Argentine Bison Ribeye Sandwich with Chimichurri Aioli

Sam Kohler

Having been to the Patagonia region of Argentina and Chile many times, one of my favorite meals when I am down there is a grilled steak from local cattle with a fresh chimichurri sauce after a long day of fly fishing. This pairing is the perfect blend of acidity, salt, and spice that when coupled with an Argentine Malbec will make your evening meal unforgettable. Now, the reality is that every hunter or outdoorsman reaches a point in the year when they have old cuts of steak from the prior years kill or you simply have a steak that you don’t know what to do with sitting in your freezer. This steak sandwich recipe is perfect for if you fall into one of these scenarios and/or you want to reimagine the classic steak sandwich and create a delicious lunch or dinner for family and friends. 

Ingredients

Steak

• GameKeeper Butchery Bison Ribeye

Steak Marinade

(Marinade for 4-6 Steaks) 

• 2 cups of Orange Juice
• 1/2 cup of Lime Juice
• 1/2 cup of Lemon Juice
• 4-6 cloves of Smashed Garlic
• 3-4 whole tablespoons of Whole Black Peppercorn
• 1-2 tablespoons of Sea Salt
• 1 White Onion, Roughly Diced
• 1-2 cups of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (Preferably Spanish) 
• 2-3 tablespoons of Oregano (Fresh or Dried) 
• (Optional) 3-4 tablespoons of Red Pepper Flakes

Chimichurri Aioli 

• 4 egg yolks 
• 3 tablespoons of Lemon Juice 
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon
• 3/4 cup of Olive Oil 
• 1/4 cup of Vegetable Oil 
• 1 bunch of Italian Parsley, finely chopped
• 2 bunch of Cilantro, finely chopped
• Red Pepper Flakes to taste
• 2 tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar
• 3-4 cloves of Garlic, Diced
• 3-4 tablespoons of Dried Oregano
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Fried Onions

• 1 White Onion, thinly sliced
• 3-4 tablespoons of Olive Oil 

Bread 

• French Bread Loaf 
• Butter, Melted

Instructions

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix them thoroughly; preferably use fresh squeezed juice for lemons, oranges, and limes, but if not available use bottle citrus juice. 
2. Place steaks in the marinade for a minimum of 1 hour, but preferably marinade them overnight for the best natural flavor. 
3. When prepping to cook steaks take them out of the refrigerator and let them warm to room temperature. 
4. For the Aioli you can begin by placing the yolks, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and the dijon in a blender. Blend the three ingredients and slowly drizzle in the oils mixed together into the yolk mixture. Be sure not to dump the oils into the mixture all at once. (Also you can skip this step and just use mayo if you would like.) 
5.  Once the aioli is done, finely chop the parsley, cilantro, and garlic. Add these to the aioli with the red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, and the oregano and mix thoroughly by hand. The proportions of the ingredients for the chimichurri flavor of the aioli are a baseline; you can increase or decrease the amounts of different ingredients based on the flavor you desire. 
6. Chill the aioli and fry onions with some olive oil in a pan on medium-low heat to make them tender. 
7. Take your French bread and slice it in half and brush both sides of the loaf with warm butter. Place the loaf in the oven on broil or at 400 F for 10 minutes. (Be sure to constantly check on the loaf until its cooked golden brown.)
8. Once you grill or pan fry your steak all you need to do is dice the steak and add the toppings and enjoy!