Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Chimichurri

After going back and forth, we decided to stay home for the long Labor Day weekend, soaking up these last warm summer days. We’ve got a list a mile long with ideas for how to spend the weekend including but not limited to a walk to our new neighborhood coffee stand, High West, as well as stop in at a few of our favorite spots like Gilbert Cellars and Cowiche Creek Brewery.  

A couple of us have a request for a long bike ride in the Cowiche Conservancy and I’m planning to bribe the rest of my family to go for a hike. The Ellensburg rodeo is this weekend and its always a great family activity as is a stop in at the downtown Farmer’s Market for fresh flowers, a lemonade and a bag of peaches.

But at the top of the list, is a good meal, preferably eaten outside, hopefully just before sunset, so we can sit in the grass and watch the sky turn pink, purple and orange over the hills.

I love to marinate my steaks for a few hours before grilling. We raise grass fed beef (therefore have a freezer full of beef), and while I mostly love the flavor and very much appreciate the health benefits of grass fed beef, sometimes a little extra flavor makes all the difference in the world.

This particular recipe makes for a flavorful and delicious steak, perfect for these late summer evenings. The steak marinade is savory and balanced. The honey and lemon add a bit of brightness to the flavor and the dash of hot sauce doesn’t add heat to the flavor but balances out any sweetness from the honey. You could leave the recipe as is (which we often do) but for an extra special touch, the chimichurri sauce drizzled over the steaks takes this recipe to a whole new level.

The chimichurri is essentially a parsley pesto, and pairs perfect with the richness of the steak. It’s also great drizzled over roasted potatoes, white fish, grilled chicken or used as a salad dressing. The extra step of making the chimichurri is worth it, I can promise you.

Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce

• 2 1/2-3 pounds ribeye steaks

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• Juice of a lemon

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• 1 heaping tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon Franks hot sauce

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper

Start by mixing up your marinade in a gallon size ziplock bag or large bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon, garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and sprig of rosemary. Pat the steaks dry on both sides with a paper towel and then generously sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper. Add the seasoned steaks to the marinade, mixing to evenly coat the meat. Seal the ziplock bag or cover the steaks and put them in the refrigerator for four to eight hours, making sure to pull the steaks out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to grill.  

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Cooking time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the steak, but most of the time a ribeye will cook to medium-rare in about 10 to 15 minutes if the meat is about 1 inch thick. Sear the steaks on one side and about halfway through the cooking time, flip so you have good grill marks on both sides. A meat thermometer should read an internal temperature of 145 degrees or higher. 

When the meat is ready, remove the steaks from the grill and lightly cover the plate or tray with tinfoil. Let the steaks rest for three to five minutes before slicing thinly and garnishing with a drizzle of the chimichurri sauce. Serve immediately.

Chimichurri Sauce 

• 2 small bunches flat leaf parsley (or 1 large), stems removed

• 1 peeled shallot

• 3 green onions, white part removed

• 2 cloves garlic

• Juice of a lemon

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Rinse the flat leaf parsley and green onions and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the stems from the parsley and give the herbs a rough chop. Peel and dice the shallot and green onions into a couple pieces. Peel and dice the garlic.

Place the flat leaf parsley, shallot, green onion, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine the ingredients. Turn the food processor on and drizzle the olive oil in until a sauce forms. If the chimichurri is quite thick, add a little extra olive oil.

Transfer the chimichurri sauce to a bowl or small jar and spoon over the steaks once they come off the grill. Store extras in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

***Chimichurri is a lovely condiment for steaks, chicken and fish and also makes an excellent salad dressing.