Beef
Grilled Skirt Steak with an Asian Twist
Grilled Skirt Steak Recipe
Get ready for a flavor explosion with this Asian-inspired grilled skirt steak recipe. The affordable but beefy cut gets an overnight marinade packing huge flavor from soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and lemongrass. After marinating, the steak hits a blazing hot grill for a quick sear, developing incredible char while staying nice and juicy inside. But the real star is the punchy chimichurri sauce – a vibrant blend of herbs, chiles, shallots and more fragrant Asian ingredients like fish sauce and sesame oil. Let thick slices of the charred, marinated steak mingle with spoonfuls of the zesty green sauce for a flavor bomb in every bite. It’s a simple but crave-worthy way to jazz up an inexpensive cut with huge flavor.
Grilled Skirt Steak with an Asian Twist
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Serves 2 to 3
- Method: Direct Grilling
Ingredients
For the skirt steak:
- 1 pound of skirt steak
- Marinade for skirt steak (recipe to follow)
- Chimichurri for serving (recipe to follow)
Marinade
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
- 3 to 4 inch-long pieces of lemongrass, smashed
- Zest and juice of one lime
For the Chimichurri:
- 4 scallions
- 1 shallot
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper red flakes
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
- 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Zest and juice of one lime
- Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
You’ll also need:
- You’ll also need: 2 to 3 hardwood chunks or 1 1/2 cups wood chips, soaked in water to cover and drained; wire rack set over a sheet pan; an instant-read meat thermometer, food processor.
Recipe Steps
1: Make the marinade by placing all in the ingredients in a bowl to mix.
2: Score the skirt steak in a crosshatch pattern on each side. Place the skirt steak in a resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade in the bag. Let the steak marinade in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or as long as overnight.
3: Make the chimichurri by placing all the ingredients in a food processor except the oil and the salt and pepper. Pulse the processor to chop the ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the processor. Pulse 3 to 4 times; repeat as needed. Once all ingredients are finely chopped, slowly stream in the oil with the machine running.
4: Taste the chimichurri. Season with salt and pepper as needed. The fish sauce is salty; if salt is needed, add it in small amounts and taste.
5: Heat thee grill to high. Scrape and oil the grates.
6: Remove the steak from the marinade. Pat dry with a paper towel.
7: Place the skirt steak on the hot grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, depending in the thickness of the steak.
8: Slice the skirt steak across the grain. Top with the chimichurri and serve immediately.
