Summary
Chimichurri Steak Sous vide gets this steak to a perfect medium rare, edge to edge, before a hot sear locks in the char. A chimichurri marinade does double duty as a tableside sauce, mini peppers roast alongside in the air fryer, and everything lands on the plate with tortillas and salsa on the side, not folded into a taco.
What's on Your Plate
Chimichurri Steak Sous vide means you can use a relatively inexpensive cut of meat, like flap steak, and turn it tender. The sauce is meant for dipping, or in this, case for marinating as well.
This recipe does not belong to one country, and it does not pretend to. The sauce is Argentine. The cooking method relies on a precision immersion circulator that has nothing to do with an asado. The plate leans toward a Tex-Mex presentation with tortillas on the side. Three traditions that never asked to share a plate, combined anyway, because the results are worth it.
The word Chimichurri reminds me so much of Chim-Chim Cher-ee1 that I cannot help but get the song stuck in my head.
"Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-ee
A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be
Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cher-oo
Good luck will rub off when I shakes 'ands with you
Or blow me a kiss, and that's lucky too"
I would change the words a bit though: good luck will rub off when I marinate you, or sear me a crust, and that is lucky too.
A Sauce With Two Jobs
Chimichurri is a sauce for grilled meats that originated in Argentina and Uruguay, made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and vinegar. Traditionally, it is a tableside condiment, spooned over the meat or used for dipping bread while the asado finishes on the coals. Marinating with it is a legitimate variation rather than a departure; it uses the same ingredients, just applied earlier and for longer. This recipe uses chimichurri both ways: once as a marinade, and once again, freshly made, spooned at the table.
We make our Chimichurri in the food processor. If you happen to have leftover, it's also very good with chicken.
Why This Recipe Works
*Sous vide removes the guesswork from doneness. The steak, still frozen and already marinated, goes straight into a water bath at 130°F (54°C) for 120 minutes, no separate thaw step needed. That low, steady temperature cooks the meat evenly from edge to edge, so there is no gray overcooked band near the surface and a raw center further in.
No immersion circulator on hand? The same result is achievable entirely on the grill using indirect heat. Set the steak on the cool side of the grill until it reaches 130°F (54°C) internally, checked with an instant read thermometer, then move it to the hot side to build the char. It takes more attention than the water bath, but the underlying logic, low and slow first, blazing hot finish second, is the same idea behind our Reverse Sear Steak method, just done outdoors instead of in the oven.
Once the sous vide step is done, the grill or a cast iron grill pan gets preheated to at least 500°F (260°C); an infrared thermometer takes the guesswork out of confirming it. Wipe the marinade off the steak before it hits that heat. Wet marinade on a screaming hot surface flares and burns before it has a chance to char properly, so a dry surface sears clean. About one minute per side is enough, then a five minute rest on the cutting board before slicing.
The mini peppers cook alongside in the air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes, turned once partway through. They are not a garnish here; they get equal billing on the plate.
Common Mistakes and Gotchas
A few things worth watching for:
- Wipe the marinade off before grilling. Skipping this step means flare ups and an uneven char rather than a clean sear.
- Confirm grill temperature with an infrared thermometer rather than guessing. A grill that has not reached at least 500°F (260°C) will not build a proper crust in the short sear time this method calls for.
- Rest the steak for a full five minutes before slicing, even though the sous vide step already brought it to temperature. Resting still matters for the juices to settle.
- Slice against the grain. Flap steak has a visible grain running through it, and cutting with it instead of across it makes every bite tougher than it needs to be.
- If using the all grill method instead of sous vide, do not rush the indirect stage. Pulling the steak too early leaves the center underdone once it moves to the hot side.
Serving and Storage
Serving
Plate the sliced steak and the air fried peppers together, with a warmed tortilla and fresh salsa alongside. The tortilla is a side here, not a wrapper; this is served the way you would plate an asado, not folded into a taco. Serve a fresh batch of chimichurri at the table so everyone can spoon on as much as they like, the way it is traditionally used in Argentina and Uruguay.
If you want to make tacos out of this instead, nothing is stopping you. Shredded cabbage, grated cheese, guacamole, and extra salsa turn the same components into a taco night, an American twist on an already fusion plate. Just know that leaning this direction moves further from Argentine tradition and closer to Tex-Mex, which is a fine choice, just worth naming honestly rather than pretending otherwise.
Storing
Refrigerate leftover steak in a sealed container for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently, either in a low oven or a covered skillet over low heat, just until warmed through. A microwave will overcook the edges before the center catches up, undoing the even doneness the sous vide step worked to achieve. Fresh chimichurri keeps well sealed in the refrigerator for several days and can also be spooned over the reheated leftovers.
FAQ
Is this a traditional Argentine dish?
No, and it is not meant to be. The chimichurri sauce and marinade are Argentine in origin. The sous vide method and the tortilla presentation are not. This is a fusion plate that borrows from all three rather than a claim to authenticity for any one of them.
Can I make this without a sous vide?
Yes. Use indirect heat on the grill to bring the steak to 130°F (54°C) internally, checked with an instant read thermometer, then move it to the hot side to build the char. It takes closer attention than a water bath, but the result is the same.
Do I have to use flap steak?
Flap steak is what I used, but the sous vide method works with nearly any cut, from a budget-friendly hanger or skirt steak up to something like filet mignon if you want to treat yourself. The chimichurri marinade and the technique stay the same regardless of cut.
Can I turn this into tacos?
Yes. Add shredded cabbage, grated cheese, guacamole, and extra salsa, and build tacos with the same steak, peppers, and tortillas. It moves the dish further toward Tex-Mex and further from Argentine tradition, but it is a genuinely good way to eat the leftovers.
Step by Step Photos
Chimichurri Steak Sous Vide with Grilled Peppers Recipe
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Chimichurri Beef
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds flap steak
- 1 cup chimichurri sauce
Serving (all optional)
- Bread or Tortillas
- Grilled Bell Peppers
- Cabbage, shred
- Onion, chopped
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Avocado, chopped
- Cheese, shredded if desired
- Salsa, if desired
Instructions
- If you had frozen the beef remove it from the freezer and put the bag directly into the cooking vessel.
- Add water and the sous vide immersion cooker. Set the cooker to 130 °F (54 °C) for 2 hours.
- At the last 5 minutes before the beef is done, heat a cast iron grill to about 500 °F (260 °C)
- Remove the beef from the bag and wipe it down. Oil the grill slightly and put the beef on the grill.
- Let the beef sear on each side.
- Let the beef rest before cutting it.
- Serve the chimichurri sauce with the beef.
- This is very good with grilled peppers.
Related Recipe
Chimichurri
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin (ground)
- 1/2 cup Water (very hot)
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 8 cloves Garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup Cilantro (fresh)
- 1 cup parsley (fresh leaves)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper (freshly ground)
Instructions
Mise en place
Put the oregano, paprika, chili flakes and cumin in the food processor and process to mix.
Add the hot water and let the mixture sit for a about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until all the ingredients have mixed and are all very small. Do not over process.
