How to Cook a Steak, from Live-Fire Master John Manion of El Che and Brasero – with Chimichurri to Go with

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John Manion may not be one of the flashier names in Chicago's restaurant world, but he is one of the most admired. He won Chef of the Year at Chicago's local Jean Banchet Awards this year, there's a dish named after him at one of the more cherished restaurants in the city, and he's a frequent guest and collaborator at events and other restaurants. His hedonistic live-fire Argentinean El Che Steakhouse & Bar was just placed at number 9 on Chicago magazine's 50 best restaurants list, and the Brazilian-leaning Brasero is an anchor of an ever-growing dining scene in West Town. He's also working on a new spot, having taken over the elegant space that was Proxi in the West Loop. 

Manion is best known for meat charred over fire, a love that goes back to his childhood, spent partially in Brazil. “One of the first things I can remember about food was going to a churrascaria and smelling picanha, beef dripping over charcoal,” he told Chicago magazine. He shared a method, below, for cooking picanha or rump cap (a.k.a. "a big-a-- steak," in his words) at home, where you might not have the convenience of the wood-fired grill he has at El Che. "This is usually when your smoke alarm goes off," he says of when to flip your steak while searing it, with his sense of dry humor. Let the steak shine on its own, or try his signature condiment chimichurri with his recipe below. 

How to Cook a Picanha with Chimichurri

Purchase the best quality picanha (rump cap) you can get your hands on. Quality matters. In my humble opinion, the best way to cook a large format steak indoors is utilizing the “reverse sear” method, wherein you roast the steak in the oven and then finish it in a cast iron skillet. 

Salt the steak the night before. The kids are calling this “dry-brining”, but I think the term is made up. Now everyone just accepts that “dry-brining” is what we’re calling it. Finish it with a liberal brushing of what we call at El Che "beef whip," a.k.a. a mixture of beef tallow, chopped garlic, and salt.

Chimichurri is always welcome at my table, including for a steak like this. When I’m pressed for time, I’ve been known to throw everything for the chimichurri in the food processor and pulse it a few times instead of doing all that fine chopping.

Ingredients

For the chimichurri:
3 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves (from about 3 bunches), very finely chopped (no stems!!)
6 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the steak:
1 whole rump cap (picanha), anywhere from 22- 48 oz (make sure you have a cast iron large enough to fit the steak you intend to cook)
Kosher salt
Black pepper (if it makes you happy)
8 oz beef tallow at room temperature
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Maldon salt (for finishing)

Directions

1. For the chimichurri: In a medium-size airtight container, stir together the parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes.

2. Stir in the olive oil, cover and refrigerate the chimichurri sauce overnight. 

3. For the steak: There is a pretty substantial fat cap on the picanha: do not remove, but rather score it with a sharp knife. 

4. The night before, season the picanha with kosher salt and place it on a rack in your refrigerator. 

5. Pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees. Pat the picanha completely dry and place it in the oven. Slowly roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 100 degrees. 

6. Coat the outside of the steak with a nice massage of beef tallow: not too much, just enough for a thin layer on the surface, about two ounces. This is where you want to season with black pepper if your heart desires. 

7. Mix the remaining tallow with the chopped garlic, and season with salt. 

8. Pre-heat your cast iron over medium-high.  When ready, sear the steak, cap side down, until it forms a nice crust, about 4 minutes. Flip and repeat for 3-4 minutes. Pull the steak at 120 degrees for medium rare, 125-30 for medium. Rest the beef on a rack and brush with a liberal amount of the garlic-tallow mixture.

9. When ready (after 5-10 minutes of resting), slice the steak across the grain, season with maldon flakes, and serve.