Start with good-quality beef and a hot fire in the backyard barbecue, and it's easy to cook delicious grilled steaks, especially with an easy salsa recipe from Argentina.
Chimichurri: That's what they call the all-purpose salsa of Argentina. But unlike the salsas of Mexican cooking, largely based on chili peppers or tomatoes, Argentine salsa is a pungent combination of raw garlic, oregano, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley, along with just a touch of dried red chilies to give it a suspicion of heat.
Quick and easy to prepare, and served at the table as a condiment, the chimichurri recipe that follows makes any hot-off-the-grill food explode with aromatic flavor. The steak recipe it accompanies gains even more flavor, however, by brushing the meat with the salsa before it goes on the grill.
Argentine Steaks with Quick Chimichurri
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 good-quality beef steaks, each about 1 1/2 inches thick and 6 ounces in weight
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good-quality red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup minced onion (about 1/2 small onion)
1/3 cup packed finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions:
Preheat a grill, grill pan, or broiler.
Trim excess fat from the steaks and set them aside at room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce. Press the garlic cloves through a garlic press into a mixing bowl. Add the red pepper flakes, oregano, and about 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper. Pressing down with the back of a soup spoon, mash together the garlic and seasonings. With a fork or small whisk, stir in the vinegar and lemon juice. Stirring briskly, drizzle in the olive oil. Stir in the onion and parsley. Set aside.
When the grill, grill pan, or broiler is hot, spoon a little chimichurri over both sides of the steaks, taking care not to contaminate the sauce with any utensil that has touched the meat. Rub the chimichurri into the meat and season the steaks generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
Grill or broil the steaks until done, 8 to 10 minutes per side for medium rare.
Serve the steaks immediately, passing the chimichurri sauce for guests to spoon onto their plates as a condiment.
Tips and Variations:
Substitute lamb, pork, chicken, or seafood for the steak.
Brush a little chimichurri on slices of rustic bread and grill them lightly as a side dish, or use the chimichurri as a dip for hot bread at the table.
Substitute fresh basil for some of the parsley.
To serve more people, make larger quantities of chimichurri with a food processor, first mincing the garlic with the stainless-steel blade and then choping the parsley and onion before pulsing in the other ingredients.
One word of caution: Chimichurri sauce can be addictive, and may well become a backyard barbecue staple!
(Source: barbecue-picnic-foods.suite101.com)
Argentine Style Steak Grillin'
Usa a Smoker Box For Your Wood Chips
Grilling with wood chips adds an extra flavor layer to everything. It’s easy with charcoal, but gas grills require an accessory. You don’t want to burn wood chips on your burners. Enter the smoker box.
These are porcelain, stainless steel or cast-iron containers that hold your chips above your burners. Many have covers with holes; some are uncovered plates.
Some folks use the boxes on charcoal grills. It goes on the ash-gray coals. On gas grills, place the box on the heating element. With either grill, it will take a few minutes to get the smoke rolling, so do this ahead.
(Source: HollandSentinel.com)
Weber 22-1/2" One Touch Gold Charcoal Grill Model 751001
About This Grill
The Weber One-Touch Gold Kettle adds convenience to years of reliable service from the classic kettle that started it all. Equipped with a hinged cooking grate to make adding coals a simple task and an upgraded ash catcher for quick, easy clean up, it’s a sure bet for the charcoal grilling enthusiast. Available in 22-1/2" diameter.
FEATURES:
- Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid: Constructed of premium-grade steel coated with porcelain enamel for years of rust-free, dependable service.
- Glass-reinforced nylon handles: Handles are maintenance-free and stay cool to the touch.
- Triple-nickel-plated hinged cooking grate: Flip-up sides on these cooking grates let you add charcoal briquets quickly and safely.
- Cooking area: 22.5-inch diameter (cooking grate)
- Stainless steel One-Touch Cleaning System: Designed to make ash removal simple, this convenience is factory assembled.
- Removable ash catcher: Catcher made of heavy-gauge, porcelainized steel lifts out for easy ash removal.
- No-rust aluminum vent: Adjustable air vent creates the perfect air flow into the grill.
- Removable, high-capacity ash catcher: Makes ash removal hassle-free.
- Crack-proof all-weather wheels: Rugged and durable, these wheels won't crack or break.
- Weather resistent to -40 degrees F.
- Weber cookbook: This collection of classic, gourmet, and international recipes was written specifically for use with your Weber grill.
- 10-Year limited Manufacturer Warranty
- Color option: Black
- Height: 38.5"
- Width: 27"
- Depth: 22.5"
- Dimensional Shipping Weight: 80 Pounds
Beef Dinner Roasted on the Grill
- 1 (1 1/2 to 2 pound) beef shoulder roast
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 medium baking or sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 ears corn-on-the-cob, unshucked
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
Combine black pepper, garlic powder, corn starch, salt, thyme, white pepper and cayenne pepper to make a rub. Press mixture into both sides of roast. For conventional grills, build wood or charcoal fire to one side. Use enough fuel to sustain heat for 1 hour. For gas grills, preheat one side then turn to low. Wash potatoes, pierce with a fork, and brush with oil. Place roast, potatoes and corn on cool side of grill. Cover and cook 50 minutes to 1 hour, maintaining grill temperature of 300ºF. Brush peppers with oil, add to hot side of grill and cook covered during last 10 minutes. Check roast doneness with meat thermometer inserted in center. Remove when thermometer reads 140ºF for medium-rare or 155ºF for medium. Let stand 10 minutes before carving. Slice thinly across the grain. To serve corn, peel back husks, remove silk and brush with melted butter.
