Easy Grilled Skirt Steak Recipe

The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

Skirt steak is a wonderfully flavorful cut of beef. It’s also fabulous on the grill. It cooks up easily, quickly, and can be sliced to feed four to six people—or more if you use the meat in fajitas, sandwiches, or as part of a summer dinner salad. They run anywhere from 12 to 24 ounces, so they easily feed from two to six people. Have a bigger crowd on hand? Just grill an extra skirt steak or two (or three). Cooking these larger cuts that you can then slice and serve allow for a lot of flexibility of appetite and diet. Hungry meat eaters and those for whom a slice or two is dandy all benefit. Simply use the information below as a guideline and adjust amounts based on the skirt steak(s) and diner(s) at your table.

Click Play to See Grilled Skirt Steak Come Together

“Skirt steak is thin, which means there’s a greater chance of overcooking it when it’s on the grill. This recipe ensures perfect results for medium to medium-rare steak. I let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing, and it was perfect.” —Danielle Centoni

Ingredients

• 1 pound skirt steak

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, optional

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, optional

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

   The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

2. While technically optional, the first step for the best-tasting grilled steak is to salt it. Put the salt in a small bowl or ramekin. If using the pepper and/or cayenne, add them to the salt and mix. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the fridge. In any case, bring the meat to about room temperature, or at least let it sit out to take the chill off before cooking it to help ensure even cooking.

   The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

3. While the meat sits, make sure the cooking grate on your charcoal or gas grill is cleaned and well oiled, then heat the grill to high heat. You should be able to hold your hand about an inch over the grill grate for 1 second before it feels too hot. If using a charcoal grill, build the fire to one side so you’ll also have a cooler area where you can move the steak(s) if it’s seared and browned on the outside but not quite ready to take off the grill completely (if you’re using a gas grill, you’ll be able to turn off a burner if need be).

   The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

4. Set the steak(s) on the grill and cook, without moving, until that side is seared and releases from the grill of its own accord, about 3 minutes for medium-rare, 4 minutes for medium.

   The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

5. Turn and cook on the other side to the same effect, about 3 to 4 more minutes. You can use a meat thermometer to get an accurate temperature if you like. For rare, remove the steak(s) at 120 F to 125 F; medium-rare 125 F to 130 F; and medium 130 F to 135 F.

   The Spruce Eats / Kristin Vanni

6. Remove the steak(s) from the grill, cover loosely with foil, and let sit at least 10 minutes. This resting time allows the meat to finish cooking and the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the steak. It is extremely important to achieving a properly cooked steak when everything is said and done, so despite the temptation, don’t skip this step.

   The Spruce Eats

7. Use a sharp knife to slice the steak against the grain and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Skirt steak is particularly flavorful, so any cold leftovers are more than usually delicious.

   The Spruce Eats

Recipe Variation

• For a bit more pizzazz, try putting a slice or dollop of compound butter on top of each serving. Of course, hot sauces, salsas, and guacamole are all great options if you’re using the steak to serve in fajitas.

Recipe Tags: