Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

Breaking in the Grill with Grilled Skirt Steak

Ah, that time of year in which you dust off the grill, vacuum out the cobwebs, scare away any critters who have taken up residence over the winter (including one black widow, yikes!), clean the grates, turn on the gas, and realize your starter doesn’t work.

So you use a match, and for some reason that grill. Will. Just. Not. Get. Hot. Enough.

So you start over with the Weber and some charcoal, and grill a batch of beautiful skirt steak skewers that were marinating the whole time you were futzing with the equipment.

And they are so perfect and delicious that you don’t care about the broken starter that needs to get fixed or your close call with a black widow. Like a Homer Simpson thought bubble, all you can think about is skirt steak so goooooood.

Skirt Steak—Perfect for Skewers

Why is skirt steak in particular so good, and so perfect for grilling threaded on skewers? Let me show you:

It’s the fat, of course!

What’s the difference between skirt steak and flank steak?

Skirt steak is much fattier than flank steak. The way that the fat is marbleized throughout the meat results in a cut that is much more flavorful, and more forgiving when you cook it.

Unlike flank steak, which because it’s so lean needs to be cooked rare or it gets too dry, skirt steak can be cooked all the way through without suffering.

You still need to cut the steak across the grain when you cut your strips, but the skirt steak will be tender and flavorful because of the fat.

How to Marinate Skirt Steak

To marinate the skirt steak for this recipe, first cut the steak across the grain into strips. Then marinate the steak strips in a marinade of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes, from anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours before grilling.

How to Cook Skirt Steak

When it’s time to grill, thread each skirt steak strip onto a pre-soaked skewer. Lay the skewers on the grill perpendicular to the grill grates, over high direct heat, the hottest part of the grill. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the meat is cooked through.

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