Juicy Skirt Steak Marinade

Who doesn’t love a good beef marinade? Whether you broil, pan sear or grill, a good marinade only enhances the natural flavors and juiciness of an excellent cut of beef. Making a Skirt Steak Marinade is as easy as 1-2-3 with a few kitchen staples.

 

Gather This

The ingredients in this skirt steak marinade recipe works to infuse flavor into every fiber, tenderize the meat and the salt also brines. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Soy sauce – I always cook with low sodium soy sauce; you can always add more salt to a recipe if you need to, but it’s much harder to take it out!
• Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil helps to keep the meat moist, while also helping to distribute flavor to the meat. I prefer olive oil, but any neutral oil will work.
• Balsamic vinegar – I love that balsamic adds both a sweetness and acidity to our marinade. I like to use a good quality balsamic here.
• Worcestershire sauce – This widely used sauce has the ability to add depth, umami richness, and a savory kick to a marinade.
• Spicy brown mustard – Adding this to our marinade not only gives excellent flavor, but also a hint of spice.
• Fresh minced garlic – Mincing your own garlic is preferable here because it packs a bigger flavor punch.
• Salt and pepper – We use a simple blend of coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season this skirt steak marinade.

Let’s Make It

Grilling meat introduces it to a super high heat, very fast and it has the tendency to dry out. Plumping up all of the fibers before throwing it on the grill gives it to the best chance to stay juicy.

1. Make Marinade. Now that you have all your ingredients you can mix them all together in a shallow bowl or even a large gallon size Ziploc bag. I find it easiest to marinate the steak in a Ziploc back and it reduces the  amount of dirty dishes.
2. Marinate. Marinate skirt steak for 2-4 hours. Keep in mind that with some cuts of beef marinating longer is not always better. I like to marinate for 3-4 hours personally but in a pinch will do less when  needed. Trust me, it’s delicious! Don’t worry if you don’t have everything exactly in your cupboards. I have a few substitutions and this recipe is so versatile, you can toy with amounts and still get great flavor. Read on…
3. Grill. Grill your beef to perfection!

Tips and Tricks

It’s not always possible to grill year round, fortunately you can easily pan sear or broil steak and still be able to use this Skirt Steak Marinade. Here are a few tips to follow. 

• Right Temperature. Get a good internal thermometer! Skirt Steak should be cooked from Rare to Medium  but no more as it will become tough. Testing with an internal thermometer will give you  excellent results and takes the guessing out of the cooking process. 
• Grill or Cast Iron. Cook over medium to medium/high heat. And allow pan to preheat when pan searing. I prefer to use cast iron when possible as it gives a great sear. 
• Resting. Allow steak to rest for 3-5 minutes after cooking. This allows the juices to stay put! Nothing worse than cutting a steak too soon and all the juices run out. 
• Cut against the grain and into very thin slices. Slicing any protein against the grain shortens the fibers, making it easier to chew and more tender.
• Set aside a small amount of marinade for dipping or drizzling after the meat is cooked. Nothing better than an amplified sauce to finish it off.

Cooking Temperatures

I recommend you cook your Skirt Steak Marinade no more than to Medium which means 145°F. For a  more rare steak cook to 135°F. As all heat surfaces vary this can take 3-4 minutes per  side to reach the perfect internal temperature.

This is where your heat source is a big deal. Always allow time for an oven to preheat when  broiling, a pan to heat up when pan searing, or a grill to heat prior to cooking. It really does make a difference and only takes a few minutes to accomplish. 

Broiling

Preheat oven and move cooking rack to the 2^nd notch from the top. I find dropping the rack a  notch really helps in cooking and is a little less forgiving when it comes to broiling. Make sure to set yourself a timer and stay close.

Broil steak for 2-3 minutes before checking to see how it’s doing. Broil for an additional 1-2 minutes before turning over and repeat.

Pan Searing  

Heat pan over Medium to Medium/High Heat and once pan is hot add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Steak  can be cut into 4-6 inch servings or cooked whole. Steak will sizzle as it touches the pan, isn’t  that sound fantastic? I think so! Don’t move the steak. It will adhere to the bottom of the pan. This will form a delicious sear. Be patient and let it cook for 3-4 minutes before flipping over. 

Flip steak over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until you reach the desired  temperature. Always allow a 3-5 minute rest before cutting. 

Grilling 

Grilling is my favorite way to use this Skirt Steak Marinade but can also be a bit trickier especially if you have a temperamental grill. Take the time to heat grill to 450°F. This could take about 15 minutes. Often times you will want to brush the racks with oil or olive oil but please do not do that. Oiling the grill will  cause smoke. There is no need to add additional oil to the grilling racks. 

Place steak on grilling rack and close BBQ lid to hold in the heat. Again, allow steak to cook for  3-4 minutes per side and test steak for desired temperature. Grill temperatures can change quickly with the weather and wind which may mean additional time is needed. A thermometer is the best and easiest way to monitor cooking process. 

Skirt Steak vs Flank Steak 

What is the difference between a skirt steak and flank steak? Both are fairly thin and long, but they come from two different areas on the cow. This impacts the toughness of the fibers, marbling, and thus, best ways to cook and eat the meat.

Because they are thin and the fibers tend to separate naturally, both take well to marinades and have a naturally intense beefy flavor. They also do best not cooked past medium, otherwise the fibers seize and become tough.

Skirt steak is slightly more tender and used most frequently in fajitas, tacos and salads. All of which you can use this recipe for if you aren’t just intended to eat it straight off the grill. This can also serve as a flank steak marinade.

What to Serve with Skirt Steak

Anything you normally serve with steak dinners, you can serve your skirt steak recipe with. For sides we like to serve with potato salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, macaroni salad, squash casserole or a nice kale salad!

If you want everything to be on the grill, do grilled potatoes or my spicy honey grilled vegetables. Also serve it with another protein, like Jerk Chicken Skewers. Slice it up, put it on some flour tortillas and top with some salsa to make steak tacos!

More Steak Recipes

If you know me, you know how much I love beef! Here are some of our favorite beef recipes.