Description
This pan-seared skirt steak recipe is extremely easy and quick to prepare. It’s a marinade-free recipe, ideal for those who prefer simply cooked skirt steak.
Ingredients
- Skirt steak (outside skirt steak, not inside skirt)
- 1 tablespoon high-smoke point oil (I recommend avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Skirt Steak: Whole outside skirt steak is quite long, so to make cooking easier, especially if you’re using a smaller pan, cut it into a few shorter pieces, just about 5–6 inches (13–15 cm) each. Next, pat the skirt steak pieces dry with paper towels to remove any surface moisture. Then choose one of these salting methods, depending on how much time you have and the results you want: Best Method: Salt both sides of each skirt steak piece, then place them on a wire rack in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours. Take them out about 20-30 minutes before cooking and let them rest at room temperature. Faster Method: If you’re short on time, salt both sides of the skirt steak pieces and let them sit on a wire rack at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes. Just before cooking, pat them dry again with paper towels.
- Preheat the Pan: Heat the pan over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes. Once it’s hot, add a tablespoon of refined avocado oil and give it another minute to heat. You’re aiming for a pan surface temperature of 400–450°F (204–232°C) to get a good sear. While the pan’s heating up, take a moment to season the skirt steak. If the steak’s surface looks a bit wet, just pat it dry with paper towels. Then, right before it goes in the pan, give it a good sprinkle of finely ground black pepper.
- Pan-Sear the Skirt Steak: Place the seasoned skirt steak pieces in a very hot pan and sear them, flipping every 30 seconds to ensure even cooking. Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature, and take the steak off the pan when it’s about 15–20°F (8–10°C) below your target doneness. Skirt steak is thin and cooks fast over high heat, usually around 3 to 6 minutes, depending on thickness and how you like it. But don’t rely on timing alone; always trust your thermometer.
- Let the Pan-Seared Skirt Steak Rest: This step’s simple but very important. Once the skirt steak is out of the pan, don’t touch it; give it 5 to 6 minutes to rest on a cutting board. Why? Because it keeps cooking slightly even after it’s out of the pan. Thanks to carryover cooking, the skirt steak internal temperature can rise by about 15–20°F (8–10°C) during that time. Skip this step, and you risk missing that perfect doneness.
- Serve the Pan-Seared Skirt Steak: After the skirt steak has rested for at least 5 minutes, it’s time to slice. Always slice it thin and against the grain, which makes it easier to chew (If you’re unsure how, check the FAQs section above the recipe card for step-by-step photos.) Serve sliced skirt steak with something flavorful like chimichurri, brown butter, or a good compound butter, and enjoy all those incredible flavors coming together.
Notes
