Grilled Asian Skirt Steak
Skirt steak is one of my favorite cuts of meat to grill. It has an intense beefy flavor that beats some of the more expensive steaks. The key is to marinade it, grill it over a high heat and then allow it to rest and retain its juices. This recipe by Chef David Lawrence adds some wonderful spices including cinnamon and cloves to the marinade. Be sure to marinade the meat as long as possible to get the maximum flavor.
Grilled Asian Skirt Steak – Recipe
Serves 4
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 six-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 4 teaspoons dark-brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- ½ cup good dry sherry
- 6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE STEAK
- 2 small skirt steaks (about 1 pound each)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
In a medium bowl combine the sliced ginger, garlic, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, dry sherry and soy sauce. Whisk in the olive oil and pour marinade over the flank steak in a heavy gallon sized Ziplock bag, which in my opinion is the easiest and best way to marinate meat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or even better for several hours in the refrigerator. The longer the meat swims in the marinade the more flavorful it will be.
Preheat the grill to high.
Remove the flank steak from the marinade and brush off any slices of garlic and ginger, as they’ll just burn and char on the grill. Place the meat on a layer of several paper towels and blot off as much of the liquid as possible. This is an important step because if the meat is too wet it won’t sear, it will steam which is the surest way I know of to end up with gray steak! Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
Grill the steak without moving it around or poking it so it has a chance to sear and get those beautiful grill marks, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest loosely tented under aluminum foil for at least 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips and scattering with a shower of chopped cilantro for garnish.
Photo Credit: Chef David Lawrence
