This skirt steak marinade is a delicious blend of citrus, fresh sage, garlic, and apple cider vinegar, providing a rich, tangy, and savory flavor that enhances the steak's natural taste. It's the perfect dinner to make for friends and family any night of the week.
This skirt steak marinade stands out due to its unique flavor profile of robust, tangy, slightly bitter, and sweet apple cider vinegar. The apple cider vinegar adds a delightful acidity that helps tenderize the meat and enhances its natural flavors.
Combined with a blend of aromatic herbs and spices, this marinade creates a truly unforgettable taste experience.
What is Skirt Steak?
Skirt steak, a long, flat piece of meat from the cow's diaphragm muscle, is tough but flavorful. Cooked properly, it can be tender and mouth-watering when seared for a few minutes on each side.
Did you know that marinating your skirt steak can make it more tender and flavorful? It's true! Because of its amazing ability to soak up marinades and spices, skirt steak is a great choice for delicious fajitas or stir-fry recipes.
The Marinade
This marinade has zip and is nicely balanced. Also, it's perfect for adding flavor to other grilled meats like chicken, fish, or vegetables. Here's how to make the marinade.
- You'll need a mixing bowl and a whisk to combine ingredients.
- Zest and juice your lemon and add it to the bowl, along with the apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, mustard, garlic, olive oil, whole sage leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk vigorously until a yellow, speckled marinade is the final result.
- Make this marinade ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in advance.
Finally, when ready to use, simply remove it from the refrigerator and give it a good stir before adding it to your skirt steak. The flavors will have had time to meld together, resulting in a more flavorful marinade.
Marinade Notes
I prefer to use coarse black pepper for this recipe since it gives the marinade really lovely black speckles, as you can see.
Though it may not seem intuitive, the mustard will effectively balance out the sharp taste of vinegar and maple syrup.
Save ¼ cup of the marinade for serving. Before eating, I prefer to ladle the reserved marinade directly over the cooked steak.
What Is the Best Way to Tenderize Skirt Steak?
To tenderize skirt steak, marinate it with acidic ingredients like vinegar, citrus juice, or yogurt, or use a meat mallet or tenderizing tool to physically break down the muscle fibers before cooking, resulting in a more tender steak.
How to Cook Skirt Steak
- Start by marinating the skirt steak to enhance its flavor and tenderness. Let the steak marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat your grill or stovetop grill pan to high heat. Skirt steak cooks quickly, so you want a hot surface to sear it properly.
- Cook the skirt steak for about 2-3 minutes per side on high heat for medium-rare. However, if you prefer a more well-done steak, you can cook it for an additional 1-2 minutes per side. It is important to note that skirt steak cooks quickly due to its thinness, so it is essential to keep a close eye on it to prevent overcooking
- Place the cooked steak on a cutting board to rest for a few minutes. Allowing it to rest will help the steak retain its juices.
- After resting, use a sharp knife and cut against the grain at a slight angle. This will result in tender slices that are perfect for serving and enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this marinated grilled skirt steak with a green vegetable like roasted broccoli, green beans, or asparagus. Also, I like to include a starch. Both buttered rice or creamy mashed potatoes would be great!
Either or provide a delicious and hearty base to the dish. The buttered rice adds a subtle richness, while the creamy mashed potatoes offer a comforting and velvety texture.
Alternatively, you can also serve it with a fresh green salad or some crusty bread to soak up the juices from the steak.
More Crave-Worthy Cider Recipes to Try
Cider Roasted Green Beans with Garlic. These Apple Cider Roasted Green Beans are the perfect side dish for any lunch or dinner. The apple cider adds a subtle sweetness to the green beans, while the lemon zest adds a refreshing citrus flavor.
Cider Roasted Chicken and Potatoes. This fall supper recipe features roasted chicken and potatoes with an apple cider-based rub, infused with spices like paprika, garlic, and oregano.
Skirt Steak Marinade with Cider and Sage
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 sage leaves left whole
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 24 oz skirt steak (about 1.5 pounds) fat trimmed and removed
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the apple cider vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, sage, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix with a whisk vigorously until a yellow creamy marinade forms. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for later use.
- Pour the marinade over the steak. Flip the meat with tongs to ensure all sides are covered in the marinade.
- Place the marinated skirt steak in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat your grill or stovetop pan to high heat. Skirt steak cooks quickly, so you want to start with a hot surface to sear it properly.
- For medium-rare doneness, cook the skirt steak for about 2-3 minutes per side. If you prefer a more well-done steak, cook it for an additional 1-2 minutes per side.
- Once cooked, allow the skirt steak to rest on a cutting board for a few minutes before cutting it.
- Once rested, use a sharp knife to cut the steak against the grain into thin slices. The thin slices will ensure tenderness and make it easier to enjoy.
- Serve with a drizzle of the reserved marinade over the skirt steak and garnish with fresh sage leaves.
Daniela says
OMG! I am so making this! It looks delicious! And I had never heard of buttered rice before but it sounds so comforting. Good job Ashley. Another mouthwatering creation by you.
Ashley says
Thanks, Daniela!