Chef notes
It’s time to put away the sliced ham and cheese and take your sandwich game to the next level with this grilled skirt steak sandwich. This sandwich has it all — layers of crunchy, creamy, herby and protein-packed ingredients. Marinated steak gets thinly sliced and layered on grilled ciabatta rolls with caramelized onions, creamy cheese, peppery arugula and a drizzle of punchy chimichurri. Peanut butter and jelly, who?
The real joy of this recipe is how many elements can be prepped ahead of time, making assembly a breeze. Homemade chimichurri does double duty by acting as a marinade for the steak, as well as a spread for the sandwich. Skirt steak is the cut of choice here, thanks to how well it can hold up a marinade (you can prep it up to one day ahead of time) and more importantly, how quickly it cooks. When it comes time to prepare, all it takes is two minutes per side over high heat to get the steak perfectly cooked. Although caramelized onions take some babysitting on the stove, they add a real umami flavor to the sandwich and shouldn’t be skipped.
Technique Tip: Skirt steak tends to be long, so if you want to make it over the stovetop, cut it into smaller portions that can easily fit into the pan of your choice.
Swap Option: If you can’t find skirt steak, try another cut like New York strip steak, ribeye, tri-tip or sirloin.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup minced shallots
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds skirt steak, cleaned and cut into 4- to 6-ounce steaks
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons stone-ground Dijon mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (5-ounce) package soft herbed cheese
- 4 cups baby arugula
Preparation
1.Make the chimichurri sauce: in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients until combined. Transfer to a non-reactive food safe container and refrigerate until ready to use.
2.Place skirt steaks in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Add 1 cup of prepared chimichurri sauce and massage the meat so that the sauce gets evenly distributed. Refrigerate the steak for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
3.Meanwhile, set a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add butter, oil and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until onions are soft, sweet and caramelized. Transfer the caramelized onions to a food-safe container and set aside at room temperature until ready to assemble the sandwiches.
4.In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, mustard, pepper and sugar. Transfer to a food safe container and refrigerate until ready to use.
5.Preheat your grill: one side on high heat and the other side on low heat.
6.Remove the steaks from refrigerator and allow any excess sauce to drip off back into the bag. Place the marinated skirt steaks on a platter while the grill heats.
7.Place the marinated skirt steaks on the high-heat side of the grill and cook for about 2 minutes, then flip onto an unused portion of the high-heat side of the grill and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak reaches 125 to 130 F. If the steaks require more time cooking, transfer them to the low heat side of the grill and cook with the lid closed until desired doneness is achieved. Transfer the cooked steaks to a cutting board and allow them to rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
8.While the meat rests, slice the ciabatta in half lengthwise and scoop both sides of the bread. Drizzle the center of the bread with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the bread cut-side down for about 1 minute or until lightly toasted.
10.To Assemble: Place the grilled ciabatta on a clean cutting board. Smear the bottom half of the loaf with the soft herbed cheese. Top with an even layer of the prepared caramelized onions. Slice the skirt steak against the grain to your desired thickened and arrange on top of the onions. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of chimichurri, then top with Arugula. Generously spread 4 to 6 tablespoons of prepared lemon mustard on the top slide of the grilled ciabatta. Flip and place on top of the arugula. Secure the sandwich with toothpicks and, using a serrated knife, slice into desired pieces and serve.
