Make Ahead Amazing Skirt Steak Recipe- (Barefoot Contessa Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Do you season skirt steak before or after cooking? ›

Season your steak on both sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Usually, you'd let a thick steak sit out at room temperature for about an hour before cooking to take the chill off, but since the skirt steak is so thin, it only needs to sit for about 15 minutes before it's good to go.

Add the skirt steak to the bag, or bowl, and make sure it's completely covered in the marinade. Place the marinating steak in the fridge to marinate for at least 20 minutes. I recommend 1-8 hours for the most flavorful, tender skirt steak. To grill the marinated skirt steak, preheat a grill over high heat.

Marinating skirt steak with an acid such as citrus or vinegar chemically breaks down the tough fibers so it not only becomes buttery tender but drinks up notes of the marinade whether that's lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire, or vinegar.

Cook It Hot And Fast

Because skirt steak is thin and relatively lean, it can become dry and chewy if overcooked. So your target is rare to medium-rare. If you prefer it a bit more well done, it will still be good, you'll just want to slice it thinner.

The inside skirt is wider, about 5 to 7 inches, half as thick, and yields a chewier bite. If only the inside skirt is available, tenderize it with a mallet to 1/4-inch thickness and use a marinade.

Before cooking skirt steak, be sure to season with salt on all sides and leave at room temperature for about 45 minutes, allowing a natural brine to form for crispier edges.

Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. If you choose to use a marinade, place your steak in a bowl or resealable plastic bag and add the marinade.

Skirt steak has more fat, making it taste even richer and juicier than flank steak. It also has more connective tissue. Flank steak is thicker and wider than skirt steak and a little easier to find in stores. It is a reasonable substitute for skirt steak.

Skirt steak is a lean, thin cut of meat, which means for the best results you need to cook it hot and fast. You'll only need 3 to 4 minutes per side for a golden brown, crispy crust that gives way to a decadently juicy, pink interior. Ideally, go for rare to medium-rare and no longer.

We already know meat should be cut against the grain, but this couldn't be more true for skirt steak; its long muscle fibers will be incredibly chewy if not cut properly. To slice the steak, first cut each piece of skirt into a three-to-four-inch section with the grain.

Why did my skirt steak come out chewy? ›

Typically, leaner cuts like the flank or skirt can be chewy if not prepared correctly. Cooking Method: Overcooking can cause the steak to lose its moisture, making it dry and chewy. Conversely, undercooking can make certain cuts feel tough. Aging Process: Steaks that are not properly aged can be less tender.

This cut already has a strong beef flavor. Because it is a tough cut, it will benefit from marinating (especially if you bought inside skirt steak). However, do not marinate for more than 20 minutes; otherwise, you may end up with a mushy cut of meat after cooking. Remember it is a thin cut!

If the fibers of the meat are lined up and long then you have carved it incorrectly and it will be hard to eat. Skirt steak is prized for its flavor but must be cut against the grain of the meat or else it is hard to chew.

Marinate the Steak:

Transfer the raw skirt steak to a large 1-gallon zip lock bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag then swish everything together until the steak is well-coated with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, up to 48 hours.

(This is also the best time to season it with salt, ideally medium-grain sea salt, he says. More on that below.) Sharp prefers to season his steaks a couple of hours in advance, and agrees about letting them come to room temperature before cooking.

Make sure to season the steak just before searing to prevent drawing out too much moisture with the salt. If you want to take a fancier route, add a generous pat of butter, a couple cloves of crushed garlic, and a sprig or two of rosemary or thyme after the first flip.