Marinated Skirt Steak

skirt steak recipe marinated and grilled, then sliced across the grain on a cutting board

This skirt steak recipe transforms one of the most underrated steaks into the resplendently juicy, buttery tender steak of your dreams! Skirt steak is a beefy, thin, quick-cooking cut of steak that’s comparatively inexpensive, making it a choice cut when cooked right. This recipe is marinated in soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar and seasonings to create melt-in-your-mouth tender, juicy, complex, savory, tangy, sweet and spicy bites of heaven. And that's even before the pesto butter. This marinated skirt steak recipe requires just 10 minutes of hand’s-on prep with zero clean up. Marinate then grill – that’s it! (Stove top instructions also included.) Serve your skirt steak with strawberry spinach salad, loaded potato salad and mixed berry cobbler for a complete feast!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 2 16

Servings servings

Ingredients

Steak

1 1/2 -2 pounds skirt steak, preferable outside skirt, see notes
vegetable oil for grilling or pan searing

Marinade

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 TBS EACH onion powder, garlic powder
1 tsp EACH paprika, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried dill weed, dried thyme
1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, ground coriander

Pesto Butter (optional)

1/4 cup basil pesto
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

Prep steak: If the skirt steak comes in a long strip, cut it into 2 or 3 smaller pieces. If using inside skirt steak, cover with plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer or side of a can to tenderize.
Marinate: Whisk the marinade ingredients together in a freezer size Ziploc bag. Add steak, press out excess air and seal. Massage marinade into the steak with your hands through the outside of the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 12 hours.

TO GRILL:

Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat grill to high heat, (550 degrees F with the lid closed). Clean, and grease grill grates with vegetable oil.
Grill steaks for 2-5 minutes per side depending on thickness, or until an internal thermometer reads 130-135 degrees F for medium-rare. The tapered end of the outside skirt will grill the most quickily. Grilling times will vary depending on thickness of your steak so please always use a meat thermometer! (This is the exact one I use.)

TO PAN SEAR:

Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and heat until smoking.
Working in batches as needed, use tongs to carefully add the steak to the pan. Press firmly down with a spatula to ensure full contact. Grill for 2-5 minutes per side depending on thickness, or until an internal thermometer reads 130-135 degrees F for medium rare. Grilling times will vary depending on thickness of your steak so please always use a meat thermometer! (This is the exact one I use.)

To Slice:

Remove the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice steaks into thin strips across the grain (perpendicular to the long strands). To do this, place the steaks horizontally in front of you (the grain is running north and south). Slice the steak into sections, then turn the sections 90 degrees, so the grain is running west to east. Hold your knife straight in front of you and slice the steak thinly across the grain.

Pesto Butter

Using a spatula, combine the pesto and softened butter in a bowl until combined. Serve alongside the steaks if desired.

Video

Notes

Outside vs Inside Skirt Steak: Skirt steak can refer to two different types of beef -the outside skirt steak and the inside skirt steak. They are from two different muscles entirely, so they are two very different cuts of beef, even though they are often not distinguished between.

The outside skirt steak is the more desirable cut of beef because it boasts more marbling, is thicker, more tender and not chewy. Due to its superiority, outside skirt steak usually is reserved for restaurants and specialty butchers. You likely won’t find it at your grocery store, but it is worth sourcing. I found mine at a butcher shop in town (Tip Top Meats). Costco sometimes carries it as well, but make sure it is not packaged in a marinade.

You may still use inside skirt steak for this recipe, but it will be more chewy.

How to Store and Reheat

Storage: Transfer skirt steak to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
To Freeze Marinating Steak: Add steak to the marinade in a freezer bag, squeeze out excess air, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then use immediately.
To Freeze Cooked Steak: After you have cooked the steak, let it cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Microwave: Transfer sliced steak to a microwave safe plate. Microwave for 20 seconds then at 10 second intervals as needed. Take care not to overcook.
Skillet: Warm sliced skirt steak in a skillet on the stove with some melted butter or oil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.