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Spice up your steak and other meals with chimichurri in this easy to follow recipe of Argentina’s famous and delicious traditional sauce.

Chimichurri recipes in Argentina run far and wide as many people in this steak-loving country appreciate the art of grilling. All chimichurri sauces have a common base, but vary depending on the different ingredients used to create the sauce. Some chimichurri’s, which are also used for seasoning, are more salty; others, more aromatic, or spicy.

The origins of chimichurri sauce, which spread throughout the world, are really as uncertain as its etymology. There are those who claim that the sauce was born among the prisoners who stayed in Argentina during the English invasions of the Spanish colonies in the early nineteenth century. The reason people think this is because the word chimichurri is a deformation of the phrase “che, my curry”, used by prisoners. They used curries to season different meats, and used the typical Argentine interjection “che,” when naming this newly invented seasoning. Another fun fact is that although curry originates in India, it was widely used by the English, due to Britain keeping India as a colony from the 18th century until 1947.

Chimichurri (Flickr)

Other historians claim that it was an Irish immigrant named James McCurry who created the liquid dressing due to not finding anything similar to Worcestershire or English sauce in South America. The name (Jimmy) next to his last name (Curry) is said to have given rise to the now popular chimichurri.

Aside from the stories, the important thing is that this light seasoning, which has become very popular in Argentina has crossed borders and is now used in different countries, becoming a part of different gastronomic cultures around the world.

Let’s do it!

The way of preparing Argentine chimichurri is very simple. In general, it is recommended to leave it ready a few hours before roasting, so that the flavors can be fully mixed together.

There are those who use it directly on meats when they are placed on the grill, and then there are those who prefer to use it directly on the plate, when the food is served.

A piece of steak with chimichurri sauce (Flickr)

Chimichurri can season both red and white meats (for example it pairs very well with roast chicken), but is highly regarded for enhancing the flavor of steak, beef rib or lamb when cooked on the flame.

Many years ago, the gastronomy industry recreated this delicacy in the form of salsa to make it more commercialized. Other companies also began selling it in a bunch of different ways as well, ranging from aromatic to spicy sauces.

So, now that you know a bit more about the history of this iconic Argentinian sauce, how do you make it?

For a traditional chimichurri sauce you need:

-Two garlic cloves

-A bay leaf

-Dried oregano

-Ground garlic

-Peppers

-Fresh parsley

-Oil

-Vinegar

-Salt and pepper

First finely chop the garlic and place it in a jar or sauce boat. Then add a tablespoon of the dried oregano, a teaspoon of ground pepper ( you can add more according to taste), chopped parsley, a teaspoon of paprika, the bay leaf, and two tablespoons of vinegar and six tablespoons of oil. Then add some salt and pepper.

Once that is done, let it rest for at least two hours. For best results try to have the chimichurri sauce prepared the day before you want to season your meat. Once the sauce is ready to go you can keep it for up to a week, so long as you leave it in the refrigerator.

Lastly, have fun with this recipe! If you want to add something different then go ahead and add it. Everything depends on your taste and how you like to grill. ■