Ingredient overview Steps
Overview
Between the marinade and the exact cooking, the rest and the proper slicing, the steak might not be the first cut of meat we turn to on a weekday evening (hmm, chicken thighs – again?).
The skirt steak, however, disrupts this preconception because it has everything we are looking for for a midweek dinner: minimal preparation, super-fast food, great flavor and reasonable price.
[[[[Don’t want to spoil that big piece of meat you just bought? Enter the reverse entry.]
Like flank, hanger and shred meat, which also comes from well-trained muscles, the skirt steak offers good chewing but is not hard, if prepared and sliced properly. And, because the skirt steak is so thin, it quickly reaches its optimal cooking, which is rare or semi-rare. By the time the outside is browned, you can bet the inside is ready, which means no futzing with a meat thermometer or internal temperatures.
The only essential instruction for cooking the skirt steak is that you want a warm, dry environment so that the outside browns deliciously and the muscles don’t have enough time to tighten and harden.
[[[[Scale and get a printable version of the recipe here.]
To get a good Arctic char, you will want to rid the meat of moisture and cook it over high heat, tirelessly – as in a hot cast iron pan, under the grill or on the grill. If there is liquid or the pan is not hot enough, the steak will steam and eventually turn gray and flabby.
[[[[Make the recipe: Gochujang-Honey Skirt Steak]
So here’s your recipe: pat the steak, salt and pepper liberally, drizzle with olive oil, cook on high for 3 minutes on each side. Let sit for a few minutes. Thinly slice against the grain.
Just like that, the skirt steak offers a deep, buttery mineral flavor. It tastes like all-hat beef.
When it is thinly sliced - always against the grain – it is tender enough that it does not require the help of a marinade. In addition, a liquid marinade can inhibit this delicious browning. (Why marinate a steak for 15 or 30 minutes when only the meat can be excellent and ready in less than 10?)
[For beautifully cooked steak, take it low and slow in the oven]
Instead, incorporate the flavor in a more punchy way that does not spoil the optimal cooking environment (reminder: dry, hot).
For example, cook the bare steak, then let it soak in a hot sauce. While the steak sits, its juices mix with the dressing, giving the dish even more moxie. You can do it with just about any liquid marinade, sauce or vinaigrette that you think complements the steak: below, find a dark red chimichurri, smoked with paprika and spiced from red pepper flakes.
Another option is to brush the steak with thick frosting. The skirt steak has lots of nooks and crannies on the outside for the frosting to settle in and caramelize when struck by heat.
If you follow this route, you will want to cook the steak at a slightly lower (medium-high) temperature to avoid burning it. Your frosting could just be a layer of harissa or barbecue sauce. Or try one of my favorites, the Gochujang-Honey Skirt Steak, a mix of gochujang and honey, which creates a spicy, soft, umami-filled frosting with just two ingredients. Could you add grated garlic and ginger? Of course, but it is not necessary. Soya sauce? Yes, but not much, as this will add too much moisture.
With steak, this tasty and fast food, why worry about it?
Skirt steak with red chimichurri and peppers
The skirt steak is so quick to cook, don’t bother with a marinade. Instead, let the steak sit in a red chimichurri sauce, the earthy and smoky equivalent of the green herbal chimichurri sauce. While the steak sits, its juices settle in the spicy sauce, which is also great on eggs, toast, beans, shrimp – you get the idea.
ingredients
1 pound of skirt steak
Kosher salt
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove of garlic (about 1 teaspoon), grated
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
2 medium red peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
Not
Step 1
Cut the skirt steak into 5 to 6 inch pieces. Dry and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.
2nd step
In a large bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the paprika, the red pepper flakes, the cumin, the garlic and the shallot. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt.
Stage 3
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it smokes lightly. Dry the steak again, then drizzle with the rest of the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the skirt steak and cook, undisturbed, until charred, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the steak to the chimichurri and mix to coat.
Step 4
Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the peppers. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and charred in places, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the peppers to the chimichurri.
Step 5
Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Add the parsley to the peppers. Serve the steak garnished with peppers and chimichurri.
From recipe developer Ali Slagle.
Tested by Ann Maloney; email your questions to [email protected].
Scale and get a printable version of the recipe here.
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Nutrition
Calories: 240; Total fat: 14 g; Saturated fat: 5 g; Cholesterol: 75 mg; Sodium: 670 mg; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Dietary fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 2 g; Proteins: 24 g.