Grilled Skirt Steak

I get really excited whenever I spy skirt steak at the butcher shop. This beefy cut is absolutely perfect for the grill. It’s thin, so it cooks up quickly. Its unique accordion-like structure soaks in marinade better than almost any other steak, so it always turns out flavorful. And it’s huge, so a steak feeds at least six people, maybe more if I serve it as tacos or steak fajitas.

If you’ve never had grilled skirt steak before, you’re in for a real treat. You’ll know it by its texture. Grilled skirt steak has a slightly crusty, perfectly charred exterior. When cooked to medium-rare temperatures, the inside remains juicy and tender. It’s just as buttery as a ribeye steak at a fraction of the price.

How to Grill Skirt Steak

Skirt steak has a lot of connective tissue, so it can become tough if it’s not cooked properly. Luckily, it’s an easy cut of meat to cook if you pay attention to these steps along the way.

• Marinate the steak: You don’t have to marinate skirt steak, but I always recommend it. The marinade tenderizes the steak and infuses it with bold flavor.
• Preheat the grill: You can cook skirt steak on a charcoal or gas grill. Personally, I prefer charcoal grills for several reasons. They can reach hotter temperatures than gas grills, which is good for skirt steak. The hotter the grill, the faster the thin steak will cook! Charcoal also adds a smoky element to the meat.
• Prep the steak: This step is optional, but I always let steak sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before grilling it. Cold steak won’t cook as evenly as room-temperature meat. This time also helps the steak dry out, so it’ll get a better sear on the grill.
• Grill the steak: Skirt steak cooks pretty quickly, so don’t walk away to do the dishes once you’ve started grilling it! Grill the steak until it’s medium-rare. If you prefer more well-done meat, you can continue to cook skirt steak to medium or medium-well temperatures. However, it won’t be nearly as tender.
• Rest the steak: Resting allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute within the meat. Let the cooked steak rest for at least five minutes. Ten minutes if you have the time!
• Slice the steak: Make sure to cut steak the right way, against the grain. Cutting against the grain shortens the fibers to the length of the slice, making it much easier to chew.

How long do you grill skirt steak?

Skirt steak is lean and thin, so it should reach medium-rare temperatures in four to six minutes per side on a grill preheated to medium heat. The outside skirt cut is thinner than the inside skirt and may cook in as little as three to four minutes. It’s best to use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature and pull the steak when it reaches 135°F.

Ingredients for Grilled Skirt Steak

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• Beef skirt steak: Skirt steak comes from the plate, an area in the cow’s midsection. It consists of two muscles: the outside skirt cut from the diaphragm muscle and the inside skirt cut from the transverse abdominal muscle. Both taste beefy and rich, but the more tender outside skirt steak is worth seeking out. Check with your local butcher shop to see if they carry it.
• Skirt steak marinade: Some steak cuts do better with a dry rub vs. marinade, but marinade is definitely the way to go with skirt steak. This one contains olive oil to add fat to the lean meat, acidic red wine vinegar to tenderize the meat and sweet apple juice to help the meat caramelize on the grill. The marinade gets its flavor from garlic, onion, rubbed sage, ground coriander, ground mustard, salt and pepper.
• Vegetables: Grilling a few vegetables alongside skirt steak turns this recipe into a complete meal. We use a combination of red onions, sweet red peppers and green onions. Feel free to swap in the veggies from other grilled vegetable recipes.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the skirt steak

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In a small bowl, whisk together the apple juice, red wine vinegar, onion, sage, coriander, mustard, pepper, salt and garlic until blended. Gradually whisk in the oil.

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Pour 1-1/2 cups of the marinade into a large dish. Add the beef, and turn it to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade.

Editor’s Tip: We cut the meat into 5-inch pieces to make it easier to work with. If you’d rather grill whole skirt steak, you can fold or roll it after coating it in the marinade.

Step 2: Grill the vegetables

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In a large bowl, toss the red onions, peppers and green onions with 1/4 cup of reserved marinade. Grill the red onions and peppers, covered, over medium heat, until tender, four to six minutes on each side. Grill the green onions until tender, one to two minutes on each side.

Editor’s Tip: Tent the vegetables with foil to keep them warm while the steak cooks.

Step 3: Grill the skirt steak

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Drain the beef, discarding the marinade. Grill the steak, covered, over medium heat until the meat reaches the desired doneness, four to six minutes on each side. Baste the steak with the remaining marinade during the last four minutes of cooking. The steak is finished cooking when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the skirt steak should read 135° for medium-rare, 140° for medium, or 145° for medium-well.

Let the steak stand for five minutes.

Step 4: Chop, slice and serve

Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces, and transfer them to a large bowl. Cut the steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Add the meat to the vegetables, and toss to combine.

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Grilled Skirt Steak Variations

• Skirt steak tacos: Thinly slice the grilled meat, peppers and onions. Serve them with warm tortillas, homemade guacamole and pico de gallo to make skirt steak tacos.
• Chimichurri skirt steak: Serve the meat with the sauce from this chimichurri steak recipe to give it a bright, herbaceous finish. Or top it with cowboy butter to lean into the meat’s rich, buttery flavor.

How to Store Grilled Skirt Steak

Store leftover grilled skirt steak and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you end up with more than you planned, try making one of these leftover steak recipes.

Grilled Skirt Steak Tips

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Can you substitute flank steak for skirt steak?

Flank steak and skirt steak are similar cuts of meat, and you can substitute flank steak for this recipe. Skirt steak comes from the cow’s middle abdominal section, and flank steak comes from the rear abdominal section closest to the hindquarters. The two steaks have similar flavors and textures, but flank steak is thicker than skirt steak. Grilled flank steak may take a little longer to reach medium-rare temperatures.

What do you serve with grilled skirt steak?

Grilled skirt steak is rich and beefy, so I like to pair it with light sides like sweet corn and tomato salad or roasted asparagus. For a more hearty meal, look to potato recipes like loaded baked potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin.