Grilled Skirt Steak

Close up of thinly sliced skirt steak on a white plate

Grilled Skirt Steak is flavorful, juicy and incredibly simple to make at home! Learn how to make the best skirt steak marinade, as well as how to cook and cut skirt steak for an easy summertime meal.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 7

Marinating Time 2

Total Time 2 17

Servings servings

Calories 684kcal

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. skirt steak
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ½ teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Instructions

Marinate the skirt steak

Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, hot sauce, brown sugar and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
Place the skirt steak in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Pour the marinade on top of the steak.
Seal the bag, and use your hands to massage the marinade into the steak.
Refrigerate for 2-12 hours to marinate. (The longer the steak marinates, the stronger you will taste the marinade in the meat. However, the marinade should not overtake the meaty, beefy flavor of the steak.)

Grill the steak

Remove the steak from the fridge 30-45 minutes before you grill it. Remove it from the marinade and pat it try with a paper towel. Place on a plate. We do this because a cold steak will not cook as evenly, and a wet steak will not get a good sear on it.
Fire up the grill. Do this 30-45 minutes or so before you plan to grill. The grill needs to be screaming hot for the steak. If you have not, clean the grates with a grill brush.
When the grill has been consistently running between 500-525°F, place the steak on the grill. Close the lid.
Cook for 4 minutes, then open the lid and flip the steak. It should have good grill marks on the bottom side.
Grill for another 2-3 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the steak reaches 130°F, which will rise to medium rare doneness after the steak rests. (Skirt steak will become tougher if it is cooked much past medium. Please keep an eye on it since it cooks quickly.)
When the steak is done, remove from the grill. Place on a plate and cover with foil. Let the steak rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
After the steak has rested to allow the juices to redistribute, place it on a cutting board and slice against the grain in thin slices.
Serve with your favorite side dishes, and enjoy immediately!

Notes

This marinade recipe can work for up to a 2 lb. skirt steak. It can be doubled or tripled to accommodate more meat. If you’re making multiple skirt steaks for a crowd, consider marinating them together in a large bag. Just be sure that all of the meat has been properly submerged in the marinade.

It is very important to use an instant read meat thermometer to ensure your steak is cooked properly! Judging a steak’s doneness by look or touch can be inconsistent, especially since skirt steak is so thin compared to other cuts of meat.

When is my steak done? Skirt steak is best cooked to medium rare (135°F) or medium (145°F) because it becomes tough if the meat cooks past these temperatures. Remember that the steak will hit the temperature while it’s resting, so remove it from the grill about 5-10°F before the desired temperature.

How to store leftover steak: Store leftover steak in a food-safe container in the refrigerator.

How to serve leftover steak: Let leftover sliced steak come to room temperature before eating it. Heating it in the microwave will make it tough.

Have a leftover (whole) steak? Store it whole, and sear it in a skillet the next day with a little butter or oil.

Nutrition