How to Cook Skirt Steak on a Grill

Co-authored by Santos Aviles and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: February 11, 2023 References

Skirt steak is one of the fastest and most versatile steaks to cook. Because it's long and thin, you can season the steak simply before grilling it quickly over high heat. It absorbs flavors well, so consider marinating the meat in flavorful ingredients, such as herbs, garlic, and chili powder. If you prefer, spoon a fresh sauce, such as chimichurri, over the grilled meat just before serving it.

Ingredients

Basic Grilled Skirt Steak

2 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) of whole black peppercorns
2 pounds (0.91 kg) skirt steak
1 tablespoon (12 g) of coarse sea salt

Makes a 2 pounds (0.91 kg) steak

Chili-Spiced Marinade

2 teaspoons (4 g) of sweet paprika
1 teaspoon (2 g) of ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon (2 g) of garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2 g) of onion powder
1 teaspoon (4 g) of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground coriander
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of freshly ground pepper
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil

Makes enough marinade for a 2 pounds (0.91 kg) steak

Garlic-Herb Marinade

1 cup (25 g) of basil leaves
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons (5 g) of thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons (17 g) of pickled peppers, such as pepperoni or jalapeno, coarsely chopped
2 ½ teaspoons (15 g) of kosher salt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil

Makes enough marinade for a 2 to 3 pounds (0.91 to 1.36 kg) steak

Skirt Steak Fajitas

Grilled and sliced skirt steak
1 red bell pepper, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) strips
1 onion, cut into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) slices
Corn tortillas

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Chimichurri Sauce

2 cups (50 g) of freshly minced parsley
3 tablespoons (25 g) of minced garlic
3 tablespoons (11 g) of minced oregano
1 ½ tablespoons (10 g) of red pepper flakes
1 to 1 ¹⁄₄ cups (240 to 300 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of red wine vinegar

Makes about 2 cups (470 ml) of sauce

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Basic Grilled Skirt Steak

1
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat. If you're using a gas grill, turn the burners to high. If you're using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney with briquettes and light them. Once the briquettes are hot and lightly covered with ash, carefully dump them onto the center of the grill grate.^{[1]
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- Since skirt steak is such a thin cut, it's best to cook it quickly over high heat.
- If your grill grate isn't seasoned, dip a paper towel in a little oil and brush it over the grate to lightly grease it.
2
Crush the peppercorns. Put 2 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) of whole black peppercorns into a mortar and use a pestle to pound them until they're coarsely crushed. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, spread them on a clean kitchen towel and fold the towel over. Then press a cast-iron skillet on the peppercorns to crush them.^{[2]
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- Although you can use ground pepper, the flavor will be more intense if you use freshly crushed peppercorns.
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3
Season both sides of the steak with salt and the crushed peppercorns. Get out a skirt steak that's around 2 pounds (0.91 kg) and pat it dry using paper towels. Then sprinkle 1 tablespoon (12 g) of coarse sea salt and the crushed peppercorns over both sides of the steak.^{[3]
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- You might need to press the salt and pepper into the meat to get the seasonings to stick.
- If you marinated the steak, pat the steak dry before grilling it.
Tip: Try substituting pink peppercorns for a fresher flavor that isn't spicy. You can also add 2 tablespoons (5 g) of chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary or thyme, to add a burst of flavor.
4
Grill the steak for 6 to 8 minutes for a medium-rare steak. Lay the skirt steak on the grill so it's directly over the heat source. Then cover the grill and let the steak cook until it looks charred on the outside. Use tongs to turn the steak over halfway through the cooking time.^{[4]
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- For a medium-rare steak, remove it once it reaches 140 °F (60 °C) with an instant-read meat thermometer. If you like your steak cooked more, grill it for an extra 2 minutes or until it reaches 155 to 165 °F (68 to 74 °C).
5
Remove the steak and rest it for 5 minutes before you slice it. Use the tongs to transfer the steak to a cutting board. Cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil and leave it for 5 minutes. Then use a sharp knife to cut the meat against the grain.^{[5]
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- The steak will finish cooking as it rests and the juices will redistribute within the meat.
- Refrigerate the leftover steak in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Trying Variations

1
Marinate the steak for a spiced chili flavor. To make a marinade that's great for fajitas, whisk all of the ingredients and pour the marinade into a sealable bag. Put the skirt steak into the bag and seal it shut. Leave the steak to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour before you grill it. To make the chili-spiced marinade, mix together:^{[6]
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- 2 teaspoons (4 g) of sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) of brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of chipotle chile powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of freshly ground pepper
- ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil
2
Mix a garlic and herb marinade for fresh flavor. Put all of the marinade ingredients into a food processor and put the lid on. Pulse the mixture until it's smooth and spreadable. Then pour it over the steak in a shallow container. Cover and refrigerate the steak for at least 30 minutes or overnight. For the marinade, combine:^{[7]
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- 1 cup (25 g) of basil leaves
- 3 thinly sliced scallions
- 2 tablespoons (5 g) of thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons (17 g) of pickled peppers
- 2 ½ teaspoons (15 g) of kosher salt
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice
- ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil
3
Serve the grilled steak with grilled vegetables to make fajitas. Once you've grilled the skirt steak, toss 1 sliced red, 1 sliced yellow, and 1 sliced green bell pepper into a cast iron skillet along with 1 sliced onion. Put the skillet on the grill and cook the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes or until they soften. Serve the grilled vegetables and steak with corn tortillas and your favorite toppings.^{[8]
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- For example, serve the fajitas with guacamole or pico de gallo.
Tip: Avoid using a nonstick skillet to grill the vegetables since nonstick materials can't withstand the direct heat of the grill.
4
Serve the steak with chimichurri. One of the simplest ways to eat grilled skirt steak is to spoon a flavorful sauce over it just before serving. Pulse all of the chimichurri ingredients until you get a smooth sauce. Drizzle the fresh sauce directly over the meat right before you eat it. You'll need to combine:^{[9]
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- 2 cups (50 g) of freshly minced parsley
- 3 tablespoons (25 g) of minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons (11 g) of minced oregano
- 1 ½ tablespoons (10 g) of red pepper flakes
- 1 to 1 ¹⁄₄ cups (240 to 300 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
- ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of red wine vinegar