Looking like a two-inch thick ping-pong paddle made of steak, the cowboy cut of steak is actually a beef rib-eye, with the bone Frenched. So that if you were the cowboy eating this steak, you could just hold it by the bone. (So, cowboys don’t use forks and knives?) I can just see Marlboro Man now, 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 steak.
Why Cowboy Steak? Bone-in Flavor!
In any case, we love cooking bone-in meat for the flavor, and this is a very flavorful cut. We marinated the steak in, and served it with, an Argentinean chimichurri sauce. Appropriate because, as you know, Argentina is home to the famed gauchos, South American cowboys. Have you ever prepared a cowboy steak? If so, what’s your favorite way of doing so? Please let us know in the comments. If you can’t find a cowboy steak, you can substitute with a regular thick rib-eye or any other marbled steak that’s about 2 inches thick. Best to get a bone-in cut for the best flavor.
1 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh flat leaf parsley, thick stems removed
4 to 6 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Steak:
1 (2-pound) “cowboy steak”, or other 2-inch thick bone-in beef rib steak
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Stir in the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside two thirds of the sauce for serving with the steak. (Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature while you cook the steak). Use the remaining third of the sauce for the marinade. Cover completely with plastic wrap or remove air from zip-top bag and close securely. Let steak marinate for several hours. Remove steak from the refrigerator 2 hours before cooking, so that it gets close to room temperature before cooking. Right before cooking, wipe off marinade from steak and sprinkle steak generously with salt and pepper. Prepare grill so that one side has high, direct heat and another side has indirect heat. Brush grill grates with vegetable oil. Place steak first on the side of the grill with high, direct heat, so that it sears. 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, try to maintain a grill temperature of 350°F. Cook for 5-10 minutes (or more) until the steak is cooked to your desired level of doneness. You can use the finger test to check for doneness, or a meat thermometer. For rare, pull the meat off the grill at an internal temp of 120°F. For medium rare, 125 to 130°F. Remove the meat to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Stovetop/Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat a large cast iron skillet on medium high to high heat. Hold the steak fat-side down to render a little of the fat into the pan. Then, sear each side until nicely browned, about a minute or two each. Transfer the steak to the oven (if using cast iron pan, can place the whole pan in the oven) to finish to desired doneness, anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness and size of the steak and how well done you like it. You can use the finger test to check for doneness, or a meat thermometer. For rare, pull the meat out of the oven at an internal temp of 120°F. For medium rare, 125 to 130°F. Remove the meat to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
