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I love a bit of Skirt Steak
Isn’t it amazing how things change? When I was 16 chasing skirt had a completely different meaning. Now at 52 years old a piece of skirt becomes something else as a context, into Skirt Steak. It really is one of my favorite cuts of meat. Skirt Steak is the trimmed, boneless portion of the diaphragm muscle attached to the 6th through 12th ribs on the underside of the short plate.
It’s covered in a tough membrane that you really need to trim away before cooking. I think it is sort of revered by us consumers as a poor man’s cut, but by Chefs as some of the best of the beast: literally the Chef’s Cut. I really love it, I love a bit of Skirt Steak. It is flash-fry cooking too. It’s so quick to prepare and finish.
Family dinner time tonight and I made this and wifey made some delicious spuds and roasted Brussels Sprouts. Hell yes!!
I took the tough membrane, cap, off with my pairing knife. It takes some time but it is important to do so as you don’t want this being a chewy steak now, do you? This picture is after trimming off all the membrane and tough ‘cap’, but you’ll note I have left the fatty lines in the steak itself. Fat IS Flavor!!!
Sea salt, cracked black Kampot pepper, some finely minced garlic, and a knob of butter. Let that marinate for a few hours in the fridge. When ready to cook take it out of the fridge for about 30 minutes to come up to room temperature.
I used my cast-iron skillet pan today. Man, I love this thing. It’s a two-handed pickup because it is so heavy. And it seasons more and more after each cook. Just wipe around with the tiniest bit of oil and you are set. I just threw in the steak and let the butter melt and then it was game on as everything started sizzling. Skirt Steak cooks fast so don’t leave this long on each side.
You could throw in some fresh Thyme or Rosemary of course, but it was purist today.
After about 5 minutes on each side and a little rest. Check this baby out. Beautifully charred and I am very confident at medium-rare inside Pink2Pink. We shall see. The aroma was bonkers good by the way – butter-fried garlic & beef fats, my goodness…
And there it was, the perfect, most simple Skirt Steak. Just a brilliant cut of meat you have to try one day. Keep it simple. Just sea salt, and cracked Kampot black pepper would absolutely be enough. But, occasionally, for variety, a little garlic or garlic salt is groovy. It’s so simple to prep, cook, and plate Skirt Steak. Get it, and ENJOY!!!
Is Life a Recipe YouTube Channel
And here comes FOUR other amazing recipes using this cut of meat and its close cousins: Onglet Steak, Flank Steak, Skirt Steak and Bavette Steak
Onglet Beef 3-ways ‘w’ Chimichurri Sauce
Toasted Crostini ‘w’ Skirt & Blue Cheese
Miso Butter Corn & Edamame with Skirt Steak Recipe
A Comprehensive Guide to Bavette Steak
Skirt Steak: What Is It?
Skirt steak is a long, thin, ribbon-like cut that is taken from the cow or steer’s plate (belly), which is located immediately below the rib. The “pleated” appearance of the steak, which gives it its name, is caused by the muscle fibers being visible. A complete skirt steak has a thickness of around 1/2 inch and weighs between 1 and 2 pounds.
Two “inside” and two “outside” skirt steaks are produced by the animal. While the outside steak is thicker and marginally more tender, this cut typically ends up in restaurant kitchens, don’t worry, both are wonderful and with appropriate cooking, you probably won’t be able to distinguish between them.
Skirt steak is made from a muscle that receives a lot of exercise, making it relatively lean and full of taste. You can clearly see the muscle fibers crisscrossing the meat; these are what give the steak its unique chew. This also implies that it’s crucial to cook it at the right temperature: Overcooking can result in dryness and toughness while undercooking will fail to fully soften the muscle fibers. The ideal is at least medium-rare, but not more than medium.
