Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano Chimichurri

From our Chef in Residence, Marianne Sundquist

We have a joke in our family that the weather keeps an eye on the last day of school. Year after year, the kid’s first day off feels this way, jumping into the deep end of summer, playing early in the day, adding ice to water bottles and keeping the fridge stocked with popsicles. This also happens to be the time when all of a sudden our dinners feel more fun and we find ourselves starting a fire in our cauldron and grilling (at least a couple times) throughout the week. 

This recipe for Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano Chimichurri is a perfect staple recipe for a few reasons: The marinade can also be used with any cut of beef that is not naturally tender. For instance, I would never let anything but salt and pepper touch a tenderloin, filet mignon (a cut from the tenderloin), ribeye, T-bones or strip steak before it hits the fire. But tougher cuts are often thought of to have a richer beef flavor and benefit from a quick marinade like flank steak, tri-tip, sirloin, round steaks, eye rounds and chuck steaks. If you have leftovers, they make the most wonderful tacos the next day. And the accompanying chimichurri can not only be spooned on top of the meat, but also slathered on grilled bread, paired with vegetables and spread inside leftover tacos.

Chimichurri is a bright and herbaceous sauce originating from Argentina and Uruguay, a classic pairing with steak and many other kinds of barbequed meat. There are times when I try to stay focused on other chiles like the hatch, jalapeno and anaheims. But alas, when there are poblanos in my freezer or better yet when the season has arrived, I can rarely resist their subtle smokiness which clings to my thoughts like a magnet to the side of the refrigerator. So please feel free to experiment with what chiles you have access to, are growing or love. 

Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano Chimichurri

Time: Up to 3 hours, including marinating time

Yield: around 8-10 servings

Ingredients

for the Poblano Chimichurri:

¼ red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 fire roasted poblano chiles, peeled, seeded & diced

1 c. cilantro leaves and tender stems, minced

1 c. flat leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, minced

2 T. fresh oregano or marjoram leaves, minced

1 T. fresh lime juice

1 T. red wine vinegar

¾ c. olive oil

1 t. Smoked paprika

½ t. kosher salt

½ t. ground black pepper

for marinating the steak:

¼ c. low sodium soy sauce

¼ c. olive oil

3 T. aged balsamic vinegar

3 T. fresh lime juice

2 T. worcestershire sauce

1 T. dijon mustard

2 T. brown sugar

1 T. herbes de provence or high desert herbs (stokli.com)

1 T. fresh rosemary leaves, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced 

1 t. ground black pepper

3 ½-4 lb. skirt steak, trimmed of surface fat

Method

Make the chimichurri up to a day in advance: In a medium bowl, stir together the onion, garlic, chiles, cilantro, parsley, oregano, lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Store this in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

First, marinate the steak: If the steak is in long pieces, cut each skirt steak into two or three pieces so they are easy to handle on the grill. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, worcestershire, dijon, brown sugar, herbes de provence, rosemary, garlic and black pepper.  Pour this over the steak, cover and refrigerate the steak for 30 minutes up to four hours. 

Build a fire in your Cowboy Cauldron a good hour before you plan on grilling so the coals have time to settle, creating an even, hot heat without the flame. While your fire is blazing, remove the steak from the fridge and transfer the pieces to a large tray lined with paper towels. Dry most of the marinade off the steak and season each piece with salt and pepper. Grill the steak for three to five minutes on each side, depending on your temperature preference. Transfer the steak to a bowl and cover with foil or a lid for ten minutes so it can rest. Slice steak thinly against the grain and serve immediately with chimichurri spooned over the top or on the side. I like to clean my grill grates while they are still hot, carefully remove them and then throw a log onto the fire for dinner time.  

Learn more about Chef Marianne Sundquist on her website, https://highdeserttable.com/.