Skirt Steak

Seeing its very visible muscle fibers and almost accordion-like structure, you might think skirt steak looks a bit strange. But when treated with an overnight marinade to tenderize it, skirt steak cooks remarkably similarly to other cuts. And because the meat is so thin, it takes only 10 minutes to cook on the grill.

This skirt steak recipe includes a Sriracha-flavored marinade, which accentuates the beef’s flavor, adds a hint of heat and gives it the same buttery texture you’d expect from an expensive grilled steak.

What is skirt steak?

Skirt steak is a long, thin muscle cut from the plate section of the cow’s belly. Although skirt steak has a lot of connective tissue, it doesn’t require low-and-slow cooking like other tough cuts. It tastes tender when cooked to medium-rare, especially when treated with a marinade that helps to break down the tough muscle fibers.

There are two types of skirt steak. While both cook similarly, they differ slightly in texture.

• Outside skirt: This narrow, thick muscle is noticeably longer than the inside skirt. It’s cut from the diaphragm muscle and has a more desirable tender texture.
• Inside skirt: This wide, thin muscle is cut from the transverse abdominal muscle. This well-worked muscle is a little chewier and tougher than the outside skirt. In addition to a marinade, it benefits from a light pounding with a meat mallet, a technique used to make tough meat tender.

If you’re shopping at a Mexican grocery store, the meat may be labeled as “arrachera,” but be careful: Arrachera can also refer to flap meat or flank steak. It’s best to ask the butcher where the cut comes from so you can be sure it’s actually skirt steak.

How to Cook Skirt Steak

You don’t have to marinate skirt steak, but I recommend it if you have the time. Skirt steak is lean, so it doesn’t have fat to protect it from drying out as it cooks. The oil in the marinade adds extra fat to help the meat stay juicy. Marinades also include acidic ingredients that tenderize the meat, and flavoring ingredients that enhance its overall taste.

Once marinated, cook skirt steak using a hot-and-fast cooking method. This isn’t the time to pull out the slow cooker! The meat can become tough if it’s cooked for too long. My favorite way to cook skirt steak is on the grill. Grilled skirt steak gets a beautiful char that adds depth to its beefy, buttery flavors. I find that it has the best texture when it reaches medium-rare (135°F, if you’re using an instant-read meat thermometer), but you can cook it a little more if pink meat makes you squeamish.

If you don’t have a grill, you can sear skirt steak in a hot skillet using this cast-iron steak recipe as your guide. You’ll need to trim the steak so it fits in the pan. Another option is to roast skirt steak in a 400° oven, similar to this sheet-pan steak dinner recipe.

Skirt Steak Ingredients

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• Beef skirt steak: It’s easy to find skirt steak at the grocery store, but most stores only carry inside skirt steak. You can ask about outside skirt at the butcher counter, or your local butcher shop may be able to special order it. If you can’t find skirt steak, you can substitute flank steak or sirloin flap for similar results.
• Skirt steak marinade: This mixture has all the elements of a good steak marinade, including fat, acid, salt and seasonings. Olive oil adds fat to keep the lean meat moist, while the acidic lime juice and Sriracha chili sauce help to tenderize the meat’s tough muscle fibers. Sriracha also adds a ton of flavor to the steak, as do salt, lime zest and smoky spices like cumin and paprika.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the skirt steak

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In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, Sriracha, lime juice, lime zest, salt, cumin and paprika until they’re blended.

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Pour the resulting marinade into a shallow dish. Add the beef and turn it to coat it evenly. Cover and refrigerate the beef in the marinade for at least four hours or overnight.

Editor’s Tip: Skirt steak is long and thin, but you don’t need to cut it before cooking it on the grill. After coating the steak in the marinade, you can fold or roll it so it fits in the marinating dish.

Step 2: Grill the marinated skirt steak

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Drain the beef and discard the marinade. Grill the steak, covered, over medium-high heat until it reaches your desired doneness, four to six minutes on each side. 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.

Editor’s Tip: If you have time, let the steak sit on the counter for 30 minutes before hitting the grill. Room temperature steak grills more evenly than cold steak, and the extra time will help the exterior dry out, creating a better sear.

Step 3: Rest and slice the steak

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Let the steak rest for five minutes. Cut it diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t cut steak the right way, it can taste tough and chewy—even if it’s perfectly cooked. Luckily, it’s easy to identify the grain on skirt steak. The muscle fibers are quite visible, so position your knife perpendicular to those fibers when cutting for tender slices.

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Skirt Steak Variations

• Change the marinade: Use lemon juice or vinegar instead of the lime juice, or change up the herbs and spices to give the steak a different flavor. You can also use another marinade recipe, like the Colombian-inspired marinade from Key West flank steak, the chimichurri marinade from lime and dill chimichurri shrimp or the three-ingredient steak marinade we use for grilled flank steak.
• Serve it with sauce: Serve skirt steak with a classic steak sauce or add an Argentinian flair with the bright, herbaceous sauce from this chimichurri steak recipe.

How to Store Skirt Steak

Store leftover skirt steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, or in the freezer for two to three months. Raw skirt steaks that haven’t yet been marinated can be stored in the freezer (preferably in vacuum-sealed packaging to avoid freezer burn) for 4 to 12 months.

Skirt Steak Tips

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What is the difference between skirt steak vs. flank steak?

Skirt and flank steak share similar textures and flavors, but they come from different parts of the cow. They’re both cut from the abdomen, but skirt steak comes from the middle section and the flank from the back section toward the cow’s hindquarters. Visually, you can tell the difference between the two by a few characteristics. Flank steak is thicker than skirt steak, and its grain runs lengthwise along the long muscle. Skirt steak is thinner and features a grain that runs crosswise.

How do you make sure skirt steak turns out tender?

For tender skirt steak, first tenderize the meat with an acidic marinade that breaks down the tough muscle fibers. Then, avoid overcooking it. Cook your skirt steak to medium-rare using a hot, fast cooking method like grilling or searing. Finally, slice the steak against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers to the thickness of the slice, so the meat is less chewy.

How do you serve skirt steak?

Skirt steak is perfect as the main entree for a steak dinner, especially when served with classic steak sides like baked or roasted potatoes, a grilled vegetable platter or corn salad. You can also thinly slice skirt steak for steak salad recipes, put it in steak sandwiches or use it to make skirt steak tacos and Mexican steak fajitas. Leftover skirt steak is a fantastic addition to your breakfast plate, so don’t be afraid to add it to campfire hash or any of these dishes with an egg on top.