How to cook skirt steak in 7 steps

Skirt steak is no beauty queen: long, flat and fibrous. But with a hot pan and a sharp knife, you can turn it into a steak that holds its own against the big names on flavour. The secret is cooking it fast and hot: 1 minute per centimetre per side. Take the skirt steak off the heat at 50 to 52 °C, rest it for 5 minutes and slice it across the grain. That last part isn't a detail with skirt. It's the difference between tender and a shoe sole.

Skirt steak at a glance

Skirt steak comes from the diaphragm of the cow. That's the muscle between the chest and abdominal cavity that works with every breath.
A cow has two types of skirt: the outside skirt and the inside skirt.
The outside skirt is thicker, more even and slightly more tender. The inside skirt is thinner and coarser, and absorbs a marinade very quickly.
According to Cook's Illustrated, a cow has only four skirt steaks: two outside and two inside.
Skirt steak has a coarse grain. Always slice it across the grain.
A skirt steak is thin and cooks in about 3 minutes. Cook it 1 minute per centimetre per side.
On the BBQ, cook skirt steak over direct heat of 250 °C or more.
Medium rare is 52 to 54 °C after resting.
Count on 175 to 200 grams of skirt steak per person for an average eater.
Skirt steak is not the same as hanger steak (longhaas) or flank steak. They're different muscles.

What is skirt steak, exactly?

Skirt steak is the diaphragm of the cow. Because that muscle is in motion all day, the meat has a firm bite and a full beefy flavour. Skirt isn't the most tender steak you can buy, but it's one of the most characterful. And that's where the breed makes the difference: a skirt from a lean dairy cow is often tough and flat, while a skirt from Black Angus or Wagyu is a different steak altogether.

Skirt steak is known by all kinds of names around the world. In Mexico it's called arrachera, in the United States it's the basis for fajitas and in Argentina it lies on the parrilla as entraña. One cut, a world of cuisines.

Outside skirt or inside skirt?

The outside skirt is the steak you cook like a proper steak. It's thicker and more even, and the fat is finely distributed between the fibres. That keeps it juicy over high heat. At The Butchery you choose between Black Angus USDA Primeand Australian Wagyu.

The inside skirt is longer, thinner and coarser in structure. That's not a downside: that open structure absorbs a marinade in no time. That's why inside skirt is so popular for arrachera, fajitas and tacos. We carry the Japanese A5 Wagyu inside skirt. View all our skirt steak and can't decide? Feel free to call or email us via customer service.

Rules of thumb for the perfect skirt steak

Fast and hot. A skirt steak is thin. High heat gives you a brown crust before the inside cooks through.
1 minute per centimetre per side. That's the rule of thumb. For a thin skirt of 1.5 cm, that's about a minute and a half per side.
Pat dry. Skip this and you'll miss the crust.
The membrane has to go. If the membrane stays on, it shrinks during cooking and the steak curls up. Our Master Butchers remove the membrane from both sides.
Measure the core temperature. With skirt, the gap between medium rare and tough is small.
Slice across the grain. Always.

“I think skirt steak is truly the ultimate BBQ steak. Put it on the plancha and you're guaranteed compliments.” — Bert-Jan Lantinga, Master Butcher

How to cook skirt steak in 7 steps

Take the skirt steak out of the freezer. Do this 1 to 2 days in advance and let it thaw slowly in the fridge. Then take the steak out of the fridge 30 to 45 minutes before cooking so it comes to room temperature.
Pat dry thoroughly. Use kitchen paper. A dry surface browns better.
Season with salt and pepper, or marinate. Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper is enough for an outside skirt. For inside skirt, a marinade pays off (read on below).
Cook the skirt steak fast and hot. Heat a heavy pan over high heat with a splash of oil. If the steak doesn't fit in the pan, cut it with the grain into 2 or 3 pieces. Count on 1 minute per centimetre of thickness per side. That's usually 1.5 to 2 minutes per side, until a nice brown crust forms.
Baste in butter (optional). Turn the heat down and add a generous knob of butter, with crushed garlic and some chilli. Spoon the foaming butter over the meat until the core reaches 50 to 52 °C.
Measure and rest. Take the skirt steak out of the pan at 50 to 52 °C and let it rest for 5 minutes under a loosely draped piece of aluminium foil.
Slice and serve. First cut the skirt with the grain into blocks of about 10 centimetres. Then slice those blocks into thin slices across the grain.

Which core temperature suits skirt steak?

Use a meat thermometer. With skirt, that's not a luxury. The temperature keeps rising another 2 to 3 °C while resting, so take the steak off the heat a little earlier than you think. Guideline temperatures after resting:

Rare: 49 to 51 °C
Medium rare: 52 to 54 °C
Medium: 55 to 57 °C

Our tip: go for medium rare. That's when skirt steak is at its juiciest.

Skirt steak on the BBQ

Skirt steak is made for the BBQ. Set up direct heat of 250 °C or more and cook the steak for a minute and a half to two minutes per side. Halfway through, give the steak a quarter turn for nice grill marks. A word of warning: skirt is full of fat between the fibres, and dripping fat can cause big flare-ups. So stay close. Take the steak off the grill at 50 to 52 °C, rest for 5 minutes and slice across the grain.

Skirt steak on the Ofyr

On the Ofyr, the length of skirt steak really comes into its own. Lay the whole steak, without cutting it into pieces, in wavy folds like an accordion following the curve of the plate. It looks impressive. The plate is hottest in the centre, by the fire, and gets cooler towards the edge. So you get two zones in one. Start on the hot part for the crust, using 1 minute per centimetre per side as a guide, then slide the steak outwards to come up to temperature. Take the skirt off the plate at 50 to 52 °C, rest for 5 minutes and serve it whole on a board. Carve it at the table into blocks of about 10 centimetres and then into thin slices across the grain.

Marinating skirt steak

Inside skirt in particular is made for marinating. A classic Mexican marinade consists of lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, oil, garlic, cumin, oregano, chipotle and fresh coriander. Marinate the steak in the fridge for at least one hour and at most 8 hours. Longer isn't better: the acid from the citrus breaks the fibres down too far and you lose the bite.

Slicing skirt steak: the grain runs across the narrow side

With skirt, the grain runs across the narrow side of the steak. So first cut the steak with the grain into blocks of about 10 centimetres, then slice those blocks into thin slices across the grain. That breaks up the fibres so every bite is tender. Slice with the grain and you're left with a shoe sole, however well you've cooked it.

What to serve with skirt steak

Skirt steak has plenty of flavour for a fresh, spicy companion. Think chimichurri, a salsa of tomato, onion and jalapeño, or guacamole. Slice the steak into thin strips? Then it's great in a warm tortilla or taco, with a good squeeze of lime and fresh coriander. Also see our recipe for skirt steak with red chimichurri. Serve it with grilled asparagus or fried baby potatoes. For wine, go for an Argentinian malbec or a full-bodied tempranillo.

Skirt steak recipes

Skirt steak taco's

Morgen in huis

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Skirt steak tortillas with aubergine and herb oil

Morgen in huis

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Fun facts about skirt steak

Four per cow. According to Cook's Illustrated, a cow has only four skirt steaks. That explains why they're not for sale everywhere.
A skirt. The name most likely comes from the long, flat shape of the meat, which with a bit of imagination looks like a skirt.
A world star. In Mexico it's arrachera, in America it's fajita meat and in Argentina it's entraña. Wherever cooking is done over fire, skirt steak is a classic.
Not the same as hanger steak. Skirt and hanger steak (longhaas) both come from the diaphragm area, but they're different muscles.
Not flank. Skirt steak comes from the diaphragm and is thin and long. Flank steak comes from the belly flank and is wider and more compact.

Questions about cooking skirt steak

What is skirt steak? Skirt steak is a long, flat steak from the diaphragm of the cow. It's a muscle that works constantly and therefore has plenty of flavour.

What is the difference between inside and outside skirt? The outside skirt is thicker, more even and slightly more tender, and ideal as a pure steak on the grill. The inside skirt is thinner and coarser in structure, and absorbs marinades very quickly. That makes it perfect for arrachera, fajitas and tacos.

How long do you cook skirt steak? Count on 1 minute per centimetre of thickness per side in a very hot pan. For a thin skirt that's usually 1.5 to 2 minutes per side. Go by core temperature: take the steak off the heat at 50 to 52 °C.

What is the core temperature of skirt steak? Medium rare is 52 to 54 °C after resting. With skirt the margin between medium rare and tough is small, so a meat thermometer is no unnecessary luxury.

Is skirt steak tough? Skirt is a working muscle and has more bite than, say, tenderloin. With the right breed, a well-trimmed steak, fast and hot cooking and slicing across the grain, skirt isn't tough. That bite is part of its character.

Should you marinate skirt steak? Not required, but recommended, especially for inside skirt. Marinate for at least an hour and at most 8 hours, otherwise the structure is lost.

How much skirt steak do you need per person? Count on 175 to 200 grams per person for an average eater and 250 to 300 grams for a big eater. To share between two, about 400 grams is enough.

How do you slice skirt steak? First cut the steak with the grain into blocks of about 10 centimetres, then slice those into thin slices across the grain.

Is skirt steak the same as flank steak or hanger steak? No. Skirt comes from the diaphragm and is thin and long. Flank steak comes from the belly flank and is wider and more compact. Hanger steak (longhaas or onglet) is a different muscle in the diaphragm area.