Pan Seared Angus Beef Skirt Steak (video)
Skirt is one of my favourite cuts after fillet. A skirt steak is a long cut taken from the belly forequarter just below the rib cut. It is favourably used for making fajita, stir-fries and braising. It is a tough cut that carries so much flavour and needs to be either braised for a long time or pan-seared quickly and, when cut, cut against the grain.
Searing it to the perfect temperature is a must otherwise it can turn from soft and juicy to tough and chewy.
This cut is not readily available in the super markets of the Middle East, so you will need to ask your butcher to trim it for you.
I prefer searing my skirt steak in a cast iron pan rather than braising as cast iron naturally non-stick and it holds and equally distributes heat better than any other metal, not to mention the beautiful sear it lends the meat trapping the juice inside.
This is a perfect recipe for a dinner on cue, easy, quick and healthy.
Ingredients:
Servings: 3
- 700 grams skirt steak
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 60 grams shredded cheese
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
Method:
* Cut the beef into 3 steaks and lay on a plate lined with paper towel.
* Pat dry the steaks.
* Heat the cast iron skillet to the point it starts to smoke then lay the steaks in and cook for 3 minutes on one side seasoning with salt and pepper then turn over, season and sear for a further 1 minute or 2 for a medium rare finish.
* Remove from the pan and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Resting the meat is important to retain its juice and prevent it from running out leaving you with a tougher steak.
* Add the oil to the pan and sauté the onions for 1 minute then add the peppers and season with salt and pepper. Once it starts to caramelise divide them into 3 piles and top each with shredded cheese.
* Cover with a lid to trap the heat or simply cover with another frying pan.
* Slice the steak against the direction of the fibers.
* Serve the sliced skirt topped with the pile of onion, pepper and melted cheese then finish with guacamole.
Tips:
* I prefer to sear skirt seasoning it with flakey salt and cracked black pepper but if you prefer to marinade it do so for at least 2 hours.
* As an alternative, you can serve it wrapped in a tortilla with salsa pico di gallo and guacamole
Per Serving: 517 Calories; 33g Fat (59.4% calories from fat); 46g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 119mg Cholesterol; 164mg Sodium.