have a squeeze bottle, use a spoon and a basting brush to apply the brine as the flank steak cooks.
- Place your chimichurri sauce in a bowl and have it ready by your cutting board to serve alongside the grilled flank steak.
- Prepare a hot fire in your grill, clean the grill grates and oil them.
- Place the flank steak in the center of the grill over the hot fire and cook without moving it for 4 minutes.
- Baste the side of the flank steak facing up at about the 2 minute mark, spread the salmuera over the beef, don’t worry about it dripping onto the fire. Baste it again just before you turn the flank steak over to grill on the other side. Turn the steak over and cook an additional 4-6 minutes, baste with the salmuera every two minutes.
- Remove the grilled flank steak and transfer it to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Cut in thin strips against the grain with a sharp knife. Once you have sliced the beef, spoon the chimichurri sauce over the slices and serve.
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