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This juicy and tender skirt steak recipe has to be my family’s favorite steak ever. It’s coated in a tangy, sweet, and savory marinade, then pan-seared to perfection.
Need more quick-cooking steaks? Try my air fryer rib eye, bavette steak, or filet mignon next.
What is skirt steak?
Skirt steak is a long, flat cut from the beef plate on the belly, right under the ribs. While not considered a naturally tender cut of beef, the right cooking method makes for a juicy steak with a rich beefy flavor.
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Why you’ll love this juicy skirt steak
We love to cook steaks at home, but when I’m short on time or need a crowd-pleaser, I turn to skirt steak every time.
For this recipe, I quickly marinated the skirt steaks in a blend of honey, lime, and soy sauce. Each steak is pan-seared until the exterior is caramelized and crisp while the center remains juicy, tender, and full of natural meaty flavor. Here are some other reasons why I love this recipe:
- Budget-friendly. Skirt steak can be tough and chewy when not done right, but with my quick marinade and high-heat cooking method, you can turn this budget cut into something special.
- Quick. Because it’s such a thin cut, this steak cooks in a fraction of the time as other steaks.
- That marinade! As much as I love skirt steak, you could use this marinade to make literally anything taste incredible.
Key Ingredients
- Skirt steak. There are two cuts: outside skirt steak and inside skirt steak. If possible, I prefer the outside cut, as it has a more tender, richer flavor. Cut it into two pieces.
- Extra virgin olive oil. For essential fat in the skirt steak marinade.
- Garlic cloves. Crushed. Use fresh garlic, as I swear it makes all the difference in flavor!
- Soy sauce. Adds a rich, umami flavor.
- Lime juice. Helps tenderize the steak and adds brightness. If you don’t have a lime, use lemon juice instead.
- Honey. It gives the meat a subtly sweet flavor and helps break down the proteins. Alternatively, I also enjoyed the taste of brown sugar and found it helped the meat cook more quickly.
- Italian seasonings. Optional, to complement the beef flavor.
- Black pepper and kosher salt. To taste.
How to cook skirt steak
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Tenderize the meat. Wrap the steak in plastic wrap and pound it with a meat mallet.
Step 2- Marinade. Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the steak in the marinade and refrigerate briefly. Let the steak come to room temperature before cooking.
Step 3- Sear. Sear the steaks in a hot cast iron skillet until fully cooked.
Step 4- Rest, slice, and serve. Let the steaks rest briefly, then slice against the grain and serve with fresh lime and a sprinkle of salt.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Marinade the steak for up to 24 hours. Any longer, and the acid will break down the muscle fibers entirely.
- Pat dry the steak before seasoning. Removing excess moisture guarantees a flavorful marinade and a gorgeous crust.
- Pair it with a sauce. Skip the Italian seasoning and serve the steak with my chimichurri sauce!
- Garnish with fresh herbs or scallions for a pop of flavor.
Frequently asked questions
While the two are often used interchangeably, they are different in several ways. Flank steak comes from below the loin and is usually wider. It’s also not as beefy as skirt steak, nor is it as fatty.
The best way to cook skirt steak is to marinate it and cook it using a high heat cooking method, such as the stovetop or grill. This helps to tenderize the meat quickly before it can become overcooked and chewy.
If you are serving this cut of steak as your main course, consider serving 200-220 grams (8-10 ounces) of steak per person. I find this is the perfect amount for most people.
More ways to use skirt steak
How To Cook Skirt Steak (Perfect Every Time)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skirt steak sliced in half
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Tenderize the meat by placing it on a cutting board, covering it with plastic wrap, and pound with a meat mallet.
- Whisk together all the remaining ingredients in a bowl until combined.
- Place the meat in the marinade and let it chill for at least 10 minutes in the freezer or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Before cooking, leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat the iron skillet until sizzling hot, and place the steak in it. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Rest the cooked steak on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice the steak against the direction of the fiber, squeeze some lime on top, sprinkle with some coarse salt, and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 2023, updated and republished December 2024
Where is skirt steak originated from? I never actually heard of it before. Maybe its similar to normal steak?
I only marinated for the 10 minutes but still a great taste. wonder about adding tequila to the marinade.
Hmmm that could work, but I reckon you’ll need to marinate for longer 🙂
Recently we bought a quarter cow of beef, and I got a skirt steak with that. Never cooked a skirt steak before so I did a search. I found this page and liked it enough to give it a try. Turned out amazing!! I sautéed some onions to go with the skirt steak. My steak came out tender and a lot a great flavor. It’s even good cold the next day! I’m keeping this and looking at some of your other beef recipes. Thanks!
First time I have EVER made skirt steak that actually turned out perfectly! Tender, savory and easy to pull together. Key points: tenderize meat with kitchen mallet, marinade at least a few hours, grill/fry on high heat for just a couple minutes each side, wrap and allow to sit, and cut again grain. I now feel confident that I can attempt more skirt steaks recipes!
Excellent flavors & recommendations for marinating & cooking time! Ours turned out perfect!
😀 Love that, Amy!!
Super punchy flavors. I marinated for about 5 hours (everything else the same) and we loved it. I’m sure 4 hours would be plenty. I made roasted sweet potato hash and put my cast iron skillet in the oven on 425 for 15 minutes with the potatoes, brought it out and cooked the steaks, med-high electric stove for 2-2.5 minutes on each side and it was perfect mid-rare.
Steak was great but slightly too salty. Next time I would cut back a bit on soy sauce. Will definitely make it again.
Five+ stars!
I love Churrasco but I barely order it since even restaurants ruin it! This was my first time making my own, despite being a kitchen enthusiast, and it is honestly the best churrasco I have ever had!
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe post. I will definitely be adding it to my collection.
Excellent recipe with even better results. I only marinated the meat for 30 min. And the flavor was there with every bite. With the perfect balance. Really good