Yield: 6 servings
How to Cook Skirt Steak
Once you learn how to cook skirt steak, you'll be able to eat this juicy, tender, and perfectly-seared meat anytime you want. It's an easy recipe that's salty, spicy, and rich.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2-2 pounds skirt steak
- 1 batch skirt steak marinade
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Optional: Trim off any excess fat from your steak and then use a meat mallet and tenderize the steak before placing in the marinade.
- Place steak in a gallon ziplock bag and ad the marinade, making sure to cover all the steak with the marinade. Remove any excess air and seal the ziplock bag. Let the steak marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the meat, remove it from the fridge and let the meat rest in the marinade on the counter for 30 minutes. (Letting your meat come to room temperature before cooking will help your meat to be tender and juicy.)
- Using a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat add oil. Once the oil is hot, lay the steak in the skillet and sear the meat for 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Remove the steak from the skillet and place on a plate and cover with foil. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and cut the steak across the grain.
- There will be juice left on the plate; after you cut the steak pour the juice over the cut steak. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Leftover skirt steak can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: To reheat, place it on top of a wire rack on a baking sheet in a 250°F oven. Heat until the steak is warmed through, which should take 10 to 20 minutes. Or reheat in the air fryer at 320°F for 3 to 4 minutes, until warmed through.
Avocado Oil: You can use any type of high-heat oil, but don’t use extra virgin olive oil, as it has a low smoke point and will burn.
High Heat: One of the most important parts of a well-cooked steak is a good sear. In order to get a good sear, you need to have a very hot pan. You can accomplish this by heating the pan over medium-high heat, or by letting it sit for a little while over medium to build up residual heat.
Room Temperature. If you marinate the skirt steak in the fridge, remove it 20-30 minutes before cooking. A steak that’s room temperature when you cook it will be much more juicy and tender, and also more evenly cooked. If you sear a steak straight out of the fridge, you’ll have to overcook the outside of the steak in order to properly cook the inside.
Meat Thermometer. To make sure that your steak is cooked to your preferred temperature, use an instant-read thermometer. You want the steak 120-130°F for rare, 130-140°F for medium-rare (our preference), 140-145°F for medium, 145-155°F for medium-well, and 160°F for well-done. Keep in mind that the steak will likely gain a few extra degrees after you remove it from the skillet.
Nutrition
Calories: 215kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.1g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 78mg, Potassium: 331mg, Sugar: 0.05g, Vitamin A: 9IU, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 2mg