Denver Steak With Parsley Chimichurri: A Simple Keto Dinner
My friend and chef Jack Lininger prepared this simple keto dinner with grassfed Denver steak and fresh parsley chimichurri. New York strip works well too. Each serving provides approximately 37 grams of protein and only 2 grams of net carbohydrates.
Grassfed steak, a fresh herb sauce, 37 grams of protein, and only 2 grams of net carbohydrates per serving
Last night my friend Jack Leininger, who is a chef, made one of the recipes from our keto cookbook: Denver Steak with Parsley Chimichurri.
It was a good reminder that keto food does not need to be complicated, and it sure does not need to rely on packaged substitutes. This dinner was simply grassfed beef, fresh parsley, garlic, vinegar, beef tallow, and olive oil.
Denver steak is particularly well suited to the recipe. It has fine marbling throughout the meat and cooks quickly in a hot skillet. Jack rested the steak, sliced it thinly across the grain, and spooned the chimichurri over the top.
However, New York strip works very well when Denver steak is not available. Use the same amount of beef and the same preparation. A thicker New York strip may need a little more time in the skillet, but the important steps remain the same: cook it carefully, let it rest, and slice it across the grain before adding the chimichurri.
What Makes This a Keto Recipe?
What makes this meal keto is not a special label or a manufactured replacement food. It is the ingredient list.
There is no sugar, flour, breading, potatoes, or sweetened sauce. The small amount of carbohydrate comes mainly from the parsley and garlic in the chimichurri.
The recipe also uses beef tallow in the skillet and extra-virgin olive oil in the sauce. There are no industrial seed oils in the recipe.
Based on the original Denver steak version, each serving contains approximately:
37 grams of protein
2 grams of net carbohydrates
The recipe uses 12 ounces of steak divided between two people. A 6-ounce serving of New York strip should provide a similar amount of protein, although the exact amount will vary somewhat with the size and trim of the steak.
For me, this is the practical side of keto: enough protein, very little carbohydrate, and real food that leaves you satisfied.
Denver Steak With Parsley Chimichurri
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Protein: Approximately 37 grams per serving
Net carbohydrates: Approximately 2 grams per serving
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Tyner Pond Farm Denver steak or New York strip steak
- 1 tablespoon beef tallow
- 1 cup packed flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
Method
- Combine the parsley, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season lightly with salt and let the chimichurri stand while the steak cooks.
- Pat the steak dry and season it with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the beef tallow in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the steak for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on its thickness and the level of doneness you prefer. A thick New York strip may need a little longer than a smaller Denver steak.
- Remove the steak from the skillet and let it rest for at least 5 minutes.
- Slice the steak thinly across the grain. Spoon the parsley chimichurri over it just before serving.
The resting and slicing steps matter. Resting gives the juices time to settle back into the meat. Slicing across the grain shortens the muscle fibers and makes each bite easier to eat.
Denver Steak or New York Strip?
Denver steak has small lines of marbling running through the meat and a rich beef taste. It is also usually a practical size for a quick skillet dinner.
New York strip is a little more familiar to most people and may be thicker, depending on how it is cut. It has enough structure to stand up to the garlic, vinegar, and herbs in the chimichurri without being covered up by them.
Either cut works well. Denver steak is the original recipe, but New York strip is not a lesser substitute. It is simply another good way to make the same meal when Denver steaks are sold out or unavailable.
A Dinner Built Around Real Food
This meal does not try to imitate bread, pasta, or another high-carbohydrate food. It begins with a proper serving of beef and adds a simple sauce made from ordinary ingredients.
You could serve it with a green salad, sautéed mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, or eggs. The steak and chimichurri also work well on their own when you want to keep dinner simple.
This is the kind of food I had in mind when we put together our keto recipe collection. It does not depend on manufactured keto products. It begins with good ingredients and a straightforward way of preparing them.
In this case, it begins with grassfed beef raised here on our Indiana farm.
Good food begins with a place.
Printable Recipe
The printable sheet is written for Denver steak. When Denver is unavailable, simply substitute the same 12 ounces of New York strip and adjust the cooking time for its thickness.
