I come from a long line of carnivores. Every cousin, uncle, grandfather…a passionate hunter, angler, and eater of animal protein, skillfully cooked and consumed with deep pleasure. Visit my uncle Garry’s house and chances are you’ll dine on venison meatballs followed by a juicy elk steak, with oysters farmed by my cousin thrown in for good measure. The fact that I’m not a vegetarian, despite my fervent support for a plant-heavy diet, I owe to this lineage.
About Salsa Verde
This brings to me today’s recipe, which is precisely the sort of dish that keeps me living the omnivore’s life. It’s a grilled skirt steak, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and served with a beautifully briny salsa verde. Don’t confuse this with Mexican salsa. Rather, it’s an herb sauce that has roots in Italy, I believe. The combination of herbs, lemon, capers, fragrant lemon zest, and olive oil is pretty dreamy when spooned onto skirt steak (or frankly, anything you might be inclined to put into your mouth and call food).
A Good Cut of Meat
As for the steak, it’s a very thin, nicely marbled cut that cooks quickly on a piping hot grill. I bought mine at Sprouts Farmers Market and was genuinely impressed by how juicy and flavorful it was. Turns out, that’s for good reason. Their meat is never frozen and always graded USDA Choice or above. In fact, research by Colorado State University showed Sprouts’ beef outperformed the competition, finding it 15 percent more tender and 28 percent richer in flavor.
Balancing your Plate
The truth is, we all should be eating more plants, even my carnivorous family members. And we can do that most of the time. But sometimes, making room for a really good steak with a ridiculously tasty salsa verde is just what a plant-based eater craves.
Tip: In need of sides to go with that steak? Pull together a generous salad with this Balsamic Vinaigrette, or make this Warm BLT Potato Salad or this Corn and Avocado Salad with Quick Pickled Onions.
Grilled Skirt Steak with Herb Salsa Verde
Elevate your favorite steak by whisking together an addictive and easy-to-make herb salsa. Capers, parsley, cilantro, and plenty of lemon make a zippy, flavorful sauce that is delicious spooned onto steak, pork, chicken, or even grilled vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼- pounds skirt steak (flank or hangar steak can be substituted)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped capers
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Zest of ½ lemon
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
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30 minutes before you plan to cook, pull the steak from the fridge and season on both sides with the salt and a light dusting of black pepper.
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Make the salsa verde in a small bowl by mixing together the remaining 7 ingredients (from shallots through olive oil).
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Get your grill ready. You want a very hot grill for skirt steak. You can also use a cast iron skillet (lightly coated with oil) to cook the meat on the stove over high heat.
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When the grill is good and hot, lay down the steak. Cook until done to your liking. Figure 2 to 3 minutes per side for rare/medium rare, longer if you prefer it medium-well or well. If you are cooking flank or hangar steak, it will likely need a little longer on the grill. Transfer to a carving board and rest for 5 minutes.
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Cut the steak across the grain in 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Spoon about ⅔ of the salsa verde down the center of the steak, leaving the rest in a bowl to serve on the side. Serve with lemon wedges.
