Denver steak may be new to the grilling scene but don't sleep an this incredibly tender and affordable cut of beef. Paired with a tangy herbaceous Thai style chimichurri this dish will blow the doors off your taste buds
Looking for more tips for grilling checkout How long to grill a steak on a charcoal grill - The rule of threes
a Denver Steak comes from the super shoulder of the cow located on the chuck. Denver steak is also referred to as a Chuck Steak. Blade Steak, Center Blade or Zabuton Steak. This cut of beef is extremely tender and best served rare or mid rare. Cooking in a hot pan over high heat is my preferred method for cooking Denver Steaks.
How to Cook a Denver Steak?
Cooking in a hot pan over high heat is my preferred method for cooking Denver Steaks. I also like to keep the seasoning minimal because any spices including pepper will burn when seared over high heat. Make sure to use a high temperature oil like avocado or ghee when searing a Denver steak.
The Denver Steak Cut itself has only been around a short time and is unfamiliar to many steak enthusiasts. There's no interesting story on the Denver steaks name origin other then a bunch of beef producers did a bunch of market research and decided that Denver steak sounded way cooler than Zabuton.
Basically its all about a way to market a cheaper cut of beef to customers but don't let that stop you. This cut is outstanding and as it grows in popularity it is quickly becoming a favorite among grillers nationwide.
Wagyu Steaks should be cooked over high heat as well because of the deep marbling and higher fat content. Wagyu Steaks should only be cooked rare or mid rare. If you prefer medium or above I would recommend a lower less expensive grade of beef. The only wagyu beef that should be cooked longer would be larger cuts like brisket, chuck roasts and short ribs
Wagyu Steaks are given a grade of 1-5 with one being the poorest quality and 5 being the best. So if you have ever heard anyone brag about having A5 Wagyu that's because its the highest quality wagyu beef.
Australian Steaks are graded on a similar scale but the highest number score is 9. For a more in depth read on this checkout this article from Steak University
I am a big fan of using carbon steel pans for high heat searing. Cast iron also works well but I find they take a while to heat up. Carbon steel gives you the searing ability but takes a fraction of the time to heat up and cool down. Avoid searing with a nonstick pan due to the fact that they are not designed for high heat cooking.
Because I have to always put a little twist on things I wanted to put a thai style twist on the traditional chimichurri. Commonly Thai cuisine is loaded with big flavors like Garlic, ginger, chilis and lime. These flavors bring an acidic freshness to the Denver steak without overpowering the beef. Heres a list of what you'll need to make this Thai style Chimichurri.
I used a mortar and pestle for preparing the chimichurri because I wanted a chunky rustic texture but this can also be made using a food processor. Mortar and pestles are great for releasing the flavors in garlic and ginger making it a great tool to have around.
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