I’ve been following an Alton Brown recipe for Skirt Steak for a year or more that just rocks. Made a slight adjustment to the seasoning but the method is the biggest win. The biggest problem with grilling skirt steak or flank steak is that the meat is so thin that you cannot get a good char on the meat without overcooking it.
Solution: Lump charcoal, no cooking grate, lay the meat right on the glowing coals. Before you say WTF, think about it. You get the char on the meat before it has a chance to cook through. With hardwood lump charcoal you don’t have the typical ash issue that briquets offer.
First the marinade which will treat two skirt steaks. I cut the meat into about 5" strips and marinade it in:
1/2c EVOO
1/3c Soy Sauce
1/4c Lime Juice
2 Garlic Cloves
4 Green Onions/Scallions
1Tsp Oregano
1/2Tsp Ground Cumin
1/2Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
3Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
I put all the ingredients into a blender and purée. Then add to the meat in a Ziplock bag for a couple hours. Before cooking remove meat from marinade and wipe off excess. Prepare the grill with enough hardwood lump charcoal to cover the grate. When the coals are ready, no black showing, it’s time to add the meat.
Lay the meat in one layer directly on top of the hot coals. The fire burns real hot so have some protection for your hand while you use tongs to turn the meat over after 1-1/2 minutes. If any pieces of coals stick to the meat just give it a shake and they will drop off.
Go another 1-1/2 minutes on the flip side and remove the meat to a waiting sheet of H/D Aluminum Foil.
Wrap the foil around the meat and let sit while you cook up some onions and peppers.
Slice the meat on the bias but not at an angle because while it presents well it does little to overcome the fact that this cut of meat is chewy when not sliced properly. The 1-1/2 min per side is just right to give you Medium Rare slices on the thicker portions and Medium on the thinner so everyone gets what they want. With the char! We always do it Fajita style with the onions and peppers in a tortilla. A little splash of Tapatio and you’re set. Try it, it’s really good.
