An iconic staple of Buenos Aires parrillas, seared over screaming-hot heat for a deeply caramelized crust and a juicy center, topped with the herbaceous, tangy punch of homemade chimichurri.
Ingredients
- 1500 g beef skirt steak
- 200 g chimichurri sauce
- 20 g coarse Guérande grey sea salt
- 2 tbsp high-oleic sunflower oil
- to taste whole Madagascar black peppercorns
Method
- Take the skirt steak out of the refrigerator at least thirty minutes before cooking so it comes up to room temperature, preventing any thermal shock during searing.
- Pat both sides of the skirt steak thoroughly dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture, then check the outer membrane: trim away any thick fibrous silver skin still attached, or lightly score in a shallow crosshatch pattern to prevent the meat from curling up under high heat.
- Lightly brush the skirt steak with high-oleic sunflower oil, massaging it to coat evenly. Coarsely crush the whole Madagascar black peppercorns and season the meat generously on both sides with the coarse Guérande grey sea salt and crushed pepper right before cooking, pressing gently with your palm so the seasoning adheres.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet, plancha, or grill over very high heat for five to seven minutes, until smoking and scorching hot.
- Lay the skirt steak onto the scorching hot surface, listening for that immediate, loud sizzle. Cook without moving it for three to four minutes, until a deeply browned, crisp, caramelized crust forms and juices begin to bead on the top surface.
- Flip the meat using tongs without piercing it, then cook the second side for two to three minutes more for medium-rare, checking for a springy, yielding resistance when pressed, which corresponds to an internal temperature of 125 °F to 130 °F (52 °C to 54 °C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Transfer the steak immediately to a warm cutting board or a wire rack set over a tray, then let it rest loosely uncovered for five minutes so the muscle fibers relax and the juices redistribute evenly throughout the meat.
- Identify the direction of the long muscle fibers and carve the steak with a sharp knife, slicing strictly across the grain at a 45-degree angle into tender strips. Fan out the slices on a warm platter, drizzle generously with chimichurri sauce, and serve the remaining sauce in a bowl on the side.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 673 kcal
- Protein
- 61.56 g
- Carbohydrate
- 1.86 g
- Fat
- 46.22 g
- Fibre
- 0.3 g
- Calcium
- 15.55 mg
- Iron
- 0.24 mg
- Magnesium
- 13.93 mg
