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Skirt steak?

So I finally purchased a skirt steak on Friday and cooked it yesterday. I let it marinate for 24 hours and removed all the silver skin. It was very flavorful but damn that thing was tough. I seared it to medium rare. What did I do wrong? I've always heard skirt was a great cut but based on this weekend I disagree. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Evans, GA; 1 Lg BGE & Table, 1 Md BGE, I Mini BGE

Comments

  • mb99zz
    mb99zz Posts: 183
    It's all in he way it's cut. I had the same reaction the first time I cooked a skirt. Watch the videos here:

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/skirt-steak/video/index.html
  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    Skirt is a tough cut, tougher than flank. You need to buy the ones that have been run through the tenderizer, it almost cubes them. If not offered by your butcher, you need to cut across the grain, almost all the way through, against the grain every half inch before marinating.

    If not, get some shoe laces, they make great sandals. :)
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    mb99zz said:
    It's all in he way it's cut.
    Exactly.  You must cut it against the grain fairly thinly and on a 45 degree angle.  It's the finest.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    I love skirt steak. As stated, cut it right and it is a great cut. I use it for fajitas
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Thanks for the responses but I did cut it against the grain. I also scored the steak but must of not done it deep enough. I'll try them again one day but will have to wait until the wife is out of town because she hated it.
    Evans, GA; 1 Lg BGE & Table, 1 Md BGE, I Mini BGE
  • Thanks for the responses but I did cut it against the grain. I also scored the steak but must of not done it deep enough. I'll try them again one day but will have to wait until the wife is out of town because she hated it.

    Med rare for skirt is not ideal. I know it's against the conventional thought but go well done on skirt. If you want med rare, use flank. It will be much more tender at well done. If you think about it, have you ever had a med rare fajita with skirt? You don't see them because they are tough.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
    edited July 2013
    You could hit it with a jaccard before the long marinade soak.

    Not surprisingly though, some skirts are much tougher than others.  :)

    But seriously...we often use skirt for beef stir-fry, and one time we got some freshly cut skirt (I watched the worker remove it from cryopak and slice it up) that was way tougher than any we'd previously gotten. It was so bad, we threw it out and substituted defrosted pre-cooked chicken that night.
  • Nutty Woodchuck
    Nutty Woodchuck Posts: 18
    edited July 2013



    Thanks for the responses but I did cut it against the grain. I also scored the steak but must of not done it deep enough. I'll try them again one day but will have to wait until the wife is out of town because she hated it.




    "Med rare for skirt is not ideal. I know it's against the conventional thought but go well done on skirt. If you want med rare, use flank. It will be much more tender at well done. If you think about it, have you ever had a med rare fajita with skirt? You don't see them because they are tough."

    ------------------------------

    Thank you for that tip. I'll remember it next time. But to your point, how do you cook it? Low & slow?
    Evans, GA; 1 Lg BGE & Table, 1 Md BGE, I Mini BGE
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    edited July 2013

    Nutty Woodchuck I used VI's recipe for Kalbi Korean beef. Substituted skirt steak for the flanken ribs, marinated over night. Cooked at 450-500 for 10 to 15 minutes a side. No smoke wood added. Outstanding flavor.

    Ingredients

    • 5 pounds skirt steak 
    • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
    • 1 cup soy sauce
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1/4 cup mirin (rice wine)
    • 1 small onion, peeled and finely grated
    • 1 small Asian pear, peeled and finely grated
    • 4 tablespoons minced garlic
    • 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

    Preparation:

    Directions

    Sprinkle brown sugar over beef and mix well to evenly coat. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while preparing marinade. In a bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Transfer beef into a large sealable freezer bag (you may need 2). Add marinade, press out excess air from bags, and seal. Turn bag over several times to ensure beef is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.

    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • Thanks for the responses but I did cut it against the grain. I also scored the steak but must of not done it deep enough. I'll try them again one day but will have to wait until the wife is out of town because she hated it.

    "Med rare for skirt is not ideal. I know it's against the conventional thought but go well done on skirt. If you want med rare, use flank. It will be much more tender at well done. If you think about it, have you ever had a med rare fajita with skirt? You don't see them because they are tough."
    ------------------------------ Thank you for that tip. I'll remember it next time. But to your point, how do you cook it? Low & slow?

    Hot and fast. Low and slow is bad for skirt too.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Springram
    Springram Posts: 430
    njl said:
    You could hit it with a jaccard before the long marinade soak.

    Not surprisingly though, some skirts are much tougher than others.  :)

    But seriously...we often use skirt for beef stir-fry, and one time we got some freshly cut skirt (I watched the worker remove it from cryopak and slice it up) that was way tougher than any we'd previously gotten. It was so bad, we threw it out and substituted defrosted pre-cooked chicken that night.
    I have had pretty good success using a Jaccard several times on both sides of skirt steak. Turns out pretty tender. I use "choice" inside skirt. HOWEVER...sometimes you just get a tough cow no matter what. Not overcooking and cutting thin slices at a 45* angle all helps.

    Springram
    Spring, Texas
    LBGE and Mini
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    Springram Inside skirts are what Costo sells as Flap meat. Outside skirts are the ones that look like what we used to get years ago, before flap meat was available and the price jumped up on outside skirts because of their popularity.
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • TonyA
    TonyA Posts: 583
    We cook skirt all the time. My MIL loves it. You really 'should' cut 3 or 4 inch sections and slice it the other way than I have here, but we pretty much eat cubed bites so it doesn't much matter. This got a little Goya adobo and some poorly hacked cilantro.