Grilled Filets with Chile Vinegar Sauce are here and they’re taking our filet game to the next level! These filets were so delicious that my wife and I ate all three steaks before we had time to make any sort of side dish… Just sayin’… The citrus tang with the slight sourness of the vinegar really paired perfectly with the simple rub I used on these filets. Not to mention the shot of mezcal I snuck in there. I mean come on! If you’re looking for a switch up from your typical steak nights, this is the one to try!
Chile Vinegar Sauce
Let’s talk sauce, because it is the key to this recipe! The great thing about this Chile Vinegar Sauce is how simple it is to make. All you have to do is pour all the ingredients into a blender and boom! Sauce is prepped and ready to chill in the fridge.
Our ingredients for the Chile Vinegar Sauce cover a large spectrum of flavors. We get a bit of saltiness from the soy sauce, citrus from the orange and lime juice, some spice from our jalapeño, sour from the vinegar, a crisp crunch from the scallions and let’s not forget about the smokiness from the mezcal! The depth of flavor this sauce provides is incredible.
An Ode to Aguachile for our Grilled Filets
It’s worth mentioning that I didn’t place this Chile Vinegar Sauce directly on the grilled filets. This is because of the citric acid from the orange and lime juices. The acid will actually cook meat, so you don’t want it to make contact with the grilled filets until it’s time to serve the meal. Let me give you some additional information on why.
The inspiration for this sauce came from aguachile sauce. Aguachile is Mexican dish that’s a blend between a sauce and a marinade. The citrus acid in aguachile is used to actually cook shrimp, mussels or scallops. The seafood of choice will be placed in the aguachile (typically along with some cucumbers and onions) and allowed to marinade for about 15 minutes. It only takes 15 minutes for that citric acid to tenderize and cook the seafood and then the dish is ready for eating!
For more delicious recipes, check out my cookbook Food X Fire!
Aguachile is absolutely delicious, so I wanted to make some version of it but for this Grilled Filets with Chile Vinegar Sauce recipe. I didn’t add aguachile into the title of this recipe because it’s not the traditional version. However, I did want to highlight where this recipe idea came from. The process for including our aguachile inspired sauce is a bit different in this recipe, but the flavor is still fantastic!
Bring it All Together
The process for the remainder of this recipe is pretty straightforward. You’ll season your filets and then take them to the grill. Cook the filets to your desired temperature, and then pull off for resting. After they’ve rested, slice into each filet and place on a serving dish. From here, we add on our finishing touches. I started by spooning a generous amount of our Chile Vinegar Sauce all around our grilled filets. Then, I topped the steaks with thinly sliced red onions, crunchy hot chiles, scallions and cilantro. I also placed some avocado slices and lime halves around the dish for presentation. Best enjoyed with friends and family! Cheers!
Grilled Filets with Chile Vinegar Sauce
Ingredients
Steak:
- 3 Center Cut Filets
- 2 tsp of Kosher Salt
- 2 tsp of Black Pepper
- 1 tsp of Dried Minced Garlic
- 1 tsp of Dried Minced Onion
- 1 tbsp of Canola Oil
Chile Vinegar Sauce:
- 1 Whole Jalapeño Pepper stemmed
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Orange juiced
- 2 Limes juiced
- 1/8 cup of White Vinegar
- 2.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp of Mezcal or Tequila
- 1.5 tbsp of Cilantro
- 1 tsp of Kosher Salt
Garnishes:
- Crunchy Hot Chiles optional
- Sliced Avocado
- Sliced Red Onions
- Chopped Cilantro
- Sliced Scallions
- Limes
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the Chile Vinegar Sauce to the blender. Blend on high until COMPLETELY smooth. Strain the sauce if necessary or continue blending. Once done, pour into a bowl and set aside.
- Lather your steaks with canola oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion. Set the steaks in the fridge for 15 minutes to set. About 5 minutes before cooking, pull the steaks out to come to room temperature.
- Preheat your fire to a high heat (around 400F) for direct cooking.
- Add the steaks to the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until they are 115-120F internal. Once the steaks are done, pull them off and let them rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice your steaks and place them onto a plate or bowl with high sides. Begin spooning your chile vinegar sauce onto all sides of the steak and around them. Garnish with crunchy hot chiles, sliced avocado, red onions, chopped cilantro, limes and sliced scallions. Serve and enjoy!
I’m a beginner griller. Literally just bought my first bbq last night. Found this site from his Instagram and had to try this recipe first. I followed as close as I could. The Chile sauce came out a really dark foresty green, not like the guacamole shade of green in his pictures, but it was realllllllly good. Definitely trying this again. Wife said she’d also love this as a burrito bowl, a burrito or even in a salad.