A tried-and-true recipe for skirt steak

When I think of skirt steak, my mouth waters. I’m a longtime fan! 

Having a tried-and-true recipe for this cut of beef makes a winning choice for your next dinner party. The secret ingredient to my skirt steak seasoning is mushroom powder, which is made by grinding dehydrated shiitake mushrooms. This really bumps up the earthiness of the steak, and is easily found in the spice aisle of most natural gourmet supermarkets. If you make a chimichurri sauce in advance, the flavors of the sauce will develop long enough so every bite of steak will have a complementary zing to it. 

Skirt steak cooks quickly and is best served medium rare. It’s important not to marinate your steak for too long so it doesn’t turn to mush, but 30–40 minutes is long enough for the marinade to penetrate and tenderize this thin cut of meat. 

Reducing the carb load for mashed potatoes, or a pomme purée like the French say, can be achieved by using celery root as the main component, and one to two Yukon gold potatoes to give it structure. With a bit of heavy cream, vegetable stock, and butter, the purée will be velvety-smooth. Choosing a vegetable to square off this meal should cause no difficulty, since just about anything will pair well. Gourmet meals need not be complicated!

Skirt Steak Dinner with Celery Root Pomme Purée

Yields 2

Ingredients for the chimichurri sauce

1 cup flat leaf parsley, finely minced

⅓ cup fresh oregano leaves, finely minced

½ tsp dried oregano, crushed

½ tsp red chili flakes

2 tsp red wine vinegar

½ – ¾ cups of extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 tsp, freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Instructions for the chimichurri sauce

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. 

Ingredients for the celery root pomme purée

1 medium celery root, peeled, diced in 1 inch chunks

1 to 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, diced in 1 inch chunks

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup vegetable stock, as needed

4 tbsp unsalted butter

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Instructions for the celery root pomme purée

In a medium pot, boil celery root and Yukon gold potato chunks for 20 minutes or until fork-tender. 

In the meantime, heat up the heavy cream and the vegetable stock separately. Melt the butter. 

Strain the celery root and potatoes. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher or  potato ricer.

Add the heavy cream and butter. If necessary, add the vegetable stock one tablespoon at a time. Whip until velvety and smooth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Ingredients for the skirt steak

1 lb skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat, cut evenly in half

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp mushroom powder

2 to 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Instructions for the skirt steak

Preheat a nonstick skillet on high heat. 

Season skirt steak halves with salt, pepper, and mushroom powder.

In a bowl, add the red wine vinegar. 

Lay the steaks in the bowl with the red wine vinegar, allowing the vinegar to touch every surface of the steaks. Let marinate for 30 minutes, turning the steaks over at the 15-minute mark so they marinate evenly.

Lift the steaks from the bowl and allow any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl. 

Sear the steak halves for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until slightly charred. Remove the steaks when they reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit and let them rest for 5 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. When they’re fully rested, slice the steaks against the grain. Serve immediately.