Zesty Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri

Why This Zesty Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Works

During the long rest in the fridge, the olive oil and salt sink into the flank steak. The oil coats the outside so it doesn’t dry out as fast on the grill, and the salt starts to pull a little moisture to the surface, then that moisture soaks back in. Garlic and pepper stay mostly on the outside, where they can brown and stick to the meat.

Once the steak hits the hot grill, the outside browns quickly while the inside stays juicy. Because flank steak is thin, those 5–6 minutes per side are enough to cook it through without giving the juices time to run out. After grilling, slicing against the grain cuts through the long muscle fibers, so each piece feels tender instead of chewy.

While the steak rests, the chimichurri comes together in the bowl. The vinegar and red pepper flakes spread through the parsley and cilantro, and the extra virgin olive oil coats everything so it clings to the warm meat instead of sliding off.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the flank steak cook too long on the grill makes the meat tough and chewy. The thin cut goes from juicy to dry very fast, so a few extra minutes can leave the center gray and the edges stiff instead of tender and slightly pink.

Putting the steak on the grill straight from the fridge often leads to an overcooked outside and a cool center. The cold meat takes longer to warm up, so the surface dries out and tightens before the inside reaches a nice, even doneness.

Slicing the steak in the same direction as the muscle fibers causes each slice to feel stringy and hard to bite through. Cutting against the grain shortens those fibers, so ignoring this step turns a normally tender cut into something that feels much tougher.

Skipping the rest time after grilling sends the juices running all over the cutting board instead of staying in the meat. The steak then ends up drier and less juicy, even if it was cooked to the right doneness.