Perfectly seasoned steaks herald grilling season's start

Go ahead. Take a whiff. Doesn't it smell great outside?

That's because now that it's (finally) nice outside, your neighbors are firing up their grills. You should, too, and what better way to welcome the 2015 grilling season than with a perfectly seasoned steak.

Argentinian chimichurri sauce is usually a fragrant, pesto-like melange of fresh herbs, but here grilling gurus Cheryl and Bill Jamison offer up a dry version. You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already.

I used skirt steak, but this rub would work just as well on flank or flat iron steaks.

Grilled Steak With Chimichurri Dry Rub

1/2 cup crumbled dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

2 tablespoons dried summer or winter savory

2 tablespoons crumbled dried thyme

1 tablespoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoons granulated garlic

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 3 or 4 equal pieces

Stir together all the ingredients except steak in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the rub heavily on the beef and then massage it in well.

Allow the seasoned meat to sit for 45 minutes at room temperature, or wrap and refrigerate overnight. Store any remaining rub in a covered container in a cool, dark pantry for up to a month.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat.

Grill the steaks over direct high heat with grill lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to your desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from The Barbecue Lover's Big Book of BBQ Sauces by Cheryl and Bill Jamison

Food on 05/27/2015

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