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Skirt steak

3K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  brianshaw 
#1 ·
Help with skirt steak. I have no luck here. Looking for suggestions. I have had it elsewhere and it is tasty and tender. Whenever I have bought, marinated and sliced across the grain as suggested it never is tender/eatable. I mean you can eat it but very chewy. Is it me or the meat LOL. Thanks for any tips.
 
#2 ·
It's not the kind of steak you eat like a ribeye. The skirt steak you get for tacos is split along its length so it's twice as thin. Normally grilled at very high heat and then diced. Flank steak is a great alternative cut. It's lean, and cooked medium rare, sliced 1/4" across its grain, very tender and has a good meaty flavor.
 
#3 ·
[JUSTIFY].[/JUSTIFY]

[JUSTIFY](?) ... I'm not all so sure about that high heat. ... I much prefer low heat to cook the bageebies out of the connective tissue. ... That of course is just another opinion from a different county. ... YMMV. [/JUSTIFY]
 
#6 ·
While skirt steak will never be super tender, it should be pleasantly chewy instead of outright tough. It should be remembered that there are actually two type of skirt steak on the steer, the inside and the outside. The outside skirt steak is pleasantly chewy, whereas the inside skirt steak is outright tough. It could be that OP is buying the inside skirt steak instead of the vastly superior outside skirt steak.
 
#7 ·
I agree with CatManDoo. It's not filet mignon but still, it shouldn't be super chewy — and I never go past medium rare. Either get the right kind as CatManDoo suggested or try another source.

Definitely high heat, best either seared over high heat or grilled over hot coals. Then slice not too thinly, somewhere around 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Definitely across the grain of course.

Should be delicious, either as-is, in a taco or with Chimichurri.
 
#8 ·
I agree with CatManDoo. It's not filet mignon but still, it shouldn't be super chewy - and I never go past medium rare. Either get the right kind as CatManDoo suggested or try another source.

Definitely high heat, best either seared over high heat or grilled over hot coals. Then slice not too thinly, somewhere around 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Definitely across the grain of course.

Should be delicious, either as-is, in a taco or with Chimichurri.
Yeah, an excellent cut for Tacos. I marinate mine with sherry vinegar, Spanish olive oil, cracked coriander and cumin seeds, chili powder, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, a little brown sugar, and salt and pepper. I sear it at high heat on a cast iron grill pan to rare and then slice thin. Top the steak with some salsa fresca, red onion creme fraiche, and some chopped chives and you have an excellent taco.
 
#9 · (Edited)
LOL. ... I guess my way of low-heat is a non-starter. ... I've never has a med-rare skirt steak that wasn't like beef jerky. ... But I guess that's just on me.

*** EDIT: OK ... I just looked it up. I'm not necessarily wrong.

To minimize toughness and add flavor, skirt steaks are often marinated before grilling, pan-seared very quickly or cooked very slowly, typically braised. They are typically sliced against the grain before serving to maximize tenderness.
 
#10 ·
I sous vide mine then sear on either a screaming hot iron, or a really hot grill with some wood added for smoke. The low and slow sous vide renders this a much more tender cut of otherwise chewy beef. Not that there's anything wrong with that mind you it depends on your desired outcome.
 
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