This skirt steak is seared to a crispy char in a hot cast-iron skillet, and then topped with fresh chimichurri sauce made of parsley, spicy red chili pepper flakes, savory garlic, a bit of salt, olive oil and a splash of pungent red wine vinegar. Try this delicious keto-friendly dish that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.
Total carbs 2g, net carbs 1g
Who doesn’t love a good skirt steak topped with fresh and savory chimichurri sauce? The trick to getting a crispy char on skirt steak is to sear it in a cast-iron skillet. Be sure to open your windows and turn on your kitchen vent as it will get smoky. You can also sear the steaks outdoors over a hot grill.
Skirt steak with chimichurri sauce ingredients:
for the steak
skirt steaks
Inspect the steaks to make sure that they are trimmed of silver skin. The silver skin is a thin silvery membrane that surrounds skirt steak. This membrane is impossible to eat. Not every butcher will do a good job of removing this membrane. If you see any membrane, cut it off by slipping a sharp knife just beneath the membrane.
salt and black pepper
Course-grained salt like kosher salt or sea salt, along with freshly cracked black pepper give the best results.
for the chimichurri sauce
parsley
Bright, fresh parsley is an underrated superfood. It is high in vitamins K and C, full of antioxidants, good for the kidneys, fights cancer, and regulates hormones. According to some studies, parsley can help lower blood sugar levels.
Pro Tip: Chop clean, dry parsley tops by hand. Do not use a blender. Blender chimichurri tastes vinegary, mediocre and looks like mush to me.
My version of chimichurri sauce does not call for oregano, for simplicity sake. This chimichurri leans towards being a gremolata. Add oregano if you like it.
garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
These spices can be adjusted more or less to your personal tastes. I recommend finely mincing the garlic and shallots (or onion) to bring out their full flavors. You need salt in the sauce to tone down and balance the pungency of vinegar.
red wine vinegar and olive oil
Use a 3:1 ratio of good quality olive oil to red wine vinegar for a balanced sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't skip the chimichurri sauce! It is loaded with beneficial ingredients like vitamin and mineral filled parley, immune boosting garlic and heart healthy olive oil. Parsley is full of Vitamin K (300% of the recommended daily value per serving). Vitamin K is linked to bone and heart health and is added to supplements and beauty products for beautiful skin.
For best results, don't overcook the steak. Pan-sear it in a hot cast iron skillet for a few minutes on each side to cook it medium-rare. Then let it rest for a few minutes, until lukewarm to the touch, so that the juices don't run when you slice it. Finally, thinly slice the steak against the grain, and you will get a perfectly tender skirt steak.
Equipment you'll need
You'll need a large cast-iron skillet or grill.
What can I serve with skirt steak?
If your carb budget allows, add ⅓ cup of black beans, ⅓ cup of rice and sautéed collard greens for a balanced meal at 30 grams of carbohydrates. Salad, non-starchy vegetables and a piece of garlic bread also go well with skirt steak.
How to store skirt steak and chimichurri sauce
Leftover skirt steak is great the next day on crusty sourdough bread with a bit of chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri sauce is also great on just about anything else. Store leftovers separately in covered containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Eat the steak within 3 days. If you don't think you can finish the chimichurri sauce in 3 days, transfer it to the freezer. You can freeze chimichurri sauce for 3 months.
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Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
Try this delicious keto-friendly skirt steak that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less. The steak is seared to a crispy brown fond on the outside and cooked until medium-rare on the inside. Then it is topped with chimichurri sauce made of fresh parsley, spicy red chili pepper flakes, savory garlic, a bit of salt and a splash of pungent red wine vinegar. The method that I use to get a crispy char on this steak is to sear it in a hot cast-iron skillet.
Ingredients
for the steaks
- 4 (6 ounce portions) skirt steaks, trimmed of silver skin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
for the chimichurri sauce
- 1 cup parsley tops, finely chopped by hand
- 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, mix together chimichurri sauce ingredients.
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and rub both sides with salt and pepper. Work in batches of 2 steaks at a time, instead of crowding the steaks into a pan. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Sear steaks in hot skillet for 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. If the steaks are thin sear for 2 minutes per side. If the steaks are thicker, sear for 3 minutes per side. Let rest on a cutting board for 3-5 minutes.
- Slice steaks against the grain. Plate and serve with chimichurri sauce on the side.
Notes
Be sure to open your windows and turn on your kitchen vent as it will get smoky. You can also sear the steaks outdoors over a hot grill.
- Prep Time: 18 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan-sear
- Cuisine: Latin American
Keywords: low-carb, Ketogenic, beef, steak, Grain-Free, Dairy-free, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Dinner, Paleo
Rachel says
This recipe looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Sachi says
Thank you Rachel! 😀
The leftovers are great on crusty bread with a bit of chimichurri sauce.
Bradley Mohr says
Love, love, love this recipe! Delicious, simple and very healthy.
★★★★★
Sachi says
Thank you! 😀