Fresh from the low-carb cookbook Keto Cooking for Healing and Weight Loss, this is one of the easiest, most delicious (and affordable) low-carb keto steak dinner recipes we’ve ever tried, whether you sear it in a grill pan or on the grill! The book’s author, Vivica Menegaz, says as much and also explains the benefits of this tasty meal. She promises, “You will love this easy dish and the vinaigrette, or “vinagrete,” as they say in Brazil, which includes some powerful healing ingredients, like pepper, onion and cilantro. These ingredients help to remove heavy metals from the body, and provide a good source of fat with the medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. The meat provides much-needed raw protein, if you leave it rare in the middle. Raw meat provides essential amino acids in their intact state, which makes them easily absorbable."[Reprinted with permission from Keto Cooking for Healing and Weight Loss by Vivica Menegaz, Page Street Publishing Co. 2021. Photo credit: Yasmin Alishav]
Ingredients List
- 1/2 cup (8 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (75 g) onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (100 g) tomato, finely chopped)
- 1/2 serrano pepper, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, pressed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) MCT oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vinegar (we suggest red wine vinegar)
- 1½ lb (681 g) skirt steak
- 4 Tbsp (60 g) coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix the cilantro, onion, tomato, serrano pepper, garlic, lime juice, unrefined sea salt, black pepper, MCT oil and vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Place the meat on a plate and sprinkle with the coarse salt on both sides. Do not rub the salt in or it will be too salty. Let sit for 30 minutes, so it soaks up the salt and comes to room temperature.
- Heat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat, until very hot. Sear the steak on the grill pan for about 3 minutes per side, until medium rare.
- Remove the steak from the grill pan, shaking off the excess salt, and place on a warm plate. Cover and let rest for about 10 minutes.
- Slice the steak in thin slices against the grain of the meat. Serve immediately with the vinaigrette on the side.
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Question… are most of the carbs coming from the onion? If so, I may skip that. I make a cilantro and/or parsley “pesto” often, which is very similar to this sauce, but without onion. I’d rather save the carbs. 🙂
Thanks in advance.
Maria
My husband loves this meal! I am vegetarian but put the salsa over an avocado and had cucumber chips on the side it was so good! Thank you
Thanks for sharing, Gena.
I’ve had this dish many times in South America, and it is simple and delicious. My version uses parsley instead of cilantro, and the meat is rubbed with garlic before cooking. This takes the flavor of the meat to the next level!
Yay, Patty! Thanks for the ideas, too. We’ll try them!
It sounds so easy and delicious, the red wine vinegar will definetly bring all the flavors together and give it a more Brazilian taste. Love the idea of using MCT oil, I started using it over my salads and it gives a smooth and moist, but not heavy, texture to the greens. Can’t wait to try this dish 🙂
Wonderful, Tulips! Let us know what you think and thanks for taking the time to comment.