The outside skirt steak is another “butcher’s cut” that historically was passed over for more fancy steaks. It's the perfect cut for carne asada.
Average weight: 1.5 lbs.
Our American Wagyu outside skirt has a wealth of rich marbling and bastes itself with flavor when cooked. The finished steak has unbelievable beefiness and is extremely juicy. A distinctive feature is a coarse, distinct grain so it is important to cut against the grain for tenderness. The strong grain also makes the outside a perfect candidate for marinades. This is a classic cut for carne asada and fajitas. One taste and this butcher’s secret will become a staple for grilling or cast iron cooking at your house.
This steak is American Wagyu Black Grade, rated 6 to 8 on the Japanese Beef Marbling Score (BMS)
Beef sold in the U.S. is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are eight total grades and the top grade is USDA Prime.
All Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef grades above Prime. Special breeds of cattle like Japanese Wagyu are capable of producing marbling beyond their American counterparts. To grade this high level of marbling, we adopted the Japanese Beef Marbling Score.
Using BMS, beef marbling is measured on a scale from 1 to 12, with a 1 being Select beef and a 12 being the highest level of marbling possible.
BMS 4 to 5 USDA Prime
BMS 6 to 8 SRF Black Grade
BMS 9+ SRF Gold Grade
Skirt steak can be found in the plate primal. There are actually two skirt steaks, and although they look similar, they are different in several key ways. The inside skirt is the transversus abdominus muscle and is named for its location inside the body cavity. The outside skirt is the diaphragm muscle and is full of flavor because it is constantly in motion. The outside skirt is more desirable because it is more tender than the inside muscle. The outside skirt has a very pronounced, coarse grain that runs across the narrow portion of the cut. It is very important to cut this steak against the grain to maximize its tenderness
Fast fact: The skirt steak was the original cut for fajitas. The word fajitas translates to “little skirts” or “little bands” and is derived from the way skirt steak looks. As fajitas, and skirt steak, grew in popularity restaurants started using other beef cuts for this popular dish.
Once you start cooking with Snake River Farms, you’ll discover why our customers say they’re too spoiled for anything else.
