Easy Chimichurri Marinated Flank Steak

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This steak recipe starts with a delicious homemade chimichurri sauce full of fresh herbs and spices. With a little know-how and lots of flavor you can turn a cheap cut of flank into an incredible chimichurri flank steak.

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Make this recipe, because…

Ingredients

Instructions

How to Cut Flank Steak

FAQs

Diana's Tips For Success

Related Recipes

📖 Recipe

Easy Chimichurri Flank Steak

Make this recipe, because…

The bright chimichurri marinade transforms an inexpensive cut of beef into a bright and flavorful centerpiece. The ingredients are easy to find in a regular grocery store and only take a few minutes to combine.

This recipe is perfect for an outdoor grill. It can be cooked on a charcoal or gas grill. If you are having bad weather or prefer to cook indoors, a cast iron pan is perfect for getting a nice char on the outside of the flank steak.

I include detailed instructions for cooking and cutting the meat to ensure tender steak every time.

The chimichurri marinade is very versatile and can be used for shrimp, chicken, and vegetables as well.

Ingredients

Flat Leaf Parsley- Fresh herb bundles add a note of bitterness along with a slightly citrusy flavor. It pairs perfectly with the red wine vinegar and spice from the onion and garlic.
Flank Steak- This is a very reasonable priced cut of beef known for being lean and great for grilling. It requires very little preparation and just a little know how to get delicious and flavorful dishes from this cut.

Instructions

Step 1

Start by washing the bundle of fresh parsley and removing the stems. Place the parsley, fresh garlic cloves, red onion, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor.

Raw chimichurri ingredients ready to make sauce

Step 2

Blend the chimichurri ingredients together until you have a coarse mixture.
Separate ¼ cup of chimichurri to be used for steak marinade. Place the remainder in a small bowl to use as a finishing sauce.

Step 3

Place steak into a food storage bag. Add the chimichurri marinade. Then, close the bag and massage the marinade into the meat.
Let the steak marinade for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 2 hours.

flank steak and chimichurri marinade in a food storage bag

If you are going to use the steak within 30 minutes, leave it on the counter so that the steak will be room temperature when you start cooking.

Step 4

Heat your grill or cast iron pan to a medium-high heat. Place the marinated flank steak flat on the preheated grill. Now leave it alone!
Let the meat cook for about 5-7 minutes on the first side.

Step 5

Then, turn the steak over and cook the other side for another 5-7 minutes.

The meat should come cleanly away from the grill and have started to brown.

Step 6

Use a meat thermometer to check for the desired internal temperature. Then, remove it from the heat and cover with foil.
Let the steak rest for 10 minutes.
Cut the rested Flank Steak against the grain into one inch strips. Add some extra chimichurri sauce to the meat and serve.

If you like your steak more rare, take it off the grill a few degrees lower than the desired doneness because the temperature will rise 5+ degrees while it rests.

*Degree of Doneness*
Doneness	Temperature	Rested Temp.
Rare	120°F	125°
Medium-Rare	130°F	135°
Medium	140°F	145°F
Medium-Well	145°F	155°F
Well	155°F	165°F

Notice that as the center of the meat gets warmer, the internal temperature climbs faster and will continue to cook for longer off the heat.

How to Cut Flank Steak

Flank Steak has a distinct and noticeable grain that runs along the steak in distinct parallel lines. This would be the lines you see on the meat that follow one direction. To get the best result, you must cut against the grain (the opposite direction) of the meat. This will shorten the muscle fibers and make the steak tender and easy to chew. If you cut following the grain, the result will be chewy tough flank steak.

Before you slice, rest the meat on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes to let the juices stabilize. Then, use a sharp knife to cut thin strips of the flank steak going directly against the grain.

FAQs

What cuts can I substitute for flank steak?

There are a few cuts that can be used in place of flank steak. Look for Flat Iron, Hanger, or Skirt Steak.

What is Chimichurri?

Chimichurri is a condiment that is very popular all over South America. There are many versions and variations of this uncooked sauce. It is great to use as a marinade or dipping sauce. Generally, it has parsley, vinegar, garlic, onions, olive oil, and pepper flakes.

Diana's Tips For Success

Take your steak out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to grilling. Getting some of the chill out of the meat will help it cook more evenly.

Do not fiddle with your steak once you place it on the grill. Let it cook undisturbed until you are ready to turn the meat.

Use all of your senses to cook a perfect steak.

Make sure your grill or pan is hot before you put the meat on. You should hear a sizzle as you place your meat onto the hot pan.

The cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the steak. Watch the meat as it cooks. You will notice color moving up the sides of the steak as the heat moves to the center of the cut.

Use your sense of smell as well. As the marinated steak gets closer to done, the aroma will get stronger and you should be able to smell some of the charred spices distinctly.