Pronghorn Carne Asada with Chimichurri with Annie Weisz

 

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Annie Weisz with Peak to Plate

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Pronghorn Carne Asada with Chimichurri

Carne Asada is a classic Mexican dish that translates to “grilled meat.” The meat is marinated in a zesty citrus marinade and grilled to a perfect medium-rare. While chimichurri is actually Argentinian, it has a lot of the same ingredients as the carne asada marinade so they complement each other nicely. Bonus: You can also do all the prep work for the marinade together to save some time!

Chimichurri:

There are a lot of chimichurri recipes where you stick everything in a food processor or blender. Sometimes it’s nice to take a shortcut but chimichurri tastes 1000x better if you chop all the ingredients by hand. I find that the herbs and olive oil become bitter if they're in the blender too long and the texture is far superior when prepared by hand. It’s definitely more work but I think you’ll find it’s worth the effort!

Carne Asada:

 

Carne Asada should be cooked over an open flame (grill, firepit, etc.) but it’s still pretty delicious cooked in a cast iron pan. It’s all about the marinade and developing a good crust on the outside while keeping the meat moist and tender on the inside.

Serving:

This recipe can be served in a variety of ways. I served it with corn tortillas and fajita/taco toppings. But it is also great on it's own served like a steak. Or you can make a grilled salad, burrito bowls, you name it! Don't forget that chimichurri though. The vinegar and herb flavors really make the carne asada shine!

Recipe:

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Marinating Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Carne Asada:

• 1 lb pronghorn bottom round (or other flat steak cut like flatiron)

• 2 limes, zested and juiced

• 1 orange, juiced

• ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp ancho chili powder

• 1 fresno chili pepper, seeds and some membrane removed, finely chopped

• 1 jalapeno, seeds and some membrane removed, finely chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• ¼ cup olive oil

Chimichurri:

• 3 tbsp shallots, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 fresno chili pepper, seeds and some membrane removed, finely chopped

• 1 jalapeno, seeds and some membrane removed, finely chopped

• ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

• ½ cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

• 1 tsp salt

• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar

• ½ cup olive oil

Instructions:

Carne Asada:

1. Mix together all marinade ingredients in a glass container. Add in meat. Marinate for 2 hours before cooking. Don't marinate for longer than 2 hours or meat can become mealy.

2. Heat cast iron grill pan over high heat. Also preheat oven to 375°F. Add enough oil to coat the grates. Add meat to pan and cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Finish cooking in the oven until internal temperature reaches 120°F. Let rest 10 minutes. Slice into ¼" slices and serve with chimichurri.

3. Alternatively, you can cook this on the grill. Cook over medium high heat for 6-7 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 120°F. for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into ¼" slices and serve with chimichurri.

Chimichurri:

1. Make sure all finely chopped ingredients are really finely chopped!

2. Mix together shallots, garlic, peppers, and salt in a small/medium glass bowl. Add red wine vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.

3. Add in cilantro, parsley and olive oil. Mix until well-combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Pull out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before serving to let the olive oil soften.

5. To freeze: add chimichurri to small freezer-safe container. Pour a layer of olive oil over the top. Cover with plastic wrap touching the olive oil and place lid on container. Freeze for up to 3 months. The color may change a bit but the flavor will still be there.