Oh my goodness, I may have found the most flavorful cut of meat ever! I didn’t think I could be blown away by an ugly piece of beef. But boy howdy! It happened!
Several months ago I had a customer request skirt steak. There are only about four pounds of it per beef. So I wasn’t too worried about having a bunch on hand and not being able to sell it. I was pretty intimidated by it truthfully! When we got it from the butcher, it looked like a wad of beef in the package. Weird!
But once I thawed it and laid it out, it was a long thin piece of beef. Still kinda ugly, due to its fat distribution and loose structure.
But I persevered.
Just so ya know, there is an inside skirt and an outside skirt on a beef carcass. The outside skirt has a membrane covering one side — a lot like a rack of ribs. So, to tackle this fat covering, I had to get a paper towel for grip traction, then grab hold of that membrane and pull it off the steak. I tossed that part to the dogs!
That left me with a hunk of meat ready for the marinade. WHAT? Marinade?!
I am a firm believer that good beef doesn’t need marinade or sauce. Heaven forbid A1! BUT, skirt steak is a different kind of cut. It’s thin and absorbs marinade beautifully! All I recommend is a splash of lime juice and a sprinkling of Tajin (It’s a chili, salt, lime mixture. 
It’s heaven on about every food under the sun. Find it at any grocer in the Hispanic food section. I personally love it on popcorn). The marinade only has to sit for an hour or so (although I have forgotten and left it in the fridge for a whole day). Still delish! Before cooking, slice the meat into a few manageable pieces. The steak is about 14 inches long and tapers on one end. So, I cut it into four pieces, according to their thickness.
Heavenly Twist on White Corn Tortillas
*For a twist on white corn tortillas – rub a lime wedge over one side of the tortilla with a little bit of salt. Fire up the gas burner or grill or cast iron pan. I prefer the gas stove burner. Using tongs, lay the tortilla directly on the burner (or pan). Watch closely and flip occasionally, until charred and bubbly bits appear. Avoid my method of leaving it on the burner while you put dishes away. In turn catching the tortilla on fire.
LOL. It actually smells quite lovely and puts on a show for the kids! But please don’t burn down your kitchen.
As I did, you’ll want to get your grill or cast iron skillet screaming hot! You can sauté peppers and onions first if you like. Take them out of the skillet though before you put the steak in.
I start with the thickest cut of steak first, then add the thinnest last. They only take about three minutes per side (less for the really thin pieces), depending on your choice of rareness. If you like well done beef, you may want to avoid skirt steak. It could end up tough.
Side Note for those who like ‘em well done: You need to come visit me and I will cook you a medium rare steak and try and change your well done ways. 
Now that we’ve hemmed up that topic, let’s get back to the skirt. Once you remove the steak from the skillet, turn off the heat. Throw the veggies back in, along with some tomatoes if you prefer. Let the steak rest about five minutes. Slice into thin pieces going against the grain. Kind of diagonally. Then throw them back in the skillet with the veggies. The awesome bonus of cast iron, is it retains heat really well. So you are keeping your food warm while you mix it all back together. Add a little salt and pepper if needed. I tend to end up consuming my portion standing over the skillet, eating with my fingers.
For those more patient, you just go ahead and get your self a plate and some warm corn tortillas (*I’ve provided a couple of tips for how to make the tortillas heavenly too!) Load them up with the meat and veggies, and top with a little sour cream or avocado. That’s it!
Please let me know if I have convinced you to join me in the wonderful club of Skirt Steak Lovers!