Beef Skirt Steak Recipe

Skirt steak is one of the quickest and easiest cuts of beef to cook! In this article I’ll share how to cook skirt steak six different ways. It’s a versatile cut that can be cooked in the oven, on the stove top, grilled, and even broiled. It’s a great cut for marinating, but is beefy enough to be simply seasoned with salt and pepper.

Skirt steak is a thin cut of beef that’s long and ribbon-like. It’s a nicely marbled, full-flavored cut form the underside of the cow.

When cut against the grain, the pleated cut is ultra-tender and perfect for fajitas, salads, tacos and so much more.

Ingredients for Beef Skirt Steak Recipe

All you need for this recipe is a quality skirt steak (about 12 to 16 ounces), kosher salt and black pepper.

Optional seasonings include dried herbs and spices such as rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, paprika and coriander.

Skirt steak if so beefy in flavor, it doesn’t need a marinade. However, because of its loose grain structure, it actually responds really well to a marinade (unlike most cuts of steak), and soaks up flavors in just an hour.

If you’re looking to marinate the steak, try a vibrant and tangy chimichurri sauce. Use some of it as the marinade and reserve the rest to spoon over the cooked steak.

What to Look for When Buying Skirt Steak

There are two types of skirt steak cuts—the inside skirt and outside skirt. These two skirt steak cuts come from the underside of the cow just below the rib section and have very different textures.

The best cut of skirt steak is the outside skirt steak—make sure to ask your butcher for this cut. The inside skirt steak if chewy whereas the outside skirt is nice and tender (especially when cut against the grain).

Since the outside skirt steak is so sought after, it can be hard to find. So call ahead and reserve it, if you can. And beware, some meat counters label skirt steak as “fajita steak” or “Philadelphia steak.”

Skirt Steak vs Flank Steak

Flank steak and skirt steak are often interchangeable in recipes (it is in my Steak and Eggs recipe). However, they are two completely different cuts of beef.

Like skirt steak, flank steak is also from the underside of the cow but is closer to the back of the cow and situated under the lean loin. Skirt steak is closer to the front and found under the rib section.

Both cuts are beefy but flank steak is more lean and less juicy while skirt steak if juicier and fattier.

Both cuts are flat but a flank steak is usually much wider with the grain running the lengthwise. A skirt steak is long and narrow with the grain running crosswise.

Cook Steak By Temperature 

The best way to ensure your steak is cooked to your liking is to monitor the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer (this is my favorite thermometer).

Skirt steak should be removed from heat when it’s 5 degrees BELOW your desired doneness. Carry-over cooking will occur as it rests, so removing it below ideal doneness means you’ll get a perfectly cooked steak every time.

Use the table below to determine what the internal temperature of the steak should be for your preferred doneness.

Doneness	Pull from heat at	After resting temp should be
Rare	120ºF (49ºC)	125ºF (52ºC)
Medium-Rare	125ºF (52ºC)	130ºF (54ºC)
Medium	135ºF (57ºC)	140ºF (60ºC)
Medium-Well	145ºF (63ºC) USDA recommended temp	150ºF (65ºC)
Well-Done	155ºF (68ºC)	160ºF (71ºC)

The USDA recommends cooking any cut of beef to an internal temperature of 145ºF.

How to Cook Skirt Steak (6 Ways)

Skirt steak is a great candidate for high-heat cooking because of its idea surface area-to-thickness ratio. It’s just thick enough to allow for deep, crisp browning without over-cooking on the inside.

The following timings and temperatures are for a 1/2-inch thick skirt steak.

I often recommend cooking steak to medium-rare (125ºF), but the fatty yet fibrous skirt steak does best when cooked to medium (130ºF).

Before cooking, pat the steak dry with paper towels and seasoning well with kosher salt.

Stove Top

Cook seasoned steak in a preheated cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes total (3 minutes per side) for medium-rare, or 8 minutes total for medium.

Gas Grill 

Preheat a gas grill on high. Turn all but the main burner off then cook steak over direct heat for about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or 4 minutes per side for medium.

Charcoal Grill

Open bottom vent of grill then prepare a chimney of charcoal. Dump the hot coals over one side of the grill, set the grate in place, then cook the seasoned steak over direct heat for about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or 4 minutes per side for medium.

Airfryer 

Cook seasoned steak in the basket of an airfryer set to 400ºF. Cook for about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare or 4 minutes per side for medium.

Oven

Preheat an oven to 450ºF (232ºC) with a sheet pan set on the middle rack. Once the oven is adequately preheated, carefully remove the sheet from oven using a kitchen towel or hot mitt.

Brush sheet pan with some high-heat cooking oil and place the steak on the sheet. Return sheet to oven and cook 10 minutes for medium-rare, flipping steak halfway through. Cook for 12 minutes for medium.

Broiler

Heat the broiler on your oven to high with rack set as close to heating element as possible. Broil steak on a baking sheet for 2–5 minutes per side until desired doneness is reached. (A larger time range is given as all broilers are different.)

What to Serve with Skirt Steak

One of my favorite meals is grilled skirt steak paired with a creamy cucumber salad and homemade skillet cornbread. It’s simple but just works.

How to Store Beef Skirt Steak

Cooked skirt steak will last up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Skirt Steak

The best way to reheat cooked skirt steak is in a 250-degree oven until the internal temperature reaches 110-degrees.

Alternatively, you can reheat skirt steak on the stove top. Pat the cooked steak dry with a paper towel then sear in a preheated skillet with a splash of oil for about 45 seconds per side. Let it rest for a few minutes before enjoying.

TIP: Before heating, bring the leftover steak to room temperature (set out for about 30 minutes). This will ensure it’s reheated evenly throughout.

More Steak Cooking Guides

How-To

How to Cook Top Sirloin Steak (4 Ways)

Beef

Reverse Seared Steak Recipe

Guides

Grades of Beef and What They Mean

Beef

How to Cook a Thick Ribeye Steak