7 KEY TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST SKIRT STEAK

DON’T SKIRT AROUND THESE STEAK TIPS

Celebrated for it’s flavor, rather than its tenderness, skirt steak is long, flat piece of meat, commonly grilled or seared and thinly sliced. And while it appears to be one of those foods that only a Top Chef title holder can pull off well, it’s actually is pretty simple to make. Follow these easy tips to ensure that skirt steak you’re serving up is the most delicious–and lean–one yet.

AT THE MARKET

Rather than buying packaged skirt steak, it’s best to go to the butcher counter. This way you can ask the butcher to trim off all fat (when you buy it prepackaged there’s often excess fat hiding on the bottom). In terms of how much to buy, a proper portions is 4 oz, so aim for 1 lb per 4 people. It may seem like a lot, but remember meat shrinks when cooking. If you do buy too much (or get home and decide not to make it), no need to fret, skirt steak freezes well too. To freeze and use later just take out of package, put in a freezer bag, and when ready to make, defrost in the fridge overnight.

LET’S DO THIS

Marinating your skirt steak is key. You want enough to use just enough marinade for the amount of meat – think 1/2 cup of marinade per pound of meat (if you’re keeping up with the math here, transitive property, that would be a half cup marinade now per 4 people ;)). Marinating doesn’t have to be too complicated either; just pour the sauce in a large plastic freezer bag, add steaks, steal the bag and turn meat to coat. Allow skirt steak to marinate for at least a few hours before grilling.

#TANYATIP: In my house we love marinating our skirt steak in Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki marinade. This recipe for homemade chimichurri sauce also works as a great marinade.

Skirt steak should be cooked quickly, at high heat. You can sear your steak in a skillet (coated with nonstick cooking spray), or grill it. Either way, cook for 5 minutes on each side. The piece of meat is not very thick so it does not need much more time than that to fully cook. After 5 minutes on each side, remove steak from heat and let rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before cutting. This ensures that the juices will stay in the meat.

SERVING

When you’re ready to serve, slice against the meat grain for a more tender bite. For plating, skirt steak presents well atop a bed of greens. Arugula works great as the flavors pair well together. Leftovers? Skirt steak is the choice cut for fajitas and stir-fry dishes.