Basics: How to Prep Skirt Steak

The two essential first steps when preparing your perfect skirt steak.

I love serving skirt steak because it’s so effortless and everyone loves it. My latest favorite is grilled simply and paired with this salad. You can also try this version (Newsflash: it goes well with mango), and we have a new skirt steak recipe for your grill coming up soon.

But it does need two essential steps for it to be it’s best: that’s the soaking and pounding. Soaking eliminates some saltiness and pounding makes for extra tender steak. Though skirt steak is usually pricey, I find that it’s so stretchy, that even a small package can feed a few people and present as nicely-sized steaks. Also, it doesn’t matter if you buy it frozen because it’ll defrost during soaking anyway.

Two Easy Skirt Steak Steps:

Soak steak in water, massaging the meat. I usually just soak once, but while working on Everyday Secret Restaurant Recipes, Leah and I received some tips from Offy Shiffman, owner of Backyard BBQ in Surfside, Florida. He recommended draining and adding fresh water after a few minutes so the steak isn’t sitting in the heaviest concentration of salty water. Then, soak for 10 minutes. Drain and add fresh water again and soak for 20 minutes. (If you prefer saltier meat, omit the last soaking.)

Pat meat dry and pound thin to tenderize. If you don’t have a meat mallet, use the bottom of a pot. Meat is now ready for marinating.