This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Grilled Skirt Steak Recipe is quick, easy, and always tender. Paired with a homemade Italian salsa verde, it makes for a delicious summer dinner full of savory, tangy, herbaceous flavor you’ll love!
This steak recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, nut-free, Paleo, and Whole30!
Grilled Skirt Steak with Italian Salsa Verde
This flavorful dinner made with inexpensive skirt steak cooked on the grilled and doused in a bright Italian salsa verde sauce comes from the Feast by Firelight cookbook, written by my friend, Emma Frisch. She owns Firelight Camp Ground, a glamping location in Ithaca, NY that my family adores!
On one of our trips, we got to try this recipe, and I enjoyed it so much that I asked if I could share it with all of you. Thankfully, Emma agreed, and I could not be more excited to bring you this gem of a dinner.
It has quickly become a staple in my summertime lineup, and I know you’re going to love it, too. Serve it warm with all your favorite sides, and you’ll have a family-friendly meal that’s ready to eat in a matter of minutes!
What is Skirt Steak?
Skirt steak is a long, thin cut of beef that comes from the diaphragm muscle or belly section just below the ribs of a cow. One cow yields two inside and two outside skirt steaks. An outside steak is thicker and slightly more tender, but both inside and outside steaks are similar in flavor.
All cuts of skirt steak are fairly lean. However, they do have muscle fibers that run across the meat, giving it a fairly chew consistency. As a result, it’s important to cook it quickly and to avoid overcooking, or it will become tough and rubbery!
Where I Buy My Meat
- 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef
- Free-Range Organic Chicken
- Humanely Raised Pork
- Wild-Caught Seafood
Delivered to your door! The latest ButcherBox deal can be found right here!
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
For the Steak
- Skirt Steak: You’ll need two pounds of skirt steak for this recipe. Other steaks will work with adjusted cooking time.
- Salt: Use a generous amount of salt to tenderize the beef and enhance its flavor.
For the Salsa Verde
- Garlic: Use a whole fresh garlic clove to add a pungent, slightly sweet taste to the salsa.
- Anchovy Fillets: Make sure to rinse and pat the fish dry, or your salsa will be runny!
- Capers: These add a delicious briny flavor.
- Red Wine Vinegar: This adds a subtle sweetness to the salsa and a delicious tangy taste. Feel free to substitute sherry vinegar if preferred.
- Dijon Mustard: For a hint of tang.
- Fresh Parsley: This adds a vibrant, refreshing taste that balances out the heaviness of the fats.
- Olive Oil: We use this to create a spreadable consistency without watering down the salsa. Choose a high-quality extra virgin olive oil with a bold, peppery flavor for the best results!
How to Make the Best Skirt Steak Recipe
- Dry-brine the steaks: Rub salt evenly over the surface of the steaks. Then, transfer them to a ziplock bag, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Prepare the salsa verde: Combine the garlic, anchovies, and capers in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the vinegar, mustard, and parsley. Run the processor slowly, drizzling in part of the oil until the mixture is bright green and smooth.
- Seal the salsa: Transfer the salsa mixture to a jar. Add the remaining oil over the top to create a film, and seal the jar tightly.
- Cook the steak: Heat the grill to high heat, and grill the steaks over the hottest part, flipping them every few minutes until your desired doneness is achieved.
- Rest: Transfer the grilled skirt steak to a cutting board, and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Serve: Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain, and serve topped with the salsa verde!
Use a Grill Pan
This skirt steak recipe is best cooked on an outdoor grill where the air can circulate, allowing for even cooking and a caramelized exterior. However, if that’s not an option, you can use a grill pan instead!
Heat it over the stove, and cook the steak as normal, flipping it every few minutes. Work in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Tips on How to Grill the Perfect Steak
Check out these tips from Emma Frisch on how to cook the perfect steak:
- Set the grill to high heat, and position the grill grate as close to the coals as possible. Or, pile the coals high under the grate to maximize the steak’s proximity to the fire.
- Pat the steaks dry with a power towel to eliminate any moisture on the surface and ensure a crispy crust.
- Season appropriately. Be sure to dry brine the steaks the night before, and sprinkle them with black pepper right before grilling.
- Place the steaks over the hottest part of the fire. Look for an evenly caramelized and brown outer crust when checking for doneness. A slight char on the beef is okay, but don’t let the crust burn!
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches between 125° and 130°F for medium-rare to medium. (Check the guide below for other temperatures).
Internal Temperatures to Achieve Your Perfect Steak
Follow the guide below to cook your grilled skirt steak recipe to your desired doneness:
- If you like rare steak, stop cooking at 125°F.
- If you like medium-rare steak, stop cooking at about 130°F.
- If you like medium steak, stop cooking at 140°F.
- If you like a well-done steak stop cooking at 150ºF-155ºF.
Serving Suggestions
There’s not much this beef skirt steak doesn’t pair well with! Serve it with carb sources like instant pot corn on the cob, three bean salad, gluten-free BLT pasta salad, classic macaroni salad, or rice pilaf.
Then, add veggie dishes like cucumber salad, air fryer broccoli, air fryer asparagus, or garlicky blistered green beans for extra nutrients!
FAQs
Both skirt steaks and flank steaks are a type of flat steak with a bold, beefy flavor, but they aren’t quite the same. For instance, skirt steaks are much longer and narrower and have muscle fibers that run across the width of the steak.
Meanwhile, flank steak is broad and oval with fibers that run down its length. In addition, skirt steaks have more fat, which gives them a richer flavor and a more tender texture.
Store the cooked steak and salsa in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The salsa verde will stay fresh for up to 1 week, and the steak will last for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the steak for up to 2-3 months.
Let the salsa stand at ambient temperature for 3 hours before serving. Reheat the thawed steak in the oven at 250°F, in a skillet over medium heat, or in the microwave.
If you look closely, you can see that the muscle of the steak generally goes in one direction. To cut against the grain, cut the steak in the opposite direction of the muscle fibers. If the grain goes from right to left, cut from the top to bottom. If possible, cut at a diagonal. This makes the muscle fibers shorter, resulting in a tender piece of meat.
More Steak Recipes You’ll Love
- Air Fryer Steak
- Grilled Steak Salad with Pineapple and Avocado
- Garlic and Lime Marinated Flank Steak
- Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
- Sheet Pan Marinated Steak Tips with Veggies
- Steak Cobb Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
Grilled Skirt Steak with Italian Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skirt steak see Note
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- One 2-ounce can anchovy fillets rinsed and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
- Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- To prepare steaks: Dry-brine the steaks by rubbing the salt evenly over the surface. Transfer to a ziplock bag and then chill for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.2 pounds skirt steak, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- To prepare the salsa verde: In a food processor, combine the garlic, anchovies, and capers and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl; add the vinegar, mustard, and parsley; and whiz while slowly drizzling in the 1⁄3 cup olive oil until smooth and bright green. Transfer the mixture to a lidded 8-ounce jar. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top to create a film that will preserve the lovely bright green. Seal the jar tightly. Sauce can be made and chilled for up to 1 week. Remove the salsa verde from the cooler and let stand at ambient temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.1 garlic clove, One 2-ounce can anchovy fillets, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley, 1/3 cup olive oil
- To Cook Steak: Sprinkle the steaks with ground black pepper. Heat the grill to high heat and grill steaks over the hottest part of the fire, flipping the steak every few minutes for even cooking; the cooking time will vary depending on thickness, about 10 minutes. Look for an evenly caramelized and browned outer crust to check doneness. Slight char is okay but don’t let the crust burn! Use a thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the thickest part of the steak is between 125° and 130°F for medium-rare to medium (see chart in article for alternative temperature).Ground Black Pepper
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Slice the steak against the grain into 1⁄2-inch slices.
- Serve directly from the cutting board with salsa verde for topping the steak.
Notes
- If you steak is excessively fatty you can trim some of it to prevent flare-ups when the fat drips onto the coals. Skirt steak isn’t very fatty, but still, leave any fat on for flavor and just be prepared for flare-ups.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container, chilled, for up to 3 days.
- Reprinted with permission from Feast by Firelight cookbook, written by Emma Frisch.
- Internal Temperatures to Achieve Your Perfect Steak
Follow the guide below to cook your grilled skirt steak recipe to your desired doneness:
- If you like rare steak, stop cooking at 125°F.
- If you like medium-rare steak, stop cooking at about 130°F.
- If you like medium steak, stop cooking at 140°F.
- If you like a well-done steak stop cooking at 150ºF-155ºF.
Can you use Anchovie Paste instead of Anchovies?
Sure!
Good tips for cooking
Is there something you can use in place of anchovies? Can you use fish sauce?
A splash of fish sauce might help bring out more of the umami flavor, but it will change the salsa to omit the anchovies. Let us know how it goes!
thank you for sharing this Italian salsa verde, I’m used to the more common Mexican verde, capers, garlic yep definitely Italian!