Steak: compare the 3 variations
Time, effort, key ingredients, diets, nutrition and cleanup side by side, so you can pick the one that fits tonight.
Which should I make?
- Fastest Grilled with ChimichurriReady in 47 min; the others take 57 min to 1 hr 55 min.
- Easiest Grilled with ChimichurriEasy, where the others are medium.
- Lightest Grilled with ChimichurriAbout 430 calories a serving, against 690 calories or more for the others (an estimate).
- Least cleanup Pan-Seared Butter BastedOne thing to wash: cast iron skillet.
- Make it ahead Grilled with ChimichurriMake the chimichurri up to a day ahead and refrigerate.
- Dairy-free Grilled with Chimichurri and Reverse-SearedThe ones that fit dairy-free, going by the ingredient lines.
Side by side
| Grilled with Chimichurri | Pan-Seared Butter Basted | Reverse-Seared | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total time | 47 min | 57 min | 1 hr 55 min |
| Prep | 20 min | 5 min | 10 min |
| Level | Easy | Medium | Medium |
| Steps | 8 | 9 | 11 |
| Serves | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Key ingredients | flank steak, fresh parsley and red wine vinegar | boneless ribeye or strip steaks, unsalted butter and garlic | bone-in ribeye or strip steaks |
| Only in this one | flank steak, garlic powder, fresh parsley and fresh oregano | unsalted butter and fresh thyme or rosemary | None |
| Dietary | |||
| Calories | 430 | 1,150 | 690 |
| Protein | 33 g | 60 g | 42 g |
| Carbs | 3 g | 2 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 31 g | 99 g | 57 g |
| Cleanup | 4/5 2 things to wash | 5/5 1 thing to wash | 4/5 2 things to wash |
| Kid helper | No | No | No |
Nutrition is per serving. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Dietary: Based on the ingredient list and estimated nutrition; check labels; not medical advice. Cleanup score: 5 means one thing to wash, 1 means six or more. We count pots, pans, bowls and appliances, not the knife, board and spoons.
How we pick
- Fastest: the shortest total time, at least 10 minutes ahead of the next.
- Easiest: the lowest level (easy, medium, hard), then at least 2 fewer steps.
- Lightest: the fewest estimated calories a serving, at least 15% and 40 calories under the next (only when two or more have an estimate).
- Kid helper: the variation where a child can do the biggest share of the steps (no knife, no heat), when that's not all of them equally.
- Least cleanup: the best cleanup score, a point ahead of the next.
- Make it ahead: the only variation whose notes say how to make it ahead.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free: the variation that fits a diet the others don't, from the ingredient lines.
A pick needs a clear winner; close calls are left out.