How to Cook Skirt Steak
WHAT IS SKIRT STEAK?
Skirt steak is a long and thin cut of beef that comes from the underside of the cow, near the diaphragm, and is known for its rich flavor and chewy texture. Skirt steak is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat and is often used in Mexican and other Latin American cuisines to make dishes like fajitas, tacos, and carne asada. Skirt steak is also popularly used in Asian cuisine such as Korean barbecue and Japanese yakiniku dishes.
Although skirt steak is considered one of the most flavorful cuts of steak, it is also on the tougher side due to its labyrinth of connective tissue. Skirt steak comes from the section of the cow called the plate primal, located below the ribs in the abdominal cavity between the brisket and the flank.
INSIDE VS OUTSIDE SKIRT STEAK – THE CUT
There are two separate skirt steaks, an inside and an outside cut, that look similar but feature several key differences.
The inside skirt, or transversus abdominis muscle is located, as the name suggests, inside the body cavity. Conversely, the outside skirt is the animal’s diaphragm muscle. Because the diaphragm muscle is constantly in motion, the outside skirt steak it is not only more tender than the inside skirt, but also more flavorful.
Both the inside and outside skirt offer a wealth of rich marbling to help create that beefy flavor we love. So, which should you choose? As the outside skirt is most often used for restaurant dishes and by food retailers, it can be more difficult to find than the inside. Fortunatetly, we can easily recommend our American Wagyu outside skirt steak which is readily available to ship directly to your door.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO COOK SKIRT STEAK?
The best way to cook skirt steak is generally considered to be on the grll, as the cut’s thinness lends itself to a quick sear and flip style of cooking. However, you can get great results by cooking skirt steak in the oven, or even using the sous vide method.
Skirt steak is one of the go-to cuts of beef for dishes you love like carne asada and fajitas. In fact, did you know that the word “fajita” roughly translates to “little skirts”?
So, this must be a difficult steak to cook in order to get it nice and tender, right? Not if you know the best ways to cook skirt steak. Here are three of our recommended cooking methods for skirt steak.
HOW TO GRILL SKIRT STEAK
The best way to cook skirt steak is over high heat on a grill or in a cast-iron skillet. Because it’s such a thin, and potentially tough, cut, all you want to do is provide a quick sear on both sides at a high temperature. It is important not to overcook a skirt steak. Unfortunately, if you usually use a meat thermometer to check the temperature, it won’t do you much good here. Instead, use your eyes and senses to judge a beautiful char on the outside and a lovely pink middle, medium-rare to medium.
HERE ARE THE SIMPLE STEPS TO GRILL YOUR SKIRT STEAK:
- Because skirt steak is a longer cut of meat, you’ll want to cut it into shorter pieces, 5-7” in length. Trim off excess fat or silver skin if there is any.
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels to remove moisture and ensure a nice char later on.
- Season your skirt steak with either salt and pepper, a dry rub, or your favorite marinade. If using a marinade, let the steak marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat your grill or skillet to high heat.
- Place the skirt steak over the heat and sear on each side for 5-10 minutes. Remember, do not overcook this cut.
- Remove the steak from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut your skirt steak and serve in your preferred entrée.
HOW TO COOK A SKIRT STEAK IN THE OVEN
Another method for cooking skirt steak is in the oven. This option is just as easy as grilling and should take about the same amount of time. Just remember that the keys to a properly cooked skirt steak are high heat and a short cooking time.
HERE ARE THE EASY STEPS TO COOK YOUR SKIRT STEAK IN THE OVEN:
- Remove the skirt steak from the fridge about 45 minutes before needed.
- After it’s had time to rest outside the fridge, season both sides with salt, making sure to rub the salt into the meat’s coarse grain with your fingers.
- Move an oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 450F.
- Grab your rimmed baking sheet and spray it with cooking spray.
- Put the SRF skirt steak on the baking sheet and place it in the oven.
- For a medium-rare steak, cook on one side until browned, 4-5 minutes.
- Flip the steak over and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Here you can try using your meat thermometer to check for 120-125F for medium-rare.
- Once you’ve achieved your desired internal temperature, remove from the oven.
- Let your skirt steak rest on a plate under tented foil for 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve!
HOW TO COOK SOUS VIDE SKIRT STEAK
OK, we know we said that the best way to cook a skirt steak is quickly on high heat, and this method is anything but quick. However, sous vide cooking is a great way to ensure you achieve your desired cooking temperature. You’ll still need to sear the steak in a pan or skillet after the sous vide. This is an excellent way to eliminate the risk of overcooking your skirt steak.
Here is what you’ll need to cook skirt steak using the sous vide method:
- Precision cooker or pot
- Water
- Thermometer
- Sous vide bags
- Marinade or spices
- Pan or skillet
If you’re using a marinade, apply it at least 2 hours before cooking.
HERE ARE THE SIMPLE STEPS TO USE SOUS VIDE TO COOK YOUR SKIRT STEAK:
- Season the steaks with kosher salt and pepper.
- Place each skirt steak in a separate sous vide bag and seal them tight, releasing as much excess air from each bag as possible.
- For medium-rare steak, preheat your water bath to 130F.
- Place the bags in the water bath using tongs.
- For medium-rare, cook for 2 hours.
- Using tongs, remove the skirt steaks from the water and place aside to let rest for approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Now remove the steaks from their sous vide bags and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Preheat a pan or skillet to high heat and drizzle a tablespoon of your favorite cooking oil in the pan.
- Give the steaks a quick sear on each side, about 1-2 minutes.
- Place the steaks on a foil-tented plate and let them rest for 2-3 minutes.
- Slice and serve!
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CUT A SKIRT STEAK?
Cutting against the grain of steak is the preferred slicing method, and the same holds true for skirt steak due to its coarse grain. This will ensure that each bite is tender and not chewy.
HERE’S HOW TO BEST CUT A SKIRT STEAK FOR SERVING:
- Do NOT slice the steak before cooking it. Doing so is likely to cause you to overcook it and make your beef tough and chewy.
- Once cooked, allow the steak its full time to rest. Not only will it be easier to slice, but the resting period gives the juices time to soak back into the meat.
- Slice the skirt steak against the grain and serve as desired.
SUBSTITUTE FOR SKIRT STEAK
Skirt steak is not always widely available when you need it. So, what do you do when you are craving carne asada or fajitas and don’t have skirt steak? Fortunately, there are several excellent cuts that can be used as substitutes. These include:
- Flank steak
- Flat iron steak
- Denver steak
- Hanger steak
Try one of these as a substitute and you may just discover your new favorite cut of beef.
OUR FAVORITE SKIRT STEAK RECIPES
Skirt steak goes best with your favorite marinade, cooked quickly on high heat, and served up in an amazing dish.
Snake River Farms has put together some of our favorite skirt steak recipes that we hope will become your favorites, as well.
- Tequila Lime Flank Steak Tacos (Skirt steak can be substituted for flank steak)
- Carne Asada Skirt Steak Tacos
- Employee Favorites: Skirt Steak Marinade
WAGYU SKIRT STEAK FROM SNAKE RIVER FARMS
While you may not have considered skirt steak as a standard cut of beef in your home, the versatility of this cut of beef will have you adding new recipes to the rotation immediately. With so many options like stir fry, cheesesteaks, flatbreads, tacos, and more, you’ll wonder why you didn’t include this steak into your menu planning long before now.
Order the Snake River Farms American Wagyu skirt steak and taste the difference.
Frequently Asked Question About Skirt Steak
Skirt steak and flank steak are two different cuts of beef, although they are often confused for each other. Skirt steak comes from the diaphragm muscle of the cow, while flank comes from the lower abdominal muscles. Flank steak is milder in flavor to skirt steak, but the two are often interchangeable in most recipes.
You can make skirt steak more tender by using a marinade and place it in the fridge the night before cooking. When it’s time to service after cooking, allow the skirt steak to rest and be sure to cut against the grain to avoidy a chewy experience. Finally, skirt steak can be gently pounded before cooking to achieve even more tenderness.
While serving size will vary depending on the dish, we recommend 3-4 ounces of skirt steak per person for a satisfying meal, and a perfect amount for steak tacos.