This Grilled Skirt Steak is juicy, tender, and delicious. Topped with grilled cherry tomatoes and fresh burrata, it’s a gorgeous centerpiece at family barbecues. No marinating required!
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Recipe for Grilled Skirt Steak
Summer calls for thin slices of medium rare Grilled Skirt Steak. So juicy and full of flavor, this cut of beef reigns supreme! It only gets better when topped with juicy roasted tomatoes, salty burrata, and fresh basil leaves.
Skirt steak is one of the best grilling meats. A beautifully caramelized char surrounds the outside in minutes while the inside becomes tender and juicy over the heat. It’s also just a really great and low-maintenance piece of meat! There’s no need to marinate skirt steak and it’s best when served rare or medium rare, meaning it’s ready to eat in minutes.
I served this grilled steak with roasted cherry tomatoes, burrata, garlic, basil, and balsamic on top for bold Italian flavors and a pop of color. It’s the perfect pairing to Tomato Burrata Salad and Cauliflower Gnocchi on the side!
What’s The Difference Between Skirt Steak vs. Flank Steak?
Both flank and skirt steak are long cuts of beef from around the abdominal area on the cow. While the two are both tough, long, and lean, the differentiating factor comes down to the taste. Skirt steak has a bold, more pronounced flavor and is best when cooked to rare or medium rare, whereas flank steak is rich and lean.
I recommend marinating flank steak to help tenderize it and add flavor. Skirt steak doesn’t need a marinade because it packs in so much flavor. Both cuts can be sliced thin and used in fajitas, tacos, or topped with fresh salsas or chimichurri sauce.
You can buy outside or inside skirt steak – they’re both quite similar! Outside is on the thicker side and won’t shrink as much as an inside skirt will when it cooks.
Do I Have To Marinate Skirt Steak?
You don’t need to for this recipe. The only preparation involved is letting the steak come to room temperature and dressing it in a little oil and sea salt before it hits the grill.
How Grill Skirt Steak
Fully preheat the grill to high heat. Aim to keep the grill at a consistent temperature throughout the grilling process.
Depending on the doneness you like (see my cooking tips below), keep cooking the steak until you see your desired temperature on an instant read thermometer.
Place the cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan and dress them in oil and salt. Add the pan to the grill and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook until the tomatoes are blistered and the garlic is golden brown.
Serve the sliced steak on a platter along with the burrata, basil, and blistered tomatoes. Drizzle the top with a balsamic glaze and enjoy!
Stovetop Method
Instead of the grill, cook the steak in a large cast iron skillet with some oil over high heat. Cook each side for 2 minutes. Continue cooking and flipping each minute until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness. Transfer to a plate and allow the steak to rest.
How Can You Tell When Steak Is Cooked?
The best way to tell if your steak is cooked to your liking is by using an instant read thermometer. Use these temperatures as a guide:
- Rare: 125°F
- Medium-rare: 135°F
- Medium: 145°F
- Medium-well: 150°F
- Well done: 160°F
Remember that steak continues to cook a little after it comes off the heat. Let it rest on a cutting board when it’s 5 degrees away from being where you like.
What To Serve With Grilled Skirt Steak
These Italian-style grilled steak pieces soak up the flavors of the roasted tomatoes and fresh burrata. It’s such a complimentary dish on its own, so feel free to keep things simple and serve the skirt steak alongside a side salad, like a Kale Caesar Salad or a Shaved Zucchini Salad, and fresh bread.
If you’d rather leave the tomatoes and other toppings off, feel free to slice the grilled steak thin and use it in fajitas, tacos, on salads, or in burrito bowls. Top it with freshly made chimichurri sauce or lime juice for bold flavors!
FAQs About Grilled Skirt Steak
- How long do you grill skirt steak? Don’t grill it past medium rare. Otherwise, it will be way too tough.
- How do you make skirt steak tender? If you really can’t get past the toughness of skirt steak, you can tenderize it by slicing the meat and marinating it in a citrus marinade for 30 minutes before it cooks. Alternatively, make sure to cook the steak on indirect heat on the grill and tent it in foil as it rests off the heat so it doesn’t dry out.
- How to properly slice steak? First of all, don’t cut the meat until it has rested for at least 10 minutes. You want to slice skirt steak “against the grain” (or perpendicular to the muscle fibers) to break apart the muscle fibers so you end up with tender, thin strips.
These Steak Recipes Are Perfect For Summer Grilling
- Garlic Butter Ribeye Steak
- Grilled Sirloin Steak Kabobs
- Flank Steak with Peach Salsa
- Ribeye Steak Crostini
Did you try this Grilled Skirt Steak? Don’t forget to tell me what you think in the comments below, or share a picture on Instagram! I love to share all of your recreations on my page.
Grilled Skirt Steak
Ingredients
Grilled Skirt Steak
- 2 lbs skirt steak
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Grilled Tomatoes and Buratta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 balls burrata cheese torn into smaller pieces
- 5 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 8 leaves basil roughly chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp kosher salt for tomatoes
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt for finishing touch
Instructions
Grilled Skirt Steak
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- Pat the steak dry on both sides, brush with olive oil and sprinkle the steak with the salt on both sides.
- Clean and oil the grates then place the steak over the hottest part of the grill. Grill 2-3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 130-135ºF with an instant read thermometer.
- Remove the steak to a platter, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting. To serve, first cut the steak into about 6 inch pieces to make it more manageable for cutting and then slice the steak thinly and against the grain.
Grilled Tomatoes and Buratta
- Add the olive oil, cherry tomatoes, and salt on a sheet pan. Place it on the grill and allow them to cook for 5 minutes undisturbed with the steak. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Leave it to cook for 5 more minutes until the tomatoes are blistered and the garlic is golden brown.
- On the platter with the cut steak, add the grilled tomatoes along with torn burrata pieces and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle the leftover olive oil from the sheet pan with the tomatoes on top and then the balsamic graze. Sprinkle with flaky salt to finish off and enjoy with grilled bread or a side salad.
Notes
Jayme Silvestri
Very tasty looking! I do love cilantro, but I have heard that some people have an aversion to it. Love your photo!
lena
Ohh I am so happy you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing your review.
Katie Hamm
I was craving steak the other night, but didn’t want something as heavy as a ribeye. This was the *perfect* healthy, satisfying meal that felt extra special on a weekend.
lena
That’s so great to hear, thank you!