Written by, Chef Paulette Bilsky
Yes, it is true that you can grill with butter and chocolate! The best way to do this is to start off with an amazing and flavorful cut of meat. Some gourmet grillers have never heard of my favorite cut of beef, the outside skirt*¹ steak. Chefs have always debated which of the long thin steaks are the most flavorful – inside or outside skirt or just the traditional flap (flank) steak.
This is a debate better discussed during long winter nights since everyone has their pros and cons. In my opinion, the outside skirt, when available, is the best choice. The outside skirt has an intense beefy flavor and is lean.
Another reason I choose this cut is for its versatility. The skirt steak, when grilled on an ElectriChef electric outdoor grill with a safety temperature control feature, can be grilled with temperature choices from rare to well done in each steak! You may have to ask your butcher for this cut, but it’s worth the extra effort . . . especially if you are going to add BUTTER and CHOCOLATE after grilling.
Have you ever wondered why the steak you grill in your backyard does not taste like the $40 steak at the local steak house? The reason is simple: compound butter*². Butter (real butter, not margarine) adds the final touch to any meat or vegetable right off the grill. I have created several compound butter recipes over the years and always have 2-3 choices readily available in my freezer. Banana chocolate butter has turned out to be one of my Private Client’s favorites. Why? The consensus is: everything tastes better with BUTTER and CHOCOLATE on top.
A touch of agave nectar adds a hint of sweetness, and a cacao*³ chocolate brings out the earthy tones in the grilled steak. The combination of these flavors, with real butter, will allow you to experience the $40 steakhouse flavor right in your own home!
By: Chef Paulette Bilsky
Serving Size: 2-4
PRO TIP: To keep compound butter fresh, place wrapped butter log in a plastic freezer bag or a freezer safe plastic container. Remember to write the type of butter log on the exterior!
PRO TIP: You can replace last 4 ingredients and use store bought chimichurri sauce*⁴ to save time. Also, if you increase the last 4 ingredient amounts, you can reserve extra marinade in a glass container in the refrigerator for future use.
PRO TIP: Each cut of the grilled skirt steak varies in size. The cut tends to start wide and become thinner. Be sure to consider the size of the steak and check temperatures in the thickest part of the steak. In one piece of skirt, you can have medium rare to well done in each piece. (This can be a crowd pleaser!) Wait 5-10 minutes, slice against the grain and serve.
Outside skirt*¹: A long thin cut of beef from the boneless portion of the cow’s diaphragm. There are only two outside skirts per cow thus making this cut a bit more expensive. Inside skirt or flap steak can be substituted.
Compound Butter*²: A mixture of butter and varying ingredients. Primarily, they are used to enhance flavor in finished dishes. A compound butter can be considered a sauce.
Cacao*³: The purest form of chocolate you can consume and is thought to be one of the highest sources of antioxidants of all foods. It is high in magnesium. Cacao is different from cocoa in taste, nutrition, and cost. Cocoa is what you typically buy at the store in the form of cocoa powder.
Chimichurri*⁴: An uncooked sauce used for grilled meat. It can be made in a green version (chimichurri verde) or a red version (chimichurri rojo), with the origin purported to be from Argentina. Ingredients can include chopped parsley, garlic, vegetable oil, oregano, and white vinegar. It can be used as a sauce or marinade.