Grilled Skirt Steak
The peppery aroma of a hot, charred steak is so enticing. The fragrant smoke from a grill can make you salivate in anticipation of the meal to come, or envious of your grilling neighbor.
Whether grilling or pan searing, a meat thermometer is a necessity for any cook. Once cooked by any conventional method a piece of meat will continue to cook while resting so it’s best to slightly undercook initially. The target temperatures are 125 degrees for rare, 135 degrees for medium rare, or 145 degrees for medium, depending on the cut of beef.
If you do a lot of cooking you can learn to test for doneness by feel. Make the “OK” sign with your hand, and then press the fleshy part of your palm right below your thumb with a finger from your other hand, and you will feel how soft a rare steak feels. Then touch your other fingers to your thumb on this hand, one at a time. With each additional finger, the pad of your thumb will feel progressively firmer, similar to steak as it cooks, moving from rare with the index finger, to medium-rare when adding the middle finger, to medium when adding the ring finger, and finally to well-done with the pinky and all fingers added.
One particular cut of beef I love to grill is unfortunately very hard to find in this area. Skirt steak is known for its intense beef flavor, and can be mouthwateringly tender if cooked properly. I have found it at Wegmans and Fresh Market. Both skirt steak and flank steak are long, narrow cuts of beef, but skirt steak comes from the diaphragm muscles of the cow and is usually quite thin and has visible fat and marbling running through the entire cut. It is best marinated and then seared at high heat. It is not recommended to be cooked to well done for proper texture, and it is necessary to slice the cut against the grain as with any meat.
Skirt steak is often used in fajitas and stir-fry, but I like to serve this steak grilled and sliced with a flavorful and herby sauce. This week I have included my recipe for Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. Enjoy!
Grilled Skirt Steak
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds skirt steak
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup lime juice
4 green onions, thinly diced, including tops
Salt and Pepper
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon crushed red peppers flakes
PREPARATION
Blend together the marinade and pour into a large Ziplock bag. Add the steaks to the bag and seal. Massage the meat through the bag. Allow to marinate at room temperature for an hour.
Meanwhile combine all of the Chimichurri ingredients, and whisk together. Set aside.
Preheat grill to high heat.
Remove steak from marinade and discard any remaining marinade. Season steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear on the hot grill as desired. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing the steak against the grain into thin strips. Serve with the chimichurri sauce if desired.