More and more, the Flat Iron Steak is popping up on Steak House menus. There is good reason. Flat Irons are flavorful, lean yet tender. The Flat Iron is actually a cut from the Chuck, so it’s relatively inexpensive when compared to the Tenderloin that gives us our Filet Mignon.
Category: Flat Iron Steak
Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Today we are going to be “world travelers” at the supper table by heading off to Argentina. Before venturing off, I thought it would be fun to give you a little background on the sauce for our Flat Iron Steaks.
Chimichurri Sauce in a condiment sauce from Argentina that is used on grilled meats, much like the way Americans use A-1 Steak sauce except with more versatility. Chimichurri Sauce is not just reserved for steaks or grilled red meats. It can also accompany grilled chicken, pork or even as a side to grilled fish such as Sword Fish Steaks.
Typically Chimichurri is made from finely chopped parsley, oregano, minced garlic, olive oil and white vinegar. In Latin Countries outside Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, the dominant flavor comes from the use of chopped coriander leaves, more commonly known as Cilantro. Although usually served in its green form, like Enchilada Sauce, it does have a red version. This is accomplished with the introduction of tomatoes and red bell peppers to the mix. However; tonight’s rendition of Chimichurri Sauce is green.
The origins of the name for this sauce is unclear, although there are two schools of popular thought. Both are amusing, steeped more in folklore than fact. The first is that the word dates back to the early 1800, when the British were captured after a series of failed invasions to capture the Spanish colonies in and around South America’s la Plala Basin. British prisoners used a mixture of English, aboriginal and Spanish words to form the word che-mi-salsa or chi-mi-curry. Roughly translated, the prisoners were saying “give me condiments” or “give me curry” to have with their food. The word eventually became “Chimichurri”. Another popular tale is that the word hails from the Basque settlers of Argentina, and their term tximitxurri, loosely translated as “a mixture of several things in no particular order.” Personally, I like the latter theory if for no other reason than the randomness of preparing a sauce “in no particular order”. What fun – a little of this, a little of that, whipped it up and there you go.
The Flat Iron Steak, when grilled to a nice, warm medium rare is tender and filled with flavors. A light sprinkling of Montreal Steak Seasoning only adds to the beautiful, beefy flavor of this wonderful cut of meat.
The Chimichurri Sauce is a Latin Pesto of sorts for all things grilled. The wonderful texture, bright color and blend of flavors is delight for the senses. The cilantro and lemon complement one another beautifully, neither taking center stage while allowing their distinct differences to come bursting through.
While I enjoyed mine as a thinly sliced steak, Hubby and Kiddo wrapped theirs in warm tortillas, with more sauce and a dash of sour cream. Bottom line is that this dish is easy to make and a joy to eat.
Are you ready to start cooking? Then let’s get busy. You’ll want to season the steak, whip up the Chimichurri Sauce and build a nice bed of coals for grilling. Oh how I love nights like this, when Hubby and I spend quality time together preparing a meal. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did.
Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients: Flat Iron Steak
1 Flat Iron Steak, about 1 1/2 – 2 pounds
1 Tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
Ingredients – Chimichurri Sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves (about 1 cup before chopping)
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves (about 1 cup before chopping)
2 Tablespoons Roasted minced garlic
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Teaspoons White or Red wine vinegar
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
Take the steak out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking, rub with steak rub, and let it come to room temperature.
Wash cilantro leaves and parsley leaves and dry with paper towel or spin dry in salad spinner. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, finely chop the cilantro, parsley, and garlic. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl.
Add lemon juice, wine vinegar, and seasonings. Whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Let sauce stand at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes for flavors to marry. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Build a fire in the charcoal grill, heating grill to medium-high heat. Clean grate and wipe with a little oil to prevent steak from sticking.
Place Flat Iron Steak on the grill at an angle. After about 3-4 minutes, or when nice grill marks start to form, rotate steak 45 degrees using tongs and continue to grill for about 3-4 minutes more on first side.
Flip steak over, again at angle and repeat grilling on second side. Continue to grill until cooked to your liking. Flat Iron Steak should be cooked no more than medium rare, for about 12 minutes, depending upon thickness of the cut.
When steak is done to your liking, remove from grill, tend and let rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to settle. Slice steak thinly across the grain. Serve hot, with Chimichurri sauce drizzled down the center. Serve remaining sauce on the side to add as desired.
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Happy Travels!
Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms
This yummy steak dinner was cooked up for my loving family a year ago – long before I thought about blogs and pictures beyond a snap shot to go with a recipe card. I came across it today while searching for ideas for next week’s meal planner. Hubby and I picked up a nice Flat Iron Steak on sale this week, hence the search. While the original recipe was done with a flank steak, since discovering the yummy tender goodness of Flat Iron Steak a few months back, I’m always checking the meat counter for good deals and snapping them up whenever they go on sale. Hey, that’s what my huge freezer is for, right? Stocking up when the price is right.
Flat Iron Steak can be used in just about any recipe that calls for flank steak, although they are completely different cuts of beef – the Flat Iron is from the forequarter while the flank from the hindquarter. Both cuts have excellent flavor, and take to marinades well. The flank steak can get a bit tough and dried if cooked too long – you ‘ll want to keep it on the medium-rare side while the Flat Iron is a bit more forgiving if over-cooked.
Two things I love about this recipe – the use of red wine (some for the steak, some for me, some for the steak, more for me, some – oh forget the steak, just more for me!) and a variety of mushrooms.
Crimini and shiitake mushrooms are a must – morel if you can get them are also wonderful. If you cannot get a variety of fresh mushrooms, dried mushrooms will do. Re-hydrate your mushrooms before using by soaking them in hot (not boiling) water for about 20 minutes, changing water as needed. Re-hydrated mushrooms have a more intense, concentrated flavor than fresh, so select a blend that will not overpower the flavor of the sauce.
Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms
2 pounds flank steak (or Flat Iron)
Salt to taste
Olive oil as needed
Black pepper to taste
2 pounds mixed mushrooms (if possible include shiitake mushrooms, they’re especially flavorful), cleaned, rough chop
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 cup red wine (or beef broth)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Remove steak from the refrigerator. Salt the meat and allow it to come to room temperature.
Dry sauté the mushrooms. Heat a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan, as is (no butter or oil). Stir the mushrooms occasionally, and shake the pan a bit. You should hear the mushrooms squeak when they move in the pan. Continue to cook until the mushrooms release their moisture. Add a large pinch of salt and stir to combine.
Add the butter, rosemary and shallots. Stir to combine and sauté over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the red wine (you can substitute beef broth) and boil until the sauce has reduced by half. Turn off the heat.
While the mushrooms are cooking, prepare the grill for high direct heat. The grill is hot enough when you put your hand about an inch over the grill and you can only hold it there for 1 second. When the grill is hot, clean the grill grates with a wire scraper and then moisten a paper towel with vegetable oil. Using tongs, wipe down the grill grates with the oil-soaked towel.
While the grill is heating up, massage olive oil into the steak. You want the steak well coated. When the grill is hot enough, place the steak on the grill. Sear for 4-6 minutes without moving.
Turn the steak over, touch it to test for doneness (see the finger technique for checking for doneness). You might only need a couple of minutes on this side, depending on how thick your steak is. Flank steak is best rare or medium rare; it becomes tough if it gets too well done. Flat Iron steak, being thinner, will require less time on the grill.
Remember to under-cook the steak just a little as it will continue to cook in its own residual internal heat while resting. When the steak is almost done, transfer to cutting board and tent to keep warm. Let rest about 10 minutes. If desired, grind black pepper over steak before tenting.
Finish the mushrooms. Turn the burner on high and boil down to reduce almost to the consistency of a glaze. Add any meat juices that have accumulated with the resting steak. Taste for salt and add any if needed.
For larger steaks, first cut it in half along the grain of the steak fibers. Then slice it thinly, on an angle, against the grain. Thinner steaks such as Flat Iron can be sliced thin just before serving. Pour mushroom sauce over steak and serve immediately.
Happy grilling everyone.
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