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If you’re looking for an easy grilled steak recipe that delivers big flavor, this Marinated Skirt Steak is a must-try! Made with a simple homemade steak marinade, this grilled skirt steak has the perfect balance of savory, sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors. The best part? Skirt steak cooks quickly over high heat, making it an excellent option for busy weeknights, weekend cookouts, or your next Taco Tuesday.
Need more easy steak recipes, make this bold and zesty Tequila Lime Skirt Steak, Marinated Steak Tacos, or these savory Garlic Butter Steak Skewers.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love this Marinated Skirt Steak recipe
- Ingredients needed to make the Marinated Skirt Steak
- Shopping for skirt steak
- How to make the BEST Steak Marinade
- Recipe Tip
- How to grill marinated skirt steak
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Try these perfectly grilled steak recipes:
- Marinated Skirt Steak Recipe
Why You’ll Love this Marinated Skirt Steak recipe
1. A simple steak marinade with big flavor
A great marinade can transform an everyday cut of beef into something special. Each ingredient plays a role in creating a balanced flavor that complements the natural richness of the beef without overpowering it.
2. Quick and easy grilling
One of the biggest advantages of cooking skirt steak is how quickly it grills. Because skirt steak is relatively thin, it doesn’t need a long time over the heat. It’s a fantastic way to get a delicious steak dinner on the table without a complicated cooking process.
3. Perfect for meal variety
This grilled marinated skirt steak is much more versatile than a traditional steak dinner. Slice it thinly and use it for steak tacos, fajitas, burrito bowls, quesadillas, or hearty salads. You can also serve it alongside grilled potatoes, rice, or your favorite vegetables for a complete meal. It’s an easy recipe to make once and enjoy in several different ways.
4. An excellent cut for marinades
Skirt steak has a rich, beefy flavor and a distinctive grain that works particularly well with a bold marinade. The thin cut allows the marinade to coat the meat thoroughly, adding flavor before it ever touches the grill.
5. Great for family dinners and cookouts
Whether you’re firing up the grill for a weeknight dinner or hosting friends and family for a backyard cookout, this easy marinated skirt steak fits right in. You can even prepare the marinade ahead of time to make dinner even easier.
Ingredients needed to make the Marinated Skirt Steak
- Outside skirt steak: a flavorful cut of beef that’s perfect for high-heat grilling. It has a rich, beefy flavor and cooks quickly.
- Soy sauce: provides a salty, savory, umami-rich flavor that complements the natural taste of the beef.
- Brown sugar: adds a touch of sweetness to balance the savory soy sauce, tangy lime juice, and spicy red pepper flakes.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds a bold, aromatic flavor.
- Lime juice: adds a bright, citrusy kick that balances the richness of the steak and the saltiness of the soy sauce.
- Pepper flakes: bring a gentle heat to the marinade.
Shopping for skirt steak
When you go to your local grocery store or butcher, you will find 2 different types of skirt steaks – Outside and Inside. Both are a skirt steak but they are very different.
Outside skirt steak is cut from the diaphragm muscle in the plate section. It’s thicker, more uniform in width, and more tender, with a rich, beefy flavor, which is why most of it goes to restaurants and it can be hard to find at the grocery store.
Inside skirt comes from the abdominal wall closer to the flank. It’s thinner, wider, and more irregular, with a slightly chewier texture, and it’s the cut you’ll usually see labeled “skirt steak” at the meat counter.
Both take marinades well and do best cooked hot and fast, then sliced thin against the grain.
If you can, get the outside skirt steak.
How to make the BEST Steak Marinade
This simple marinade is the secret key to this Marinated Skirt Steak recipe. Make it the night before, marinade the beef and just grill it up the next day.
In a mixing bowl add soy sauce, olive oil, freshly minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar and freshly squeezed lime juice. Whisk the ingredients together.
Cut the steak into smaller 6 inch slabs if you have a long strip.
Place the skirt steak into the marinade making sure everything is covered. Let this sit for 1 hour. For best results, marinate overnight.
Recipe Tip
- Select outside skirt steak over inside. It’s more tender with stronger beef flavors.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
How to grill marinated skirt steak
This grilled skirt steak recipe comes together in minutes. It’s the perfect protein to make for dinner if you are in a hurry. 10 minutes is all you need to get steak on the table.
Preheat the grill to 450 degrees and set for direct heat. Grill the Marinated Skirt Steak 2 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees to ensure a medium rare cook. If you like your steak with less pink, keep it on the grill a few minutes longer.
Temperature Guide For Steak
- Medium-rare: 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium: 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium-well: 140-150 degrees Fahrenheit
Remove the tender grilled skirt steak from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes. It’s very important to rest any protein after a cook. This process helps redistribute all those wonderful juices that will create a beautifully tender slice of meat.
Next, throw some green onions on the hot grates. These charred veggies are a great way to add some fiber to a dish and have amazing flavor.
Enjoy the steak and green onions by themselves or add a tortilla and some rice for a fuller meal. Enjoy!
And if you have any leftovers, re-use the marinated skirt steak and make these fast and easy cheesy steak nachos or this steak and shrimp fajitas.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a new way to switch up your regular grilling routine, this Marinated Skirt Steak deserves a spot on your menu. The combination of soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes creates a flavorful steak marinade that complements the beef with savory, tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy notes. Add a hot grill and a few minutes of cooking time, and you’ve got a delicious steak dinner without a lot of extra work.
Fire up the grill, give this homemade skirt steak marinade a try, and enjoy a simple, flavorful beef recipe that’s perfect for your next family dinner or backyard cookout! Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Type of steak depends on what you are trying to grill up. For hot and fast look for cuts with good marbling like a ribeye or NY strip. If you are cooking a roast or stew, look for cuts that are cheaper and meatier like a chuck roast.
The internal temperature all depends on how you want or prefer your steak cooked. For a medium rare, remove it at between 120-125 degrees. If you are going for a medium cooked steak, anywhere between 135-140 degrees. Anything over will be well done. Remember to always rest the meat for 10 minutes before slicing.
Try these perfectly grilled steak recipes:
If you tried this Marinated Skirt Steak or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Marinated Skirt Steak
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Outside skirt steak
- 1/2 cup Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 Cloves of garlic – minced
- 2 Limes – juiced
- 1 tbsp Crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add soy sauce, olive oil, freshly minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, brown sugar and freshly squeezed lime juice. Whisk the ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved.
- Cut the steak into smaller 6 inch pieces and place them in the marinade. Make sure everything is covered and marinade in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Preheat the grill to 450 degrees and set for direct heat. Grill the marinated skirt steak 2 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees
- Remove them from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice with the grain first, rotate 90 degrees and cut across the grain for maximum tenderness.
Notes
- Select outside skirt steak over inside. It’s more tender with stronger beef flavors.
- Make the marinade the night before and marinate the beef overnight for maximum flavor.
- For the ultimate tenderness, grill the skirt steak to a medium rare around 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice against the grain for ultimate tenderness.
Nutrition
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Thank you ! Tried it tonite my quest loved it looking forward to other recipes
First introduction to skirt steak I’m from Australia and it’s not popular here. The local butcher cuts it for me out the back and it’s cheap and tasty when marinated like this. I like my skirt steak well done however.