I have never had skirt steak yet but I have heard great things about one of the two cuts of skirt steak. Getting some skirt steak to try it soon is my plan and I wanted to learn about it more first so that I could write a post and share everything with you.
Skirt steak is a long flat steak from the plate primal of the cow. It has a lot of strong beefy flavor but it is rather tough because of all of the connective tissue or collagen running through it. There are two different cuts of the skirt steak and one is more prized than the other.
Skirt steak comes from the plate primal of the cow. The outside skirt is the diaphragm muscle and the inside skirt is the transversus abdominis muscle.
I am gonna talk about the two types of skirt steak, how it is similar to some other steaks, and the cooking process below.
What are the two types of skirt steak?
The outside and inside skirt are the two types of skirt steaks. Both are long and thin cuts of meat with a thick grain. The outside skirt is longer, wider, and thicker. There is only one inside and one outside skirt steak per cow.
Skirt steaks are not easy to find at your local grocery store because there is only one of each per cow. But if you can find it you should go for the outside skirt because it is more tender and has better marbling.
Is there another name for skirt steak?
The inside skirt is also known as Arrachera, Fajita Meat, Fajita Steak, and Skirt Steak. The outside skirt is also known as the exact same thing. You may not be able to tell them apart at the store so it is best to ask someone who may know.
Is skirt steak the same as flank steak?
Skirt steak is not the same as flank steak. Flank steak is cut from the flank primal or the abdominal of the cow. It is easier to find in the store than skirt steak. Skirt steak has more fat making it juicier but it has more connective tissue as well.
Connective tissue is what makes a steak chewy but the connective tissue is collagen. Collagen is extremely good for you so I don’t shy away when I hear a steak has a lot of connective tissue. You can read about the benefits of collagen in a post I wrote about here.
Flank steak is also a steak that is a lot thicker than skirt steak. I wrote a post about flank steak as well that you can read here.
Is flat iron steak more tender than skirt steak?
Flat iron is more tender than skirt steak. It is even more tender than the outside skirt steak which is the most tender of the two skit steaks. Flat iron is considered the second most tender cut on the cow which is a lot for skirt steak to compete with. The flat iron also usually has better marbling as well.
This doesn’t mean that skirt steak can’t compete with flat iron steak. There are some people who say outside skirt steak is their favorite cut of the cow. It is for good reason because outside skirt steak can have an incredible flavor.
If you want to learn more about flat iron steak, I wrote a post about it here.
Is skirt steak a good cut of meat?
Skirt steak is a good cut and is highly prized by some because of the great flavor that the steak has. It is a tougher cut because of a lot of connective tissue but is still good especially if it is prepared the right way.
What is skirt steak best used for?
Stir fry and fajitas are what skirt steak is best used for. Cutting the skirt steak into thin long strips, will make it more tender when you eat it that way because a lot of the connective tissue will be cut apart.
How do you cook skirt steak so it’s not tough?
Marinating skirt steak and not overcooking it are ways you can make it more tender. If it is overcooked then it will become tough and chewy which is easy for that to happen because it is a thin steak. Marinating the steak will tenderize it and break down the collagen.
I wrote an entire post about how to not overcook steak which you can find here. It does include some things about marinating as well but there are some other posts that I wrote that go more in-depth.
This post here is about how to make beef more tender where I talk more about marinating. I also wrote a post here where I marinated a Chuck steak with pineapple.
Chuck steak is another tough steak with a lot of connective tissue like the skirt steak.
How do you tenderize a skirt steak?
Using a mallet or commercial meat tenderizer to tenderize steak is good if you don’t want to use acidity or fruit enzymes. Mechanically tenderizing the meat will prevent it from over-tenderizing and becoming too mushy.
Do you rinse skirt steak before cooking?
The USDA says that you shouldn’t wash your meat before cooking because it can cause cross-contamination and food-borne illness. Although, if you think you put too much salt on the steak or want to wash off a marinade then should and it should be done safely to minimize cross-contamination.
Does skirt steak need to be soaked before cooking?
Soaking a skirt steak is similar to washing it and can cause cross-contamination and food-borne illness. But, you can marinate it to make it more tender. Skirt steak does not need to be soaked in water to clean it.
Conclusion
Skirt steak can be grilled, broiled, or pan-fried and is best used in a stir fry or fajitas where it is thinly sliced.
Skirt steak is known for its great flavor and the outside skirt steak can be amazing. If you have a choice then definitely choose the outside skirt steak instead of the inside.
