Have you ever tried cowboy steak? It’s a beef rib eye steak that’s grilled so the bone sticks out. Fry first, then finish over low heat. Serve with a tangy herb garlic chimichurri sauce.
What is cowboy steak?
When I first saw a “cowboy steak” at our local butcher, all I thought was, “Wow, that’s a BIG steak!”
The cowboy steak looks like a two-inch-thick steak ping-pong paddle, but it’s actually a beef rib-eye with the bone Frenched. So if you were the cowboy eating that steak, you could just hold it by the bone. (So cowboys don’t use forks and knives?)
I can just see Marlboro Man sitting by the campfire, tin coffee cup in one hand, cowboy steak in the other.
Or maybe it’s just a marketing ploy to sell more steaks.
Why cowboy steak? Bone-in flavor!
In any case, we love cooking meat on the bone for flavor and this is a very flavorful cut. We marinated the steak in an Argentinian chimichurri sauce and served it with it. Appropriate, because as you know, Argentina is home to the famous gauchos, South American cowboys.
Have you ever cooked a cowboy steak? If yes, what is your favorite way to do it? Please let us know in the comments.
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Check out this recipe for cowboy steak with chimichurri sauce
Troubleshooting tips when cooking the steak
- Make sure the steak is at room temperature before frying.
- Regardless of how you cook the steak, make sure you cook it slowly and evenly.
- After cooking, let the meat rest for about 10 minutes to allow the juice to drain back into the meat before slicing.
CONTINUE READING:
More steak recipes to try!
- peppercorn steak
- Fried chicken steak
- Swiss steak
- Hanger steak with shallots
- Stuffed flank steak
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Cowboy steak with chimichurri sauce
A cowboy steak is a fairly thick (2 inch) piece of meat. It lends itself well to searing first to brown and then cooking more slowly, either with indirect heat on the grill or in the oven.
If you can’t find a cowboy steak, you can substitute a regular thick rib eye steak or other marbled steak that’s about 2 inches thick. Best cut on the bone for the best flavor.
ingredients
Chimichurri:
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1 1/2 cups tightly packed fresh flat leaf Parselythick stems removed
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4 to 6 cloves garlic
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3 tablespoon Fresh oregano leaves
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3 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
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3/4 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
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1 1/2 teaspoon sea-salt
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1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Steak:
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1 (2–lb) “Cowboy steak‘, or another 2-inch-thick bone-in beef rib steak
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Kosher salttaste
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Fresh ground black peppertaste
method
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Prepare the chimichurri:
Finely chop the parsley, garlic and oregano (you can also use a food processor) and place in a small bowl.
Stir in the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper and paprika flakes.
Set aside two-thirds of the sauce to serve with the steak. (Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature while you cook the steak). Use the remaining third of the sauce for the marinade.
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Marinate steak:
Place the steak in a bowl or large zip-top bag. Take about a third of the prepared chimichurri sauce and brush it over the steak.
Cover completely with plastic wrap or remove air from the ziplock bag and seal securely. Let steak marinate for several hours.
Remove the steak from the refrigerator 2 hours before roasting to allow it to reach near room temperature before roasting.
Wipe the marinade off the steak just before roasting and sprinkle the steak liberally with salt and pepper.
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Cook the steak on the grill, stovetop, or oven:
Grill Instructions:
Prepare the grill so that one side has high, direct heat and another side has indirect heat. Coat the grill grates with vegetable oil. Place the steak first on the high, direct heat side of the grill to sear it. Grill for a minute or two on each side, enough to brown the meat.
Then transfer the steak to the indirect heat side of the grill. Cover the grill and try to maintain a grilling temperature of 350°F. Cook for 5-10 minutes (or longer) until steak is done to desired doneness.
You can use finger testing to check doneness, or a meat thermometer. For Rare, pull the meat off the grill at an internal temperature of 120°F. For Medium Rare 125 to 130°F.
Place the meat on a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Hob/Oven Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Hold the steak fat-side down to add some fat to the pan. Then fry each side until nicely browned, about a minute or two at a time.
Place the steak in the oven (if using a cast iron skillet, you can place the whole pan in the oven) to your desired doneness, between 5 and 15 minutes depending on the thickness and size of the steak and how well you cook it like it.
You can use finger testing to check doneness, or a meat thermometer. For Rare, pull the meat out of the oven when the internal temperature is 120°F. For Medium Rare 125 to 130°F.
Place the meat on a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
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Surcharge:
Serve the steak with the remaining chimichurri sauce on the side.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 888 | calories |
| 69g | Fat |
| 3g | carbohydrates |
| 60g | protein |
