What is chimichurri sauce?
Chimichurri sauce is the quintessential Argentine dressing for barbeque meat, a traditional sauce that adds to the authenticity of the Argentine experience.
This Argentine Creole dish is a loose oil-based condiment used to accompany barbecued meats or churrasco. it can range from the traditional red pepper base to the more modern fresh-herb version.
This sauce is so popular and unique that all chefs from Gordon Ramsay to Bobby Flay have a variation of the sauce. This sauce is so popular that it can now be bought pre-prepared, such as with Haven’s Kitchen’s Chimichurri sauce.
I prefer to stick to the original version, as taught by the churrasquieros of Argentina, as trained at the Argentine Barbecue school, It is simple and easy to make, takes 20 minutes of prep time and the results always amaze my guests
History of Chimichurri.
The origins of this sauce have been forgotten in the fog of history, leaving us with 2 distinct creation myths:
- The more popular source of the name comes from the Spanish and English aboriginal terms for “give me the condiments” or chemi-curry, a twist on “che-mi-sal-sa”
- A more whimsical creation story is that the original creator of the sauce was a Scots trader named Jimmy Curry, who sought to repalce the traditional Worcestershire sauce usign local ingreditents. The Argentines, struggling with the “J” mispronounced it “Chimi Curry” or “Chimmi Churri”.
Whichever story strikes your fancy, this sauce is intrinsically linked to the British prisoners captured during their raids on the Spanish colonies along the River Plate in the 1800s.
What is chimichurri sauce used for?
Chimichurri is used as a condiment for churrasco, or Argentinian grilled meats. It is usually used on beef, chicken, fish, or grilled chorizo sausage, but lately has found its way onto pork, grilled vegetables, and salads. Due to the use of fresh herbs, it is not meant to be used as a marinade and is rather applied straight after the meat comes off the grill to return some much-needed oil and add freshness.
A well-balanced chimichurri will hit at acidity, sweetness, and garlic, with no particular overpowering taste.
What ingredients are used to make chimichurri?
Preparing a proper Chimichurri starts with the ingredients. The lack of cooking, the simplicity of the basic recipe means that there is no place to hide. Get the ingredients wrong, the ratios ever so slightly off and the sauce is simply not right.
The basic sauce comprises of onions, garlic, red pepper, oregano, chili, vinegar, salt, water, and oil. To this base, various herbs such as cilantro, parsley, chives, and rocket have been added over the years, changing the basic sauce from a red sauce to a green sauce.
Argentinian chimichurri recipe:
The Argentine recipe differs greatly from the more modern sauces of the same name, perhaps the changes are due to the greater availability of fresh herbs these days, or a more developed palate? Or maybe, it is simply a search for fame as a chef that has driven this sauce from its humble beginnings to a modern choir of herbs.
The original Argentine Creole condiment is prepared from sauteed onions, garlic, and red pepper to which ground chili, oregano, vinegar, water, and oil are added. More modern versions of this sauce include fresh herbs such as parsley and cilantro as well.
Uruguay chimichurri recipe:
The main difference between chimichurri from Uruguay and Argentina seems to be that the Uruguayan recipes use parsley and salt instead of red peppers. This changes the sauce in appearance, making it much greener while the Argentine version is redder.
A traditional Chimichurri from Uruguay is made from olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic, red chili, oregano, salt and pepper.
There is another difference in that the Argentine version does recommend cooking down the onions and garlic to make them sweeter and less pungent.
How to make Chimichurri:
Making a simple sauce is a passion project. Too many chefs simply gather the ingredients and blend them into a paste or even worse, a puree, in a food processor. This shortcut saves on chopping time but condemns the loose, oil-based condiment to an insipid herbed mash. The worst part though is that it becomes very easy to get the ratios wrong and the sauce is off-kilter.
Always start with a little of the strongest ingredients – onions, garlic, salt and chili. Balance these first, then add in the rest, a little at a time until you reach your desired taste. It is always possible to add flavor, never to remove it!
Chopping the ingredients by hand allows for a coarser and yet looser, silkier blend which can be dripped over the steak or chicken.
Method:
Chop all your ingredients finely. Put the oil and vinegar in a glass bowl. Add the garlic, herbs and (if using) red pepper and onions. Stir. Add half the chopped chili and stir again. Allow to settle for at least 5 minutes, ideally 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt, pepper and chilies. If the sauce is too garlicky, thin out with more herbs and red pepper. Allow to settle for another 10 minutes and taste again, adjusting as required.
Top Tips:
- Take 2-4 large garlic cloves. 2 cloves will give a very mild garlic flavor, 4 cloves will give a much stronger flavor. Chop them finely and mix into your sauce. Let this rest for 10 minutes – garlic takes time to infuse. Taste and add more if required.
- Red wine vinegar packs in much more flavor, avoid balsamic (too flavorful) or white vinegar (which is flavorless). White wine vinegar or lemon juice are good substitutes.
- oregano is a very delicate herb. Simply take a bunch and rip off the leaves. The tearing action will help release the flavor and the leaves are small enough to be used as-is.
- Take a large bunch of parsely (don’t worry, if you have too much, simply freeze it). Wash it, coarsly tear it up into a glass and use scissors to chop it finely.
- Fresh chili, while optional, is best suited for this dish. Experiment with various chilies as these vary in flavor and burn. Ideally you want a slight tingke when you bite. If you prefer, use garlic flakes, though they will be less visually appealing.
- Olive oil is a must. Avoid subsititues if you can and look for an oil that is naturally flavorful.
- If using red pepper, cook them slightly, if you can, roast them on an open flame, then peel off the charred skin and chop finely. The pepper will develop a smoky sweetness that enhances the meat.
- Wait, taste and adjust, then wait some more. A good chimichurri can be made in a hurry, a great chimichurri takes time as the flavors of the ingredients are released more slowly.
Does chimichurri need to be refrigerated?
No. Chimichurri should be allowed to rest for at least 2 hours before use. Serving this condiment at room temperature is ideal as it allows the flavors to have more impact and it will not cool your meat too fast.
Fresh chimichurri can be prepared up to a day (24 hours) in advance if required. Always take it out of the fridge and allow the sauce to return to room temperature before serving.
Parsley sauce for steak:
This is one of the famous twists on the traditional chimichurri, with enough variation to warrant its own entry in a chef’s repertoire, yet similar enough that the flavors will work in the same way – perfect for fish or a grilled steak!
Parsley sauce, or lemon parsley sauce is a close relative to the traditional chimichurri. Simply replace the red wine vinegar with lemon juice, exchange the oregano for parsley and lose the biting chili for a smooth lemon zest!
This sauce is typically much thicker than a chimichurri, with a greater tang and earthier tomes from the parsley.
Cilantro and parsley chimichurri:
Traditional Argentine chimichurri does not have cilantro OR parsley while the Uruguayan tradition does not have parsley AND cilantro. This particular combination is more akin to a salsa verde than a chimichurri. We have a great guide that highlights the differences between these two sauces.
Cilantro has been used more recently in chimichurri to lift the flavor profile and make it robust enough to hold up to basting sauces. THis is simply the wrong approach and ruins an otherwise great sauce.
Chimichurri without parsley:
Traditional Argentine chimichurri does not have parsley. Modern twists on the Uruguay version will have cilantro replace the parsley, to give the end product a fresher taste that intrigues the palette.
Cilantro is often associated with Mexican or Asian dishes and is a much stronger herb, potentially masking the delicate flavor of a perfectly grilled steak. If using cilantro, reduce the amount of cilantro and increase the amount of oregano to maintain a balance with the stronger herb.
Chimichurri without oil:
Health-conscious chefs have developed their own twists on this great condiment. The obvious challenge with chimichurri is the liberal use of olive oil which, while the most healthy of oils, still carries a lot of calories.
Removing the oil from the recipe means that the sauce itself will be much thicker, more like a paste than a dressing. Cutting the sauce with water can help maintain the loose feeling of the sauce. Using more herbs and blending some of these helps create a paste in which the remainder of the herbs are chopped. Adding cilantro and lime juice helps with the balance.
The resulting mix is creamier, closer to a pesto but still close enough to the original recipe that most will not notice the changes.
Chimichurri without salt:
The Argentine tradition does not add salt to the sauce, but rather ensures that the meat is salted to perfection at the end of the barbecuing process. Not only is this healthier, but it also means that the herbs remain fresh for longer, giving the sauce a longer shelflife.
Using salt in recipes that use oil as a base is challenging – salt simply does not dissolve in the oil, leaving one with a residue at the bottom of the dish. To compensate, most chefs over-salt these sauces, hoping to magically break the laws of physics. At best, stirring the sauce quickly just prior to using it will cause the salt to be temporarily suspended in the oil, giving the illusion of a proper balance.
The risk in using salt this way is high as not stirring the sauce enough will leave the bulk of the salt at the bottom of the dish while the chef attempts to balance a sauce that is already perfect, usually creating an oversalted mess.
Can I use Chimichurri sauce on Pizza?
The traditional sauce is designed for less fatty proteins such as meat, chicken or fish and adds a welcome sheen of flavored oil to these. Pizza of itself can be quite greasy if prepared incorrectly and therefore the chimichurri sauce should be adapted carefully for this use.
If possible, use our dried chimichurri mix, or carefully drain the oil from the herbs prior to drizzling over the pizza. Either way, you will not regret it! This sauce really goes well with everything!
Other uses for Chimichurri sauce:
- Salad dressing: This sauce has all of the elements of a salad dressing, vinegar, oil, sweetness, garlic, pepper. Simply adjust the acidity as prefered and use to dress the lettuce!
- Dip: Either use directly as a dip for raw vegetables or corn chips, or drain off the oil and mix the herbs with some mayonnaise to make a creamier dip. Why not add some mustard to enhance the flavor?
- Roasted vegetable dressing: Simply add to your roasted vegetables prior to serving to add bags of flavor.