The Best Way To Serve Up Skirt Steak, According To A Chef

There are many different cuts of steak available at the butcher including the oft overlooked skirt steak. There are differences between skirt and flank steaks, but a skirt steak is easy to secure at most grocery stores and shouldn't be as costly as options like filet mignon. Cut from the plate section of a cow, skirt steak is typically long and thin — so you must know how to cook it. That's where the advice of Michael Taus, chef at Chicago's La Grande Boucherie, comes into play.

"Skirt steak shines when sliced and used in dishes like salads, stir-fries, empanadas, fajitas, and even chili," he says. "It's also a fantastic addition to hearty sandwiches or grain bowls." Why does skirt steak work so well with these types of dishes, and not on a plate next to mashed potatoes and veggies as we've come to expect our steaks? You can certainly eat it on its own, but its thinness is why it works well in salads, fajitas, and sandwiches, because it will offer balanced bites with the other fillings. And because skirt steak is relatively affordable compared to other cuts, its richness won't get lost with those other ingredients like a higher-priced, marbled cut would.

No matter how you plan to serve the skirt steak, skirt steak benefits from certain cooking methods. First, you can't go wrong with a marinade to break down some of the connective tissues and tenderize this tougher cut. Or skip the marinade with your skirt steak and make a sauce like chimichurri to put on top afterwards. Marinade or not, the best cooking method is at a high heat for a short time so you don't overcook the thin cut. That's why we think grilling, either outside or with a grill pan on the stovetop, is ideal. It will only take a couple of minutes per side to maintain some redness in the middle. And don't forget to let it rest so the meat absorbs as much juice as possible, like you would with any other cut of beef.

When it's ready, try it on our winter Greek salad recipe that's on par with the recommendations from Michael Taus. Another option according to Taus is fajitas, so try it in our sizzling steak fajitas recipe or your other go-to fajita combination. And while it wasn't one of the chef's recommendations, this spicy skirt steak quesadilla recipe is another flavorful and easy way to use up any leftover skirt steak you have.