Quick Summary: Tender skirt steak seared quickly in a hot cast iron skillet, topped with fresh Argentinian chimichurri sauce. The tangy, herby sauce adds brightness to the beefy flavor. Slow carb compliant. Ready in 20 minutes. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 5 min | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Chimichurri? | How to Best Use It? | Step by Step Directions | Best Way to Cook Skirt Steak | FAQ
Chimichurri is the Argentinian answer to what you put on grilled meat. It’s fresh parsley and oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and a bit of heat from red pepper flakes. It takes 5 minutes to make and changes a simple skirt steak into something special.
The key to skirt steak is high heat, quick cooking, and slicing against the grain. Overcook it and it becomes extremely tough. Get it right and it’s one of the most flavorful, affordable cuts you can buy.
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What is Chimichurri Sauce?
Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce with a fresh herbal flavor and a wonderful acidic tang that can really bring a dish to life.
It typically includes parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar (usually red wine vinegar), olive oil, and flakes of chile pepper, and is often referred to as ‘Argentine barbecue sauce’.
The fresh herbs give it a refreshing vegetal taste, the amount of garlic adds pungency and the vinegar makes it a bit tangy. Chile pepper can add a bit of heat, but chimichurri doesn’t always include chile spice.
Best Ways to Use Chimichurri Sauce
- In fajitas
- Add it to a gyro
- On grilled bread
- Add a dollop to a bowl of soup
- Toss it with white beans
- On firm fish like swordfish
While typically paired with meat dishes, chimichurri is a wonderful topping for roasted cauliflower or other vegetables.
How to Make Quick Chimichurri
Here are the steps lined out with photos. For the details of the recipe itself, see the recipe card below.
How to Cook Skirt Steak
Skirt steak is a great cut of beef because it offers robust beefy flavor, tenderness, and affordability. It is a thin, long cut with visible grain. It comes from the short plate or diaphragm area of the steer, just under the rib section.
The best way to cook it is sliced thinly and seared briefly in a hot cast iron skillet. Some cooks will marinate it, but I prefer it topped with a herby, tangy chimichurri sauce.
Tips for Cooking a Tender, Juicy Skirt Steak
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels before seasoning or searing to develop a nice crust. Too much moisture will result in steaming the meat rather than searing it.
- Skirt steak is thin and only needs a few minutes of cooking to get to medium-rare doneness. Overcooking will result in a very dry and chewy steak.
- Use high heat. There is not much fat or connective tissue to break dow in skirt steak. It need to cook fast and hot. Heat the skillet before placing the meat in it.
- When you serve the skirt steak make sure to slice across the grain in thin pieces (about 1/4-inch thick)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The steak, herbs, oil, and vinegar are all slow carb compliant. Serve with roasted vegetables or a salad for a complete meal.
Refrigerated in an airtight container, chimichurri keeps 3-4 days. The oil helps preserve freshness and keeps leftover steak moist when reheated.
No. Marinating can overpower the beefy flavor. If you do marinate, dry the meat thoroughly before searing to get a good crust.
Usually from overcooking or slicing with the grain instead of against it. Skirt steak is thin and only needs 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Always slice against the visible grain in thin strips
Yes. Chimichurri works well on chicken, fish (especially firm fish like swordfish), roasted cauliflower, and even eggs. It’s also good on grilled bread or tossed with white beans.
Both are herb-based sauces with oil, but chimichurri uses vinegar for tanginess and parsley as the main herb. Pesto uses basil, parmesan, and pine nuts with no acid. Chimichurri is brighter and more acidic.
Interested in the Slow Carb Diet? Check out this comprehensive E-Guide on Fat Loss through a Slow Carb Diet.
Seared Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Chimichurri ingredients
- ½ Cup ground almonds optional
- 1 cup flat leafed parsley leaves
- 3 cloves garlic or 2 Tablespoons minced
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes can use 1 fresh jalapeno instead
- 2 Tablespoons dried oregano
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ⅓ Cup olive oil
- ¼ Cup cilantro optional
Skirt Steak Ingredients
- 1 Pound Skirt steak If the skirt steak comes in a long strip, cut into 2 or 3 smaller pieces, 5 to 7 inches in length.
- 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ Teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tbsp Oil
Instructions
Instructions for the the chimichurri sauce
- Combine all Chimichurri ingredients except oil in food processor and pulse until a pesto-like consistency is reached.1 cup flat leafed parsley leaves, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 Tablespoons dried oregano, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 Cup cilantro, 1/2 Cup ground almonds
- Add the oil to the processor and pulse lightly until everything is combined. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes before using to blend flavors.1/3 Cup olive oil
- If not using with the steak, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Will keep 3-4 days.
Instructions for the Skirt Steak
- Thoroughly dry the steak, patting dry with paper towels. The drier the steak the better the crusty sear will be. Once dry, season with salt and pepper.1 Pound Skirt steak, 1 Teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 Teaspoon pepper
- Heat oil in a cast iron skillet until hot and smoking. Place the steak in the pan and press down to get more contact. Sear the first side until browned (2-3 minutes) and then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes.You may need to work in two batches.2 Tbsp Oil
- Allow the steak to rest for 5 minutes and slice across the grain. Serve topped with chimichurri sauce.
Notes
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels before seasoning or searing to develop a nice crust. Too much moisture will result in steaming the meat rather than searing it.
- Skirt steak is thin and only needs a few minutes of cooking to get to medium-rare doneness. Overcooking will result in a very dry and chewy steak.
- Use high heat. There is not much fat or connective tissue to break dow in skirt steak. It need to cook fast and hot. Heat the skillet before placing the meat in it.
- When you serve the skirt steak make sure to slice across the grain in thin pieces (about 1/4-inch thick)
Dorothy, I will definitely try this recipe. Looks delicious! One question – is there no liquid in the pot for 10 hours? Thanks. Annie
Readers please note: The above comment was for the chimichurri with beef brisket. This recipe has been modified to chimichurri with pan-seared skirt steak. Much quicker to get on the table. The chimchurri sauce is still the same recipe.
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Our family likes looking for new recipes to cook or grill and there are so many delicious looking recipes here. The Pan Seared Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce looks amazing and we can’t wait to try. Thanks for sharing!
You bet! Hope you enjoy.