Chimichurri Sauce – The Herbaceous Steak Sauce
As the title says, chimichurri sauce is for great for steak, which is usually how I consume it, but it goes great on chicken, vegetables, bread…just about anything. My family loves it and we usually eat it about 1 once a month. Chimichurri goes amazingly well with skirt steak and is a highly requested meal. Plus skirt steak, at least in Texas, is a less expensive cut so it’s an economical meal too.
Another thing I like about chimichurri sauce is that it is really easy to prepare. Chop up the herbs, dice the vegetables, then whisk in the liquids and seasoning. Done. The effort to taste ratio is highly skewed towards taste. A lot of stuff that I do has a lot of steps but this is on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Yes, this recipe isn’t authentic
So my recipe isn’t an authentic traditional recipe. Traditional chimichurri only uses parsley and does not include cilantro. Authentic chimichurri sauce originates from Argentina and only consisted of parsley, garlic, oregano and white vinegar originally . Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way let me tell you why you should use both parsley and cilantro. Adding the cilantro adds another layer and level of texture and flavor. There are no rules to food and I encourage everyone to find what they like.
Experiment with your chimichurri sauce
Speaking of rules, even my recipe isn’t a rule I always follow. Firstly, you could forget the whole chopping thing, and put everything in a blender or food processor and have a super smooth sauce instead. Maybe your having lamb, so maybe you want to consider adding mint. Or perhaps you like is spicier, so add red pepper flakes or even a habanero. Or maybe you don’t have red onion but you have shallots, go ahead and make that substitution. Chimichurri is extremely versatile so don’t get hung up on proportions, just go for it. Also, if you need a steak rub your should try this one.
Chimichurri – The Herbaceous Steak Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch parsley about 1 cup packed leaves and stems
- 1 bunch cilantro about 1 cup packed leaves and stems
- ½ small red onion about ⅓ cup diced
- 1 jalapeno seeds and ribs removed, then diced
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 1 whole lime juiced
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup canola oil or vegetable
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the excess stems from the parsley and cilantro and chop into a medium fine dice. I usually make a big pile of the herbs and continue chopping until the size looks as pictured. Add to a medium bowl.
- Removed the ribs and seeds from the jalapeno and dice. Dice the onion and garlic. Add to cilantro and parsley.
- Add oregano, lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil and canola oil to bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Wisk to combine.
- The sauce can be used right away but will taste better if allowed to rest for at least an hour. This can be made before hand and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
