Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Nothing beats a perfectly juicy grilled steak seared on a hot grill and topped with fresh and flavorful chimichurri. Whether you use an outside barbecue grill or cook it indoors in a grill pan, one thing is certain, this chimichurri steak is sure to become your favorite steak recipe!

What is Chimichurri?

Chimichurri Sauce is a condiment widely used in South America, especially in Argentina and Uruguay. Chimichurri is often used as a marinade for meats or chicken. It is also used as a basting sauce although the majority of the time it’s used as a condiment slathered all over grilled meats or fish.

The Best Steak For Grilling

For this recipe, you can use any steak of your choice. It is best to get a meaty, thick steak graded Prime or Choice. Although not inexpensive, I love a well-marbled ribeye steak.
As you can see in the photos, I chose to grill two boneless ribeye steaks for this recipe. Bone in ribeye also works well.

Feel free to use strip steak – a New York strip steak is always a great option. T-Bone steak, Porterhouse, Tenderloin or a more inexpensive steak like Sirloin.

Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Ingredients

• Ribeye Steaks: Use steaks that are between 1 and 2 inches thick.
• Olive Oil, Salt and Ground Black Pepper to season the steaks.

For the Chimichurri:

• Olive Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil.
• Fresh Parsley: I use Italian flat leaf parsley as it has more flavor than curly parsley.
• Fresh Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must for this condiment.
• Fresh Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, simply skip it and add more parsley.
• Onions: I like using red onion because that is what my grandmother used to make chimichurri however, you can use yellow, white or brown onions as well.
• Red Wine Vinegar: You can use white wine vinegar if that is what you have.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a must.
• Seasonings: Dried Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt and Ground Black Pepper.

How To Make Chimichurri Sauce

Although my grandmother used to make bucket fulls of chimichurri by hand, I usually use a small food processor to make the process quicker and simpler.

• In a small food processor, place the fresh parsley and chopped garlic and pulse until chopped finely. You can use a knife and a cutting board, if you prefer.
• To the food processor, add the cilantro (if you don’t like cilantro simply add a bit more parsley). Add the red wine vinegar and lemon juice and pulse until chopped finely. Place the herb mixture in a small bowl.
• Add the olive oil and the rest of the ingredients and mix to combine.

How To Grill The Perfect Steak

• Pat the steaks dry and drizzle or brush them with a little bit of olive oil. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Salt is important. If you have a big thick steak, you must season it well. At this point, you can refrigerate the steaks for 24 hours or start the grilling.
• Preheat your grill to high heat (450 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit). A hot grill is essential to get a good sear and brown crispy edges on your steak.
• Since the steaks are brushed/drizzled with oil, it’s not necessary to brush the grill grates with oil.
• If you have placed the steaks in the fridge, allow the steaks to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before grilling them.
• Grill the steaks for about 3-5 minutes per side for medium rare. Timing varies depending on the size and thickness of the steak.
• Remove the steaks from the grill and allow them to rest for 5-8 minutes, before slicing.

Internal Temperature for Steak Doneness

Due to “carryover cooking”, the temperature of your steak will rise after its removed from the grill. That is why it’s important to rest the meat before cutting into it. During this resting period, the internal temperature will increase by about 5 to 10 degrees due to carry over cooking.

Do You Close The Grill Lid When Cooking A Steak?

The only time you need to close the grill when cooking steak, is when you have a very thick steak (2 – inch or more). Otherwise, it is really not necessary to close the lid.

How Do I Know If My Steak Is Done?

The best and most reliable way to know if your steak is perfectly cooked is by checking the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. People that work in restaurants cooking the same meats daily, develop the ability to tell the meat doneness by touch however, those methods are not 100% reliable.

Do I Need To Rest The Meat Before Cutting It?

Absolutely, positively yes! Remove the meat from the heat, place it on a plate or cutting board and tent it with aluminum foil. Allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. The heat will redistribute and the meat juices will have time to cool a bit and thicken up. This is the reason why when you cut the steak after it has rested, the juices don’t bleed out.

How Long To Grill Steak?

Cooking steak on the grill is incredibly easy, but cooking times vary depending on the cut, size and thickness of the steak as well as how done you want your meat to be. As a general rule, grill the steak for 3-5 minutes per side for medium rare, 5-7 for medium and 8-10 for medium well. For accuracy, always check the meat’s internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer.

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This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated to provide the reader with additional information. The recipe remains the same.