Chimichurri Bistro Filet
Chimichurri bistro filet is a lean, tender steak seared until deeply crusted, then piled with a raw parsley-and-garlic chimichurri sharp with red wine vinegar. The sauce leans on bold, peppery extra virgin olive oil, so every bite carries the polyphenols you can taste.
Recipe Success Tips
Chop it, do not blend it
Hand-chop the herbs and garlic for chimichurri with real texture. A food processor turns it into a slurry that goes muddy and loses the loose, spoonable quality you want over sliced steak.
Open a fresh, peppery bottle
The sauce lives on the oil, so use a fresh, high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil with a genuine peppery bite. That pepperiness is what gives chimichurri its edge, and a tired, flat oil will leave the sauce dull no matter how much garlic you add.
Let the sauce rest
Give the finished chimichurri at least 20 minutes at room temperature before serving. The garlic mellows, the salt draws moisture from the herbs, and the flavors settle into each other.
Dry the steak, sear it hot
Pat the filets completely dry and get the pan properly hot before the meat goes in. A wet surface steams instead of browns, and the deep crust is where most of the savory flavor comes from.
Rest, then slice against the grain
Rest the filet for five minutes so the juices settle, then slice across the grain into thin pieces. It makes a lean cut eat far more tender and gives the chimichurri more surface to cling to.
Ingredients
4
servings
- 3/4 cup Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 pounds Bistro filet steaks
- 1 cup packed Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 small Shallot, minced
- 3 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper, freshly ground
Kitchen Tools You'll Need
Cast-iron skillet or grill pan
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Small mixing bowl
Tongs
Instant-read thermometer
How to Cook Chimichurri Bistro Filet
Make the chimichurri
1
Finely chop the parsley, oregano, garlic, and shallot, and add them to a small bowl.
2
Stir in the red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
3
Pour in most of the Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and stir until the sauce is loose and spoonable, holding back a few tablespoons for finishing. Its bold, peppery bite is what gives chimichurri its edge, so taste now and adjust the salt and vinegar.
4
Set the chimichurri aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes so the garlic mellows and the herbs soften.
Sear the filet
5
Pat the bistro filets completely dry and season them all over with salt and pepper.
6
Set a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a smooth, balanced oil that holds up cleanly in the pan and lets the crust build.
7
Sear the filets undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms and an instant-read thermometer reads 130 F at the center for medium-rare.
Rest and finish
8
Move the steaks to a cutting board and rest them for 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
9
Spoon the chimichurri generously over the sliced filet, then finish with the reserved raw Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, whose peppery finish lands brightest when it never touches the heat.
Recipe Notes
A bistro filet is a shoulder cut with a lot of beefy flavor, but this method works on almost any quick-cooking steak. For more cuts and searing times, see our chimichurri steak guide.
Traditional Argentine chimichurri skips cilantro and leans on dried oregano with plenty of garlic. Our walkthrough of authentic Argentine chimichurri breaks down the classic ratios if you want to adjust.
The same sauce is excellent on poultry, so keep a jar handy for chimichurri chicken on nights you want something lighter.
The searing here uses the smooth High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, while the raw sauce and the finishing drizzle use the bolder Ultra. If you keep only one bottle, the High Phenolic will do both jobs, though the Ultra makes the chimichurri noticeably more peppery.
Store leftover chimichurri in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The olive oil will firm up when chilled, so bring the sauce back to room temperature and stir before serving. Cooked filet keeps refrigerated for 3 days.
Nutrition Facts per Serving
Nutrition Facts
Serving size 1 filet with about 3 tablespoons chimichurri (210g)
Calories
620
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 58g74%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 90mg30%
Sodium 620mg27%
Total Carbohydrate 3g1%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 32g64%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Bistro filet is a butcher's name for the shoulder tender, a small, lean cut with rich beefy flavor and a tender bite when cooked quickly and sliced against the grain. It is more affordable than tenderloin, which makes it a favorite for restaurant-style steak at home.
Bistro filet, also sold as shoulder tender or petite tender, is ideal because it is lean and takes a hard sear well. Flank, skirt, sirloin, or hanger steak all work with the same sauce if you cannot find a bistro filet.
Sear the dried, seasoned filets in a hot skillet for 3 to 4 minutes per side and pull them when an instant-read thermometer reaches 130 F at the center. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing, since the temperature will climb a few degrees as it rests.
Yes. Grill over high, direct heat for about 3 to 4 minutes per side to the same 130 F for medium-rare. Add the chimichurri only after the steak comes off the grill so the raw herbs and olive oil stay fresh and bright.
Use a fresh extra virgin olive oil with a real peppery bite, since the oil is most of the sauce. A bold, high-phenolic oil used raw carries the most flavor to the plate, while a smoother oil is better saved for searing the steak.
It is a lean, protein-rich steak dressed with an olive-oil-and-herb sauce rather than butter, which fits the Mediterranean way of eating. The extra virgin olive oil brings monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, and using a fresh, high-phenolic oil raw in the sauce means more of those polyphenols reach the plate.
Chimichurri keeps in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The olive oil firms up when cold, so let it return to room temperature and give it a stir before spooning it over the steak.
The chimichurri is better made ahead, since a few hours of rest lets the garlic and herbs settle. Sear the filet fresh just before serving so the crust stays crisp and the meat stays juicy.
A strong peppery note comes from a high-phenolic olive oil and is a sign of a fresh, lively oil. If it reads too sharp for you, balance it with a pinch more salt, a little extra vinegar, or a slightly milder oil in the mix.
Chimichurri bistro filet pairs well with roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, a simple green salad, or crusty bread to catch the extra sauce. A dry red wine rounds out the plate for a bistro-style dinner.
