Churrasco is a long flat cut of steak, marinated and cooked until perfectly tender and juicy. The trick to perfectly cooked churrasco is to cook the steak hot and fast resulting in a crispy, seared exterior without overcooking the interior. Top churrasco with homemade chimichurri sauce for a 5-star meal any day of the week!
My husband loves churrasco so I like to make this for him on special occasions. The chimichurri can be made ahead of time which makes it taste even better, as time allows the flavors to develop. I usually serve churrasco with white rice, black beans, tostones, and avocado for a restaurant-quality meal sure to impress!
What cut of meat is used for churrasco?
Skirt steak is the cut of meat used for churrasco, however you could use hanger steak or flank steak. The actual meaning of the word churrasco is any boneless cut of beef that is grilled over hot coals or on a very hot skillet and sliced into thin strips. So really, any cut of meat will do.
However, if you are not comfortable with cooking steak or don’t have a lot of experience I recommend using a cut like rib eye or NY strip. Those cuts are easier to cook because the meat is more tender and therefore hard to get wrong. Rib eye is very thick so it takes longer to cook. But it’s so juicy and tender, even if you accidentally overcook it, it will still be delicious!
What’s the difference between carne asada and churrasco?
Both churrasco and carne asada are Latin American terms for cuts of beef that are marinated, cooked over an open flame, and thinly sliced. The main difference is their origin.
Churrasco is a Portuguese word that translates to barbecue or grilled meat. This style of cooking meat over an open flame originated in Brazil and has become popular in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Carne asada is a Spanish word that also translates to grilled meat but it originated in Mexico. This dish is prepared almost the same way as churrasco, except it is seasoned with Mexican spices like cumin, chili powder and sometimes chipotle peppers.
How to cook skirt steak properly?
Skirt steak is long and thin which means it can become overcooked quickly resulting in dry and chewy meat. It’s best to cook the steak medium-rare to medium. If you like your steak well done, slice it thinner to make it easier to chew.
First, begin by marinating the steak. Add crushed garlic, adobo, sazón, spices, oil, lime juice, and vinegar to a large mixing bowl or large ziplock bag. Add the steaks and allow them to marinate for at least 20 minutes on the countertop or up to overnight in the refrigerator. The longer the better!
I use Healthy Rican Adobo and Sazón. They are free of harmful ingredients like MSG and dyes. Use my code: curlsnpearlsss for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!
Make sure to get your pan piping hot. A cast-iron skillet is best since it can withstand an extreme amount of heat. Cooking the steak hot and fast will allow it to get a good sear on the outside while not overcooking on the inside.
Cook the steak until well seared on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip when the bottom has a nice dark char. Cook about 2-3 minutes on the other side, 2 minutes for medium-rare, 3 minutes for medium. If you have a meat thermometer, cook until the steak registers 130 to 135°F for medium-rare or 135 to 140°F for medium. Be very careful not to overcook or churrasco will be tough and dry.
Remove the steak from the skillet or grill and let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Slice into strips making sure to cut against the grain. Pour chimichurri sauce over the top and serve.
How to slice skirt steak?
Slice skirt steak against the grain. Look for the direction that the muscles run. Then slice opposite that direction. This breaks the long muscle fibers, making the steak much easier to chew.
What goes well with churrasco?
One of the most popular sauces served with churrasco is chimichurri. This sauce originated in Argentina and Uruguay and is made with fresh herbs and spices and dressed with olive oil, citrus juice, and red wine vinegar.
I also like to serve churrasco with white rice, black beans, tostones, and avocado. This dish also pairs well with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.
How to make chimichurri?
Chimichurri is made with fresh parsley and cilantro, shallots, garlic, Fresno peppers, salt, and oregano. Finely chop the parsley, cilantro, shallot, and Fresno peppers. Crush the garlic cloves using a mortar and pestle (pilon) and add the ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Add oil, vinegar, lime juice, zest, and seasonings. Mix until well combined.
If you can’t find Fresno peppers, you can use red jalapeño peppers.
¡Por favor déjame una clasificación de estrellas y un comentario!
If you enjoy this churrasco with chimichurri sauce recipe, please leave me a 5 star review and also comment at the bottom of this blog post! Your feedback makes me so HAPPY! It also makes it easier to find my recipes on Google. THANK YOU in advance!
Si desea que le envíe mis recetas directamente a su correo electrónico, suscríbete a mi lista de correo electrónico aquí. Remember to tag me @curlsnpearlsss.eats en cualquier foto de esta receta que publiques en las redes sociales. Me encanta ver tus publicaciones, ¡realmente me alegra el día!
Sígueme en Instagram, TikTok, YouTube y Pinterest!
Churrasco Skirt Steak Recipe (with Chimichurri Sauce)
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet or stovetop grill pan
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 enteros garlic crushed
- 3 tbsp avocado oil can sub with canola, corn or vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp jugo de lima
- 1/2 tbsp adobo
- 1/2 tsp sazon
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- sal to taste
Churrasco
- 2 lbs skirt steak can sub with flank or hanger steak
Chimichurri sauce
- 1/4 taza cilantro finely chopped
- 1/4 taza parsley finely chopped
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1 red Fresno pepper or red jalapeño finely chopped, optional
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 3/4 taza extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice can sub with lime
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp ground oregano
- 1 tsp sal
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Marinate the churrasco
- Add all ingredients for the marinade in a large mixing bowl or large ziplock bag. Add the steaks and allow them to marinate for at least 20 minutes on the countertop or up to overnight in the refrigerator. The longer the better!
Make the chimichurri
- Finely chop cilantro, parsley, shallot, and Fresno pepper. Crush the garlic cloves using a mortar and pestle (pilon). Add the ingredients to a small mixing bowl.
- Add oil, vinegar, lime juice, zest, and seasonings. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
Cook the churrasco
- In a large cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle, heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil over high heat. Add steaks in a single layer and cook until well seared on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip when the bottom has a nice dark char.
- Cook about 2-3 minutes on the other side, 2 minutes for medium-rare, 3 minutes for medium. If you have a meat thermometer, cook until the steak registers 130 to 135°F for medium-rare or 135 to 140°F for medium. Be very careful not to overcook or churrasco will be tough and dry.
- Remove the steak from the skillet or grill and let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Slice into strips making sure to cut against the grain. Pour chimichurri sauce over the top and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notas
How to cook skirt steak properly?
Skirt steak is long and thin which means it can become overcooked quickly resulting in dry and chewy meat. It’s best to cook the steak medium-rare to medium. If you like your steak well done, slice it thinner to make it easier to chew. Make sure to get your pan piping hot. A cast-iron skillet is best since it can withstand an extreme amount of heat. Cooking the steak hot and fast will allow it to get a good sear on the outside while not overcooking on the inside.How to slice skirt steak?
Slice skirt steak against the grain. Look for the direction that the muscles run. Then slice opposite that direction. This breaks the long muscle fibers, making the steak much easier to chew.HEALTHY RICAN DISCOUNT:
I use Healthy Rican Adobo and Sazón. They are free of harmful ingredients like MSG and dyes. Use my code: curlsnpearlsss for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!¡Más recetas Latinas!
Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Fritters)
Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)
Puerto Rican Meatballs In Sofrito Sauce
Puerto Rican Beans (Habichuelas Guisadas)
Pollo al Horno (Baked Chicken)
Spanish 
English 
I love my steak and this recipes is just phenomenal! Love all the flavors and that chimichurri sauce is outstanding!! 10 out of 10 for me!! ❤️❤️❤️
YAY! I am so happy you enjoyed it. This was a fun recipe for me to create. Thank you for your amazing feedback, as always. xo
i’m still learning how to cook , this was the easiest recipe and the food tastes bombbb ofc , i will definitely be following more recipes from her 🥰
Yasss Hilary!!! I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. If you ever need meal inspo I GOT YOU! Please follow on social media and subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss a thing! Thank you for your amazing feedback, much appreciated! xo
Delicious! Restaurant worthy!
Thank you so much Francesca! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!