Grilled Tenderloin Churrasco With 3 Herb Chimichurri Recipes

Steps:

• For spice rub:
• Combine all ingredients in small bowl.
• Do ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For chimichurri sauce:
• Combine first 8 ingredients in blender; blend until almost smooth. Add 1/4 of parsley, 1/4 of cilantro, and 1/4 of mint; blend until incorporated. Add remaining herbs in 3 more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition.
• Do ahead: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover; chill.
• For beef tenderloin:
• Let beef stand at room temperature 1 hour.
• Prepare barbecue (high heat). Pat beef dry with paper towels; brush with oil. Sprinkle all over with spice rub, using all of mixture (coating will be thick). Place beef on grill; sear 2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium-high. Grill uncovered until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of beef registers 130°F for medium-rare, moving beef to cooler part of grill as needed to prevent burning, and turning occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer to platter; cover loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes. Thinly slice beef crosswise. Serve with chimichurri sauce.
• *Available at specialty foods stores and from tienda.com.

Steps:

• Prepare the chimichurri. Combine the herbs and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add the oil, vinegar, water, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes and process to make a thick sauce. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or vinegar, to taste. The chimichurri should be highly seasoned. Pour a 1/4 of the chimichurri into a baking dish just large enough to hold the tenderloin.
• Holding the knife parallel to the cutting board, cut the tenderloin lengthwise into 4 flat even slices. Place each slice between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with the side of a cleaver (or a scaloppini pounder) to a thickness of 1/4-inch. Arrange the steaks on top of the chimichurri in the baking dish. Pour another 1/4 of the chimichurri on top. Marinate the beef for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. If using charcoal, toss the chips directly on the coals. If using gas, place them in the smoker box and preheat until you see smoke. If your grill lacks a smoker box, use a foil smoking pouch. Arrange the beef slices on the grate on the diagonal and grill until cooked to taste, about 2 minutes a side for medium-rare, rotating the slices 90 degrees after 1 minute to create an attractive crosshatch of grill marks. Transfer the churrasco to plates or a platter and serve with the remaining chimichurri sauce on the side.

Steps:

• Pulse the garlic, shallot and jalapeno in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the olive oil, carrot tops, cilantro, vinegar and oregano and pulse until the herbs are roughly chopped. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days; serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• Pat steaks dry and sprinkle both sides with rub. After rub is applied, let steaks sit on counter for the chill to leave the meat. Prepare grill for cooking steaks - will be grilled on high heat. Grill steaks on lightly oiled grill rack turning over once and moving around to avoid flare-ups if necessary. Cook time will be 6 to 8 minutes total for medium-rare, for steaks that are 1/4 inch thick. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 3 to 5 minutes. Thinly slice steaks diagonally. Plate and serve steak with chimichurri sauce.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except oil. Add oil and blend with food processor until thoroughly mixed.
• Place all ingredients in blender. Turn blender on low 15 seconds until fennel seed is broken down. Store in airtight container and use when needed.

Steps:

• Pat the steaks dry and place in a large zip-top bag.
• Combine the garlic, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, adobo seasoning and salt in the bowl of a pilón or mortar and pestle, or a small food processor. Grind into a thin paste, then pour the marinade over the steak. Zip the bag then shake well to coat the meat, rubbing in gently as needed. Let rest on the counter for 10 to 20 minutes, or refrigerate overnight if you have time. Be sure to let the steak come to room temperature before grilling.
• If using a charcoal grill, start by building a fire with hardwood and kindling, then adding lump hardwood charcoal once the fire is kicking. Allow the fire to mellow. If using a gas grill, set the temperature to 500 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the wasakaka: Combine the lime juice, parsley, cilantro, oregano, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to incorporate. If you'd like a creamier sauce, blend in a small food processor or blender. (Wasakaka will keep for 3 or 4 days in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.)
• Once the grill is ready, remove skirt steak from the bag and shake off excess marinade. Place on the grill and sear for 1 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, pull up the corner to ensure the steak has a good dark char, bordering on burned in places, before flipping, then cook for 1 more minute for rare, 2 minutes for medium-rare. Be careful not to overcook or steak will be tough.
• Remove steak from grill and let rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Slice into strips and pour over wasakaka, or serve sauce on the side. Taste and sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.