Marinated Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce is magically tender and flavorful for a meal to remember! The preparation method for skirt steak in this recipe turns an otherwise unimpressive cut of meat into an actual dream!
Crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked juicy skirt steak that is an absolute explosion of flavor and topped with the liquid gold known as chimichurri is what we’re about to dive into today.
I love marinating skirt steak partially because the transformation itself is just so impressive (gotta love a good before and after), but also because the end result is objectively great.
Marinating cuts of beef that have tough muscle fibers (like skirt steak) for a good deal of time ensures you end up with a juicy tender on the inside skirt steak that is just seeping with amazing flavor. I personally marinate for 24 hours or longer.
What is Skirt Steak?:
Skirt steak is a long cut of meat with visible grain from the abdominal area of the cow below the ribs.
Skirt steaks come from two separate muscles within the same area of the cow. The outside skirt steak comes from the boneless portion of the diaphragm muscle and the inside skirt steak comes from the transversus abdominis muscle.
This thin cut of beef has a lot of surface area in addition to a lot of tough fibers, so the best skirt steak recipes are those that use a technique to tenderize the meat.
Allowing the steak to marinate for a long period of time ensures it is penetrated with flavor through and through.
A little careful preparation goes a long way, turning the otherwise difficult cut into one of the most flavorful cuts of beef.
Because skirt steak is usually trimmed of excess fat and is known for being a tougher cut of steak without a great deal of intramuscular fat, marinating it is the best way of getting a tender steak for a great result every time.
Plus, skirt steak tends to be a cheaper cut of meat, making it ideal for cooking on a budget.
It is often used (in addition to flank steak) for Carne Asada https://www.theroastedroot.net/carne-asada/ which is usually marinated for several hours as well.
Most grocery stores carry skirt steak and flank steak, which can both be prepared the same way.
If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, your local butcher shop will have it.
Why This Recipe Works:
The combination of the amazing marinade, the amount of time we marinade, the perfect cook of the steak, and the delicious chimichurri sauce rocket ships this dining experience to the moon.
Typically I would use my recipe for The Best Flank Steak Marinade or Best Steak Marinade, but this time I got a wild hair and made a whole new recipe. It includes many similarities to my other two steak marinades, but is absolutely amazing in its own right.
The flavors of the marinade result in an intensely beefy flavor with some sweet undertones.
And the chimichurri sauce.
It would almost be a shame to not invite it to the party.
If you read my post a few days ago for The Best Chimichurri Sauce you’re already familiar with the deliciousness that’s going on here.
Chimichurri sauce has a bright, herby flavor with tangy richness and garlicky goodness that is almost too good to be true.
Let’s jump right into the simple ingredients needed to make this recipe happen.
Skirt Steak Marinade Ingredients:
Avocado oil, liquid aminos (or soy sauce), rice vinegar, pure maple syrup, fish sauce (or worcestershire sauce), garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.
This combination of marinade ingredients brings a huge blast of flavor to any meat it touches! Sweet, savory, umami…it hits all of the flavors.
Use this simple marinade on any cut of meat, including all cuts of beef, chicken, pork, or fish.
Marinate skirt steak or flank steak with this marinade for 8 to 48 hours for an absolute flavor fest and the best texture you could possibly achieve out of this cut of beef.
Let’s do some marinating!
How to Marinate Skirt Steak:
Add all of the ingredients for the skirt steak marinade to a small bowl (or blender such as a nutribullet or magic bullet) and whisk (or blend) until combined.
Transfer the raw skirt steak to a large 1-gallon zip lock bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag then swish everything together until the steak is well-coated with marinade.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, up to 48 hours. This may seem like a long period of time, but trust me, it’s worth it. The longer the beef marinates, the more tender it will become and the more flavor that will be injected into the meat.
How to Make Skirt Steak:
When you’re ready to cook, fire up your charcoal grill or gas grill, or a cast iron skillet if you prefer cooking on the stove top.
Before cooking, remove the skirt steak from the marinade and allow any excess marinade to drip off.
Grilled Skirt Steak:
Grill the skirt steak over direct heat for 6 minutes per side over high heat (about 400 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit) or until the steak reaches your desired level of doneness, avoiding any flare ups.
If the steak becomes too hot, move it to a cooler part of the grill but try to keep it over direct heat if possible. You want the outside of the steak to have a generous char and grill marks, but the inside to remain tender.
Pan-Seared Skirt Steak:
Heat a large cast iron skillet (you will need a 12-inch skillet to fit a 1.5 to 2 pound skirt steak) over high heat and add enough avocado oil or olive oil to generously coat the surface.
Allow the skillet to heat up until it is sizzling hot. If you have a laser thermometer, you can check the temperature of the surface of the skillet. You want it to be between 400 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Carefully place the skirt steak on the center of the hot skillet and sear for 6 minutes per side for medium-rare steak or about 8 minutes per side for medium steak.
You want the steak to have a good sear but not be over or undercooked so be sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Final Temperatures for Cooking Steak:
- Rare: 115 – 120 degrees F
- Medium Rare: 125 – 130 degrees F
- Medium: 135 – 140 degrees F
- Medium Well: 145 – 150 degrees F
- Well Done: 150 or over
For accuracy, the most important thing is to use a thermometer to achieve the perfect cook. Insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and wait until the numbers stop moving for an accurate read.
Let the Steak Rest:
Once the steak has finished cooking, remove it from the grill or the skillet and transfer it to a cutting board. Allow the steak to rest for at least 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice steak against the grain.
Serve skirt steak with chimichurri sauce and any side dishes you like.
Store leftover skirt steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can use leftovers for stir fries, tacos, burritos, and more.
I find this recipe pairs very well with The Best Potato Salad, Green Bean Salad with Walnuts and Feta, or Greek Pasta Salad.
If you love recipes like this, also try my Flank Steak Tacos, Perfect Grilled Steak, or BBQ Tri Tip.
And that’s it!
Simple ingredients, very little actual prep, and so much beefy flavor to enjoy. A great steak for quick grilling the next time you have people over for a BBQ!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ to 2 lbs skirt steak
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- ¼ cup liquid aminos
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Chimichurri Sauce
Instructions
Marinate the Steak:
- Add all of the ingredients for the skirt steak marinade to a small bowl or blender and whisk or blend until combined.
- Transfer the raw skirt steak to a large 1-gallon zip lock bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag then swish everything together until the steak is well-coated with marinade.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, up to 48 hours. This may seem like a long period of time, but trust me, it’s worth it. The longer the beef marinates, the more tender it will become and the more flavor that will be injected into the meat.
- Before cooking, remove the skirt steak from the marinade and allow any excess marinade to drip off.
For Grilling:
- Heat up your charcoal or gas grill until it is very hot (400 to 500 degrees). Place the skirt steak over direct heat and grill for 6 minutes per side for medium-rare steak or until it reaches your desired level of doneness.
For Skillet:
- Heat a large cast iron skillet (you will need a 12-inch skillet to fit a 1.5 to 2 pound skirt steak) over high heat and add enough avocado oil or olive oil to generously coat the surface. Allow the skillet to heat up until it is sizzling hot. Carefully place the steak on the hot skillet and sear for 6 minutes per side for medium-rare steak or 8 minutes per side for medium steak (or to your desired level of doneness).
Let the Steak Rest:
- Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Use a sharp knife to slice against the grain of the meat.
Notes
Final Temperatures for Cooking Steak:
- Rare: 115 – 120 degrees F
- Medium Rare: 125 – 130 degrees F
- Medium: 135 – 140 degrees F
- Medium Well: 145 – 150 degrees F
- Well Done: 150 -1 55 degrees F
Nutrition
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