Can we just clarify the first thing you need to know? A skirt steak is not a flank steak. They are two different kinds of meat. The one has two skirts and looks good in marinade, while the other one is less of a fashionista. Grilled skirt steak is also good for the heart as it is a lean piece of meat and is excellently showcased by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in their skirt steak recipe with lime, garlic, and chillies. What else do you need to know to successfully complete the skirt steak 101 course?
What Is Skirt Steak?
Have you heard the term and wondered what is skirt steak? You might have eaten beef skirt steak if you enjoy fajitas, a stir-fry, or skewered steak strips. Skirt steak is a thin, flavourful cut that is easy to cut into strips, with a loose grain structure ideal for marinating. Don’t let it soak up your favourite marinade for too long. Let it lie for 30 minutes, remove as much marinade from the exterior as you can, and throw it on the hot grill. Enjoy!
It takes approximately 3 minutes per side to grill skirt steak, but choosing the cut you want from our awesome meat selection is definitely going to take longer. That is why we made it easier for you with our beef packages, including the Beef Family Pack, BBQ Bounty Wagyu Pack, and the Black Angus Friday Pack #2 with its free bonus surprise. Placing your online order might be quicker than grilling skirt steak.
Fun fact: The Mexican word for skirt steak is arrachera.
How To Cook Skirt Steak
Do you have a family that gets so hungry they simply cannot wait to eat? We have the perfect piece of meat for you. The best way to BBQ skirt steak is to cook it very quickly over the hottest grill you can get. Some people even cook it directly on the coals. You want the surface of the meat to brown quickly without cooking the inside for too long. Skirt steak stays moist during grilling due to its fat content, but if you go further than medium-rare, the steak can get dry and chewy.
Many people have a skirt steak recipe that requires marinating. If you like your meat natural, just season it and grill the steak hot and fast. Always slice the skirt steak thinly against the grain for more tender meat, or it will become difficult to chew. Worried about cutting a straight line in such a long piece of meat? Cut it into shorter sections first and then slice the portions against the grain.
Varieties Of Skirt Steak
Although you might not be a fashionista, you may remember we mentioned the steak has two skirts. You can choose between a Brant Lake Wagyu inside skirt and a Brant Lake Wagyu outside skirt, and since we are all about quality, we peel the meat for you. What is the difference between the two?
Outside skirt. This cut is most often used by restaurants and the catering industry as it is thicker than the inside skirt with a uniform shape. Generally seven to ten centimetres wide, and about 1-to 3-centimetres thick, it is longer than the inside cut. The Chophouse Steaks outside skirt steak weighs on average 750 grams and we suggest it be sliced on a 30-degree angle across the grain.
Inside skirt. The cut is thinner with a more irregular shape and not as long as an outside skirt steak. Usually twelve to eighteen centimetres wide, it tends to shrink more during cooking. The Chophouse Steaks inside skirt steak weighs 1.5 kilograms on average.
We are a trusted online butcher shop with customers who enjoy the premium meat products we source, cut, age and sell to nearly everyone in Canada. How do we like our skirt steak at Chophouse Steaks? Grilled, whether inside or outside. Click here to order.
